Vayakhel – Pekudei

He (Moses) made the basin of copper and its base of copper, from the mirrors of the women who had gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Appointed Meeting.

Vayekhel, 38:8

We may perhaps take it in its plain sense that he made the basin and stand out of the mirrors of the women who crowded in a great host and assembled at the door of the tent of meeting to give their mirrors as a freewill offering. The bronze of the mirrors was designated for this vessel because of its smooth polished hollowed – out surface. When the women saw this they gathered in their hosts to donate the mirrors for the making of the basin and stand.

Ramban (13^th Century)

What prompted Moses in the first place to use the mirrors of the women for the making of a vessel in which the priests would wash their hands and feed on entering the tent of meeting, enabling them to “sanctify their deeds?”

Nechama Leibowitz (20^th Century)

As soon as God told Moses to make the Tabernacle, all Israel came along to contribute. Some brought silver, some gold or brass, onyx and stones to be set. They readily brought everything. Whereupon the women said: What have we to contribute to the offerings of the Tabernacle? They came along and brought the mirrors and presented themselves to Moses. When Moses saw the mirrors he was furious with them…What use are such mirrors? Said God to Moses: “Moses! You look down on them! It was these mirrors which raised up all the hosts of Egypt!. Take them and make out of them the basin and its stand for the Kohanim in which they can purify themselves…

Midrash Tanchuma

It is customary for every woman to make up her face every morning and look in a bronze or glass mirror to adjust her hair style and ornaments…But there were pious women in Israel who overcame this worldly temptation and freely gave away their mirrors because they found no more need to beautify themselves but came instead daily to the door of the tent of meeting to pray and hear religious discourses for their edification…

Ibn Ezra(11^th Century)

These mirrors were made of highly polished copper, extremely shiny. They should really have been included above in the donations of copper for the Tabernacle or with the list of jewelry donated by the women…These mirrors, however, became the material from which a special vessel was made, the basin from which the priests were washed…When God became aware of Moses negative attitude towards these mirrors, He reputedly told him that these mirrors were especially dear to Him, more so than any of the other objects which had been donated. Had it not been for these mirrors….there would not now have been a sufficient number of Israelites to have qualified for the revelation at Mount Sinai, for receiving the Tablets and the Torah…

Moshe Alshich (13^th Century)

The reason that the brass for the laver was not taken from the general brass offerings, but from the mirrors of those women who parted with them and offered them to the Tabernacle. By so doing they demonstrated their willingness to give up these beauty aids, which they considered of relatively little value, and instead committed them to the service of God.

Sforno (15^th Century)

It is deeply significant that the vessel designated for “consecration of hands and feet,” that is, dedicated to elevating and refining the animal movements and instincts of man should be made from such a crucial boudoir item as a mirror, an object which draws attention to the human body as an object of sensual desire.

Samson Raphael Hirsch (19^th Century)