Wednesday, March 14, 2012

DID YOU KNOW? The kiyor- Lavor- washing station


               In this week's parsha, Vayakhel, the Jews started to build the Mishkan; therefore, Bnai Israel started to donate many of their possessions to the Mishkan. Many women who contributed their belongings to the Mishkan also donated their copper mirrors. When Moshe saw the mirrors they were willingly donating, he thought, ‘how can I accept them? They are tools of the yatzer hara- evil inclination (Moshe thought the women wanted to use the mirrors for vanity)!” Immediately, Hashem told him, ‘Do not despise these mirrors, Bnai Israel multiplied in Egypt because of them.’ The Jewish women in Egypt used these mirrors to beautify themselves in order that their husbands would find them attractive and want to continue procreating with them. Rather than using the mirrors for vanity, they used these mirrors for kedusha- holiness. Moreover, Hashem wanted Moshe to put these mirrors above the kiyor-washing station- in order for the individuals to examine themselves while they were at the washing station to see if they resembled the purity of their mothers.
            From this, we should all look to examine ourselves in the mirror and say ‘Do I like who I see? I am on the road to reach my potential? Is my neshama-soul- living a life of purity? Am I following mitzvot- commandments?’ In all, rather than looking vainly into the mirror, we can look into the mirror to re-examine our lives and souls and bring about positive change.