My son in law Moshe Alouf shared this with me this morning. A short thought on appreciating the women in our lives:

A Subtle Purity: The Jewelry Still Worn

In Shemot 35:22, the Torah describes the donations to the
Mishkan:

“וַיָּבֹאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים עַל־הַנָּשִׁים כֹּל נְדִיב לֵב הֵבִיאוּ
חָח וָנֶזֶם וְטַבַּעַת וְכוּמָז...”
“The men came upon the women—all whose hearts moved them brought brooches,
earrings, rings, and pendants…”

Rashi, based on Chazal, explains “עַל הַנָּשִׁים” as “with
the women,” suggesting the men came closely following them. But the Meshech
Chochma (on this pasuk) notices that Onkelos translates it
literally: “while the jewelry was still on the women” (guvraya al
neshaya).

Why emphasize that the jewelry was still being worn?

The Meshech Chochma brings in a powerful halachic framework.
From the laws of Isurei HaMizbeyach, if an object is merely declared for
Avodah Zarah, it's not inherently forbidden. But if any action—like
placing it or shaping it—is done in the service of idolatry, the item becomes
assur (forbidden).

At the time of the Golden Calf, Bnei Yisrael (or at least
the Erev Rav) said: “אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל”—“These are your
gods.” That plural language reflects a desire for multiple powers, and their
contributions of gold were accompanied by physical acts of creation. This could
render any gold connected to the sin invalid for use in holy service.

Enter the brilliance of the women. When Aharon asked
for their jewelry to delay the Egel, they refused to give. That gold
remained pure.

So when it came time to build the Mishkan, the men didn't
just bring gold. They brought the women themselves—with the jewelry still on
them—to show clearly: this gold was never involved, never tainted. It
was still “על הנשים”—on the women, not given over for sin.

A Thought to Take With Us

From this detail, we learn that not participating in
a wrong is itself a form of powerful avodah. The women’s refusal to give to the
Egel became the very foundation of their gift’s kosher status for the
Mishkan.

A Story to Illustrate

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l once walked into a room full
of people discussing whether certain donations could be accepted by a yeshiva
due to questionable sources. He said gently, “Sometimes the most valuable gift
is not the donation itself, but the way it was held back when it could have
gone to the wrong place.”

Just like the gold that remained on the women until it could
be offered to Hashem.