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The Kiyor and the Sanctification of the Mundane - Vayakhel
- 2025/03/16
- 再生時間： 11 分
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あらすじ・解説
The Kiyor and the Sanctification of the Mundane I recall the rabbi, Rabbi Abittan A’H, would go to Hollywood Gym in Long Beach, surrounded by weightlifters, bodybuilders, and surfers. Dressed in his white shirt, black suit pants, and all-black walking shoes, he would walk on the treadmill. Sometimes, he would even teach the people around him. He explained to us that when one keeps in mind the precept of Ushmartem et nafshotechem—the mitzvah to guard one’s health—and that maintaining physical well-being enables a person to learn Torah better and fulfill mitzvot more effectively, then even every minute spent in the gym becomes a mitzvah. It is our thoughts and intentions that convert the mundane into the holy. We see this same principle in this week’s parashah. This week, we read Parashat Vayakhel, which details the construction of the Mishkan. Among the vessels described is the kiyor—the laver used by the kohanim to wash before performing their sacred duties. The Torah first introduces the kiyor in Parashat Ki Tisa: (יז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יח) וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ כִּיּ֥וֹר נְחֹ֛שֶׁת וְכַנּ֥וֹ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת לְרָחְצָ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֣ אֹת֗וֹ בֵּֽין־אֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְנָתַתָּ֥ שָׁ֖מָּה מָֽיִם׃ (יט) וְרָחֲצ֛וּ אַהֲרֹ֥ן וּבָנָ֖יו מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם וְאֶת־רַגְלֵיהֶֽם׃ (כ) בְּבֹאָ֞ם אֶל־אֹ֧הֶל מוֹעֵ֛ד יִרְחֲצוּ־מַ֖יִם וְלֹ֣א יָמֻ֑תוּ א֣וֹ בְגִשְׁתָּ֤ם אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ לְשָׁרֵ֔ת לְהַקְטִ֥יר אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃ “Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Make a laver of copper and its base of copper, for washing, and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar. Put water in it. Aharon and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it. When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they do not die, or when they approach the altar to serve, to burn a fire-offering to Hashem” (Exodus 30:17-20). Later, at the end of Vayakhel, the Torah specifies the material used for the kiyor: וַיַּ֗עַשׂ אֵ֚ת הַכִּיּ֣וֹר נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וְאֵ֖ת כַּנּ֣וֹ נְחֹ֑שֶׁת בְּמַרְאֹת֙ הַצֹּ֣בְאֹ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר צָֽבְא֔וּ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד “He made the laver of copper and its base of copper, from the mirrors of the women who massed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (Exodus 38:8). It is striking that the Torah specifies the source of the copper for the kiyor, a detail not mentioned for other Mishkan vessels. These mirrors, rather than being an ordinary donation, carried deep symbolic significance. The Significance of the Mirrors In ancient times, mirrors were not made of glass but of polished metal, typically copper, silver, or bronze, worked into a reflective surface. Mirrors have long been associated with beauty and self-admiration, raising an important question: Why would objects symbolizing vanity be used to construct a vessel for spiritual purification? Rashi, quoting the Midrash, provides a powerful explanation. He notes that Moshe initially hesitated to accept the mirrors, seeing them as instruments of the yetzer hara (inclination toward desire). However, Hashem instructed him otherwise: “Accept them, for they are more beloved to Me than anything else. Through these mirrors, the women of Israel ensured the continuation of the nation in Egypt. When their husbands were exhausted from grueling labor, the women would bring them food and drink, and using these mirrors, they would endear themselves to their husbands, rekindling their affection. As a result, they bore many children and strengthened the Jewish people.” These mirrors, once symbols of personal adornment, were transformed into tools of devotion, unity, and perseverance. Because of their role in sustaining Klal Yisrael, they were deemed worthy of being repurposed for the kiyor, a vessel that prepared the kohanim for avodat Hashem. Elevating the Mundane This story teaches us a profound lesson: even the most seemingly superficial objects can be sanctified and given deeper meaning. The mirrors, originally used for personal beauty, became a means of preserving Jewish continuity and ultimately became part of the Mishkan. Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky illustrates this concept with a personal story about his grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky. After my grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, of blessed memory, had officially retired from his position as Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Torah Voda’ath and had moved to Monsey, New York, he still remained very active not only in the needs of Klal Yisrael as a ...