Waving Brass and Gold

And the brass of the offering (hatenufa, literally “the waving”) was seventy talents and two thousand and four hundred shekels.                                     Exodus 38:29

Naḥmanides notes that in Parashat vaYakhel, the word “hatenufa” is used only in connection with gold, because those who brought gold, as it were, waved their hands to bring attention to their contribution.

My father explained that in our parasha, which conveys the account of the contributions to the Tabernacle, even the contribution of brass merits the addition of the word “hatenufa,” to praise everyone who contributed wholeheartedly, even if he was unable to contribute the most valuable items.