God told Moshe to ask the Jews for voluntary offerings towards the construction and functioning of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). The materials needed are gold, silver and copper; turquoise, purple and scarlet wool; linen, goat hair, dyed ram skins, skins of the tachash animal, acacia wood, oil, specific spices and particular precious stones (for placing in the Kohen Gadol’s garments).
God instructed Moshe about how to make different features of the Mishkan: The aron (ark) was made from acacia wood, plated with gold on the inside and outside, and with a gold zer (crown) around the top. It had four gold rings attached, two on each side, with a gold-plated wooden stave left permanently between each pair of rings, in order to carry the aron. The Tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed in the aron.
The kaporet (cover) of the aron was made of pure gold, with two cherubs moulded on top, facing one another and with their wings touching. The shulchan (table) was made from gold-plated acacia wood, with a gold zer (crown) on its misgeret (lid). It had rings and staves to carry it, like the aron. The lechem hapanim (show bread) was placed on it.
The menorah was hammered from one piece of pure gold, with seven lamps. The Mishkan had ten yiriyot (curtains), made of linen and patterned wool, with golden hooks joining them. The ohel (tent), draped over the Mishkan, was made of 11 curtains of goat hair, with a further double michseh (cover) on top, one made from dyed ram skins, the other from tachash skins.
The kerashim (planks) and their enjoining bars were made from gold-plated acacia wood.
The parochet (partition) was made of wool and linen. It was placed on the southern side of the Mishkan, to cordon off the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) area, which housed the aron.
The mizbeach (altar) was made of copper-plated wood, with four corner pieces and staves attached to rings to carry it.
The chatzer (courtyard) surrounded the Mishkan; its outer ‘fence’ was made of linen yiriyot (curtains), attached to wooden pillars.