al jonsson asks:
Which vessels of the holy temple did not have to be made of gold?
al jonsson, ny
The Kollel replies:
Lots of them, Al. The Ark was made of three parts, the inner of which was wood (which was not visible from the outside). The Table and Inner Altar were also wood plated with gold.
The Outer Altar of the Mishkan (and its ramp) was wood plated with bronze, not gold, as were the washing basin and its stand. I assume that the knives and lots of other smaller vessels were not gold as well (knives have to made from a harder metal). The Mishnah (Pesachim 64a) tells us that some of the receiving cups (in which blood of sacrifices was received) were gold, and others were silver.
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun hadaf