It's not about women's "vanity"

Pekude

Exodus 38:21-40:38

Précis: The final parasha of the Book of Exodus begins with an inventory of the items used in the construction of the Tabernacle, as well as the vessels and clothing collected by Moses and Aaron.  When the accounts are squared, the completed structure is blessed. The Ark is placed within the Tabernacle, as are the various holy vessels, and a cloud of glory descends and covers the tent.

Ex.38:8 “He made the laver of copper and its stand of copper, from the mirrors of the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.”

          This is a fascinating verse, since it is one of the few examples in the repetitions about building the Mishkan and its accouterments when we are informed of a specific gift, and that the gift was used for a specific purpose. [Two quick asides: (1) Women were working at the entrance to the Tent! (2) a literal reading of the text might suggest that the mirrors were from “legions” working at the entrance; however, the Hebrew word for “legions” is in the feminine, so the Sages assumed that these were women.]

          Rashi suggests a wonderful midrash in which Moses questions God by suggesting that the gifts of mirrors was inappropriate, because they were used for purposes of personal vanity. God responds by telling Moses that the mirrors had special value; they had been used by the women while the Israelites were still slaves in order to enhance the women’s attractiveness and to help them arouse the sexual interest of their husbands, who were exhausted from their slave labor. The so-called “vanity” of the women ensured the continuation of the Jewish People.

          This detail about Mishkan construction is a reminder of the essential contribution of women to Jewish survival. The women never abandoned hope for the future.

          This parasha concludes the reading of the Book of Shemot. We recall that the Book began with the critical role women played in the survival of the Israelites: Yocheved who dared to save her son from Pharaoh’s order of extermination, Miriam, who watched over the baby Moses in his basket on the river, and Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted the young child. The Book now ends with a subtle reminder that it was the women of our People who had the faith and perseverance needed for our survival.