Parsha discussion

Question:  What was the dilemma that משה faced in accepting the wagons and oxen from the נשיאים? Why should it have been a problem? Approach: Given that the instructions relating to the building of the משכן and the processes surrounding it were so prescriptive, משה may have thought that anything not specifically instructed was not to be allowed. It's also possible that the נשיאים came in the immediate aftermath of the deaths of נדב & אביהוא, which made משה think twice about doing things that had not been commanded explicitly.

Question:  For transporting the כלי המקדש, why are auxiliary כלים of the מנורה placed with it, rather than in a different layer, as with the other כלים? Approach: it would seem that the various עבודות in the משכן were considered separate activities, albeit using the various vessels as required. But the מנורה was, by definition, a vessel that light is produced from and hence the various גלים are an integral part of it. Perhaps this also explains why they were also made from the same block of gold in the original construction.

Question:  25:25-28 seem to be a repeat of the rules mentioned in 25:14-16.  Why? Approach:  The latter section refers to the repurchase of the property that was sold in the first section. We may have thought that the original seller (and now repurchaser) would be subject to some sort of compensation fee to the original purchaser, and hence why we need to learn that this is not so, and the calculations are identical.

Question:  Why are the rules regarding the production of the שמן למאור and לחם הפנים mentioned here rather that in כי תשא with the similar items? Approach: It would seem that the main aspect that is added here, over and above the initial, brief, instructions in ספר שמות is that the light and bread are to be placed לפני ה', which links in with the previous section of סוכות, where there is also the requirement to "celebrate" לפני ה'.