Kiddush and the World Cup – Ki Tisa
וְעָשִׂיתָ כִּיּוֹר נְחֹשֶׁת וְכַנּוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת לְרָחְצָה וְנָתַתָּ אֹתוֹ בֵּין אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּבֵין הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְנָתַתָּ שָׁמָּה מָיִם (שמות ל, יח).
Immediately following the paragraph regarding מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל, the Torah proceeds to describe the כִּיּוֹר.
As we all know, the כִּיּוֹר was the "apparatus" in the Mishkan and following that, in the Beit HaMikdash, which the Kohanim used to wash their hands and feet before beginning their עֲבוֹדָה.
What exactly is a כִּיּוֹר? Rashi (quoting the Gemara, Yoma 37a) describes it as a דּוּד, some kind of container, made from copper, that holds water (in modern Hebrew the word דּוּד refers to the hot water boiler in your home). Attached to this דּוּד are דַּדִּים, some type of faucets or taps that allow you to empty the water from the דּוּד. Until Bayit Sheini there were only two faucets in the כִּיּוֹר, until Ben Katin, the Kohen Gadol, instituted 12 faucets (Yoma, ibid.)
Connected to this כִּיּוֹר was its כַנּוֹ, which Rashi describes as some kind of base attached to the כִּיּוֹר. There are differences of opinion as to the function of the כַּן. According to Tosfot (Zevachim 22a), the base of the כִּיּוֹר was also some type of container (תֵּבָה פְּרוּצָה) to hold water – the water from the כִּיּוֹר would flow out through the taps and fall into this base so the Kohanim could wash both their hands and feet. The Gemara there says that unlike the כִּיּוֹר, which was considered a כְּלִי שָׁרֵת, that sanctifies its contents, the כַּן was not. Another opinion (Malbim, Radak on מלכים א ז, כז) says that the purpose of the כַּן was to elevate the כִּיּוֹר to a sufficient height that would facilitate washing the hands and feet. In the first Beit HaMikdash, Shlomo created what sefer Melachim (ibid.) describes as מְּכֹנוֹת, some kind of base on wheels, a trolley, on which to place the כִּיּוֹר.
There are no specifications in the Torah or in Chazal regarding the required dimensions and shape of the כִּיּוֹר and its capacity. According to sefer Mikdash David (קדשים סימן ב) these details are not relevant – any shape or form the artisan made the כִּיּוֹר in was acceptable. The importance of the כִּיּוֹר was not in its appearance, but its functionality.
In the Mishkan, the source of the copper to make the כִּיּוֹר and its base was from brass mirrors, מַרְאֹת הַצֹּבְאֹת, that the women donated to the Mishkan (שמות לח, ח).
The location of the כִּיּוֹר was in the space between the outer Mizbeach and the Heichal (שמות ל, יח), on the southern end (משנה מידות ג, ו).
There is a machloket in the Gemara (Sota 15b) regarding the source of the water for the כִּיּוֹר, whether it has to be מֵי מַעְיָן, or another source. The halacha is that all types of clean water may be used, but de facto, in the Mikdash they were makpid to use davka מֵי מַעְיָן (רמב"ם, הל' ביאת מקדש ה, יב), using an aqueduct to transport water from עֵין עֵיטָם, near Solomon's Pools.
Since the כִּיּוֹר is considered a כְּלִי שָׁרֵת and any water placed in it becomes קֹדֶשׁ, it also falls under the same laws of any of the קֳדְשִׁים that they are אָסוּר בְּלִינָה, in other words the water placed in the כִּיּוֹר cannot be used the following day (משנה יומא לז, א). Shlomo HaMelech installed a contraption to circumvent this issue. According to one opinion (רמב"ם, הל' ביאת מקדש, ה, טו) the יָם שְׁלֹמֹה, which was considered a mikveh, served as a reservoir to daily refill the ten כִּיּוֹרִים on trolleys, that Shlomo placed in the 1st Beit HaMikdash. According to another opinion (Rashi, Yoma 37a), in Bayit Sheini, the Kohen Gadol, Ben Katin (see above) devised a pulley contraption that would lower the כִּיּוֹר during the night into a well so that its water would be an integral part of the מַעְיָן and would therefore not be נִפְסַל בְּלִינָה. Early each morning, they would raise the כִּיּוֹר back up for its daily use.
