The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
In Shemos 25:7 the Torah states אַבְנֵי־שֹׁ֕הַם וְאַבְנֵ֖י מִלֻּאִ֑ים לָֽאֵפֹ֖ד וְלַחֽשֶׁן. Rabbi Frand commented that the words וְאַבְנֵ֖י מִלֻּאִ֑ים are literally translated as the filling stones. Rashi asks why they are given this title and he explains that there were holes in the Choshen which were filled by these stones.
But given that the stones were precious, why would they be identified as "fillers?"
R' Frand answered by quoting the sefer Abir Ya'akov who in turn cites R' Shmuel Birnbaum who learns a lesson that more important than the value of the object is its role in filling something else that is lacking. In this case the stone was a sapphire, but its role in completing something that was missing was more important than its value as a precious stone.
R' Frand next analyzed the Aron which the Torah tells us in Shemos 25:11 was to be constructed with gold on the outside and inside the chamber as well (וְצִפִּיתָ֤ אֹתוֹ֙ זָהָ֣ב טָה֔וֹר מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ תְּצַפֶּ֑נּוּ). The Gemara in Yoma quotes Rava who learns a lesson from this that any talmid chacham who is not Tocho K'Baro - who is not the same on the inside as he is on the outside, is not a true talmid chacham.
But the Aron while golden on the inside was actually not pure gold as the inlay was covering a wood frame! R' Frand quoted the Da'as Zekeinim which addresses this and explains that gold is heavier than wood and that in order to not be overly burdensome to the carriers, the gold was placed around the wood frame.
R' Frand closed the vort by saying that this a lesson for a talmid chacham that he needs to ensure that he is not too much of a burden on the community.
R' Frand's final vort asked about the order of the items being donated to the Mishkan. In Shemos 25:3-4, the items which were donated are recited in descending order of value starting from gold and going through goat hairs. But then in 25:7 the Torah recites the precious stones which are more valuable than gold!
R' Frand quoted the Ohr Chachayim HaKadosh which gives three answers, but R' Frand only mentioned one answer specifically. In so doing he quoted the Gemara in Yoma which states that the clouds brought the precious stones to the Nesi'im who in turn donated the stones to the Mishkan. Because the Nesi'im had made no effort and had donated something which had no personal cost to them, the stones had less value than goat hairs.
R' Frand then quoted the Chaye Adam who explains that when given an opportunity to do a Mitzva, a person should spend what is necessary and not accomplish the Mitzva for free. R' Frand gave the example of going into a store to buy a lulav and esrog and being approached by someone who said that he had a beautiful extra set. Its better to spend the money to purchase the set than to receive it for free.
R' Frand cited to Dovid who when offered the location where the Beis HaMikdash would be built, refused to accept it at less than paying full price.
R' Frand also noted that the Chaye Adam quotes the Zohar as stating that a person should be very machmir in this as it prevents the klipah from attaching to the Mitzva. He gives the example of the practice of paying for a Misheberach after receiving an aliyah. He explains that after receiving the aliyah it is important to give a donation in order to protect the Mitzva he performed.
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