The Torah of How We Spend Money at Hillel

The mishna lists the quantities of oil and wine that were required for the meal offerings and libations that accompanied the sacrifice of an animal, and generally for use in the Temple... three and a half log of oil were required for the Candelabrum, as there were seven lamps and a half-log was required for each lamp.

How did the Sages reach the conclusion that a half-log of oil was needed (to keep the Menorah lit all night long)? There are those who say that the Sages calculated it by initially using a large quantity of oil, more than necessary to burn throughout the night, and then decreasing the quantity by a small amount each night until they saw that at the end of the night there was no oil remaining. And there are those who say that they calculated it by initially using a small quantity of oil and then increasing the quantity each night until they saw that the quantity was sufficient to allow the lamps to burn throughout the night. The Gemara elaborates: The one who said that they calculated it by increasing the quantity each night holds that they did so in accordance with the principle that the Torah spared the money of the Jewish people, so the Sages wished to minimize the financial cost of their experimentation. And the one who said that they calculated it by decreasing the quantity each night holds that in the Temple one’s actions should not be motivated by a concern for the financial cost, as in a place of wealth there is no poverty.

The one who says that they calculated it by increasing the quantity - the Torah spared the money of the Jewish people; for if they had put in a full log initially, and whatever remained the next day they would have thrown out - that would have constituted a financial loss. And the one who says in a place of wealth there is no poverty - they aren't concerned with whatever would have been thrown out.

... No accounts should be required of Gabbaïm of charity, nor of treasurers of sacred funds, for it is written, "Moreover, they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully" (Kings II 12:17).
Rama.—Still, in order to be "guiltless before the Lord and before Israel," it is better for them to submit accounts. And besides, the text refers to men whose honesty and capacity were undisputed; but wherever there is the slightest suspicion or where the official obtained his position through force, an account must be submitted. And so with all financial institutions.

...Rava said: After departing from this world, when a person is brought to judgment for the life he lived in this world, they say to him: Did you conduct business faithfully? Did you designate times for Torah study? Did you engage in procreation? Did you await salvation? Did you engage in the dialectics of wisdom or understand one matter from another? ...