The conclusion of the altar's dedication ceremony is marked by a grand tally of the gifts brought by the tribal leaders. This massive collection of sacrifices was not merely the end of a physical event, but the ultimate climax designed to fulfill the very purpose of the Tabernacle and draw the Divine Presence down into the world.
At the center of these sacrifices is the peace offering, which introduces a significant legal innovation [העמק דבר]. Typically, public peace offerings are only brought during the holiday of Shavuot and are treated with the highest level of holiness. Yet, for this unique occasion of dedicating the altar, they were offered with a lesser degree of holiness, allowing the Israelites to eat from them. Furthermore, there is no mention of a meal offering accompanying these peace offerings, as public sacrifices of this nature do not require the usual liquid libations.
The specific timing of these gifts reveals different layers of meaning. On a basic level, the offerings were presented after the altar was anointed with oil, serving as the final step of its initiation [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Even so, the total count is only summarized at the end of the twelve-day period, reading as though the entire collection was brought at once on the final day [רשב״ם, העמק דבר].
Looking deeper, the period following the anointing points to a second, purely spiritual phase of the Tabernacle's dedication [צרור המור]. The initial phase involved the physical anointing and the bringing of animal sacrifices. The subsequent phase was the dedication of the Divine Presence itself. The true goal of all these offerings was to prepare the space for God to communicate with Moses. This moment marks a profound elevation in Moses's prophetic standing. In the past, Moses had to wait for the prophetic word to come to him. Now, God was already waiting for him inside the Tent of Meeting. Out of immense heavenly honor, God spoke, as it were, to Himself, and Moses was granted the privilege of hearing the Divine voice.