(“Kichu Mayitchem – Take from yourselves a separation as a donation to the Mishkan.”) Why does it say “Mayitchem” – “from yourselves”? What does this peculiar word come to teach us? Isn’t it obvious that the donations are coming from yourselves? The Kli Yakar answers, many times people give Tzedoka only because of social pressures. They feel that they must give because it would be embarrassing to say “no” to the prominent Rosh Yeshiva who came to his house. Or at an appeal in his Shul, it would be disgraceful for him if he does not announce that he too is giving a substantial sum to this worthy cause, after all his buddies
threw around the “big numbers”. Such donations are not Meyitchem – from yourselves. It is not you giving the money, rather the social pressure of others.
The pasuk is telling us that for the donations of the Mishkan it should be purely yours. Whatever you give should be what you would like to give, not what you would like others to think that you gave!
