Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella

This week we have a double parashah to complete the book of Shemot. The first, Vayakhel, tells how God instructed Moses to collect gifts from among the people that would comprise the raw materials that were needed for the construction of the Tabernacle and all of its furnishings, as well as the priestly garments for Aaron and his sons. Those whose hearts moved them were to bring their offerings to Bezalel and Oholiab, who were appointed to take all of these materials and turn them into the various parts of the Tabernacle and the ark and all the other furnishings. Parashat Pekudei recounts how Moses then took everything that they had made and followed God’s blueprint to construct the finished product.

The laver, or wash basin, for the priests to wash their hands before offering the sacrifices was made “from the mirrors of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.” Rashi says that God told Moses that these were precious, because the women had used them to seduce their husbands, resulting in the births of many children despite their enslavement. Ibn Ezra says that the mirrors were given by “pious women who renounced worldly vanities…” Thus, it would seem that women were either babymakers interested in their physical appearance, or their piety made them totally uninterested in physical beauty. Both opinions are unacceptable.

Chizkuni says that these women gave up their mirrors because they wished to make a contribution to the Tabernacle; they desired to be involved in the prayer and praise of God that was offered there. They wanted to participate in the religious life of the nation and experience the resulting blessings of that participation.

Oseh Shalom, Maker of Peace, may we all be privileged to experience the blessings that come from participating in the religious life of today’s modern world.