Below is a summary of the topics from the daily shiur (Torah class) delivered by Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a – following the Maariv prayer on Sunday, the night of 20 Adar 5786, Parashas Vayakhel-Pekudei:
1. The twelve stones of the Choshen (High Priest's breastplate) originated from Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden). The verse states, "He causes the clouds (nesi'im) to ascend from the ends of the earth" (Tehillim 135:7). The word "nesi'im" refers to the clouds that brought these precious stones directly from Gan Eden.
2. Regarding the Nesi'im (the tribal leaders who brought the stones), the Torah spells their title "הנשאם" (missing the letter Yud). The letter Yud was removed from them because they were the last to bring their offerings. From here, we learn the importance of being the first to perform a mitzvah. Furthermore, Hashem did not choose them to be among the seventy elders.
3. Every diamond on the Choshen illuminated like the sun. There is nothing like this in our world; it only exists in Gan Eden. Whoever merited to see it saw that it shone as brightly as the sun. The non-Jews would stand on their roofs and gaze into the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), and they recorded in their chronicles that these stones shone like the sun.
4. Everyone should study the laws of the blessings on fragrances (Birkas HaRei'ach), chapter 4, with his wife. Additionally, everyone should study Tractate Sotah 35 regarding the matter of "Goren Nachon" and "Goren Kidon" (the threshing floor of Nachon/Kidon).