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From The Bronze Mirrors Of The Serving Women

Keraza Magazine issue 3-4 January 29, 2016

When the Lord ordered Moses the Prophet to make the tabernacle of meeting, He ordered him to make the bronze laver and place it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and to place in it water for Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet when they enter the tabernacle of meeting or when they approach the altar, and whoever does not wash dies. Yet, what is amazing is that when Moses made all that is of bronze in the tabernacle of meeting, he made it from the bronze that was offered by the people, yet only the laver did Moses make "from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting" (Exodus 38:8). The mirrors at that time were made of extremely polished bronze to a degree that makes it like a mirror that reflects images in a very high quality and also reflects sun's rays. It seems that the women of the children of Israel who were assembled for the service at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, had been influenced by the habits of the Egyptian women who would carry offerings to the temple, two round sun-shaped reflective bronze mirrors, symbolic of the second birth and fertility.

The question that poses itself is, "Why did Moses intentionally make the laver especially from this kind of reflective bronze from the mirrors of the serving women at the door of the tabernacle?" To answer this question, let us imagine Aaron and his sons washing their hands and feet in the bronze laver made from the mirrors. It must certainly reflect back to them a very accurate image of their faces, hands, and feet and all the filth and dirt that needs washing. That washing process was very important, such that the Lord told them that whoever does not wash dies, and therefore everyone who has washed is as one who was saved from death, as one who was born again. That washing process bore to the one being washed an enlightenment about his filthy state and also carried him to a resurrection from the dead. This is the reason why Moses make the laver in this way, to make sure the one washing is very well aware of his condition.

Moses' laver was a clear symbolism for the baptismal font, which is in essence the womb of the church, from which she bears children to a second birth and they are granted the sacrament of enlightenment as in Moses' mirrors, and all who are not washed in this font die, because "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). It is also symbolic of the sacrament of repentance and confession through which a person is washed of the mud placed on his eyes and comes out seeing.

Therefore, we rejoice and are elated at the Epiphany Feast, where we celebrate in it the mystery of our enlightenment and second birth. It is the Feast of Theophany, in which the heavens were opened on earth to announce the mysteries of the kingdom to all who are born from above. It is the birthday of every baptized Christian, where one celebrates his filiation to God and gaining the seed of the new man and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit within himself.

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States