How did the Kohanim wash their hands and feet, קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, using the כִּיּוֹר? This is a machloket in the Gemara (Zevachim 19b). Washing had to be performed standing up because it was considered עֲבוֹדָה and all עֲבוֹדָה is done standing. According to the Chachamim they would wash first the right hand and right foot and then switch to washing the left hand and left foot (including underneath the foot, which required lifting the foot up). R' Yossi the son of R' Yehuda says they washed the left hand/foot and the right hand/foot simultaneously. The Chachamim negate R' Yossi's opinion asking "How can the Kohanim stand when both feet are raised simultaneously?" The halacha is according to the Chachamim (רמב"ם, הלכות ביאת מקדש, ה).
The hands had to be washed up to the wrist and the feet up to the knee (מנחת חינוך מצווה ק"ו אות ב'). The action of washing combined scrubbing and rinsing, to clean off the dirt (תוספתא, מנחות א, ז).
Washing was done with water extracted from the כִּיּוֹר and not by inserting your hands into the כִּיּוֹר. According to some opinions use was made of a נָטְלָה, filling up water from the כִּיּוֹר in a cup and then pouring it over the hands and feet (תרגום יונתן, שמות ל,יט).
Above is a brief description of the technicalities and the modus operandi of the כִּיּוֹר.
Of all the כֵּלִים in the Mikdash, the כִּיּוֹר is something of a conundrum. Is it considered one of the main כֵּלִים in the Mikdash, like the Menorah, Shulchan etc., or not? It is not mentioned in parshiyot Truma/Tetzaveh together with the other כֵּלִים. Later, in sefer Bamidbar (פרק ז) describing transportation of all the parts of the Mishkan by the Levi'im, no mention at all is made of the כִּיּוֹר, not how it was wrapped (if at all) and by whom it was carried.
Another question is why the raw materials used to make the כִּיּוֹר in the Mishkan were from brass "vanity" mirrors used by women to beautify themselves? Such an activity is normally associated with the יֵצֶר הָרַע and not exactly the kind of thing you would want in the Mishkan. In fact, that was Moshe Rabbeinu's first reaction when HKB"H told him to use them.
In order to answer these questions and understand the inner essence of the כִּיּוֹר, we need to return to sefer Breishit, to the Creation.
The Midrash Tanchuma (פקודי ב, ב) says "R' Shimon Bar Yochai says that the components of the Mishkan down here in this world are paralleled by similar components in Heaven and correlate with the six days of Creation. Some examples. On the first day HKB"H created Heaven and earth. There are seven levels in Heaven (שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים) and these are paralleled by the seven יְרִיעוֹת covering the Heichal in the Mishkan ... On the third day HKB"H concentrated all the waters on earth into one place (seas and oceans) and these are paralleled in the Mishkan by the כִּיּוֹר, etc."
We see from this that the water in the כִּיּוֹר is connected to the water from בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם and specifically to the lower waters. On the 2nd day HKB"H separated the lower and the upper waters, as a result of which the lower waters complained that they did not want to be "disconnected" from Heaven. HKB"H placated them saying that they would be reconnected to the upper waters when the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash would be built, the salt (sea) water via the salt used to salt the Korbanot and the fresh (river/lake) water in the Korban נִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם on Sukkot. According to the Midrash above … also through the water of the כִּיּוֹר.
The way the water cycle works here on earth is that the salt water from the seas/oceans evaporates (is reverse-distilled) into the air, forming clouds. The wind then blows these clouds over the landmass where they release water in the form of rain which fills the lakes and rivers, which then flow back into the sea. All water down here on earth is therefore connected via one cyclic process.
In the passuk before the creation of man, it describes how an אֵד, a vapor/cloud rose up from the ground and irrigated the entire surface of the earth. The next passuk (Breishit 2, 7) describes how HKB"H created man, by taking dust from the earth. Clearly this was not dry dust, but dust moistened by water, as per the previous passuk (Meir Panim). Therefore, man was created from dust of the earth mixed with water. In fact, modern science has been able to determine that the male body is made up of 60% water. Females davka have less water in their body mass – only 55%.
Water in the Torah has a slightly "schizophrenic" personality.
On the one hand water is synonymous with Torah. The Midrash (שיר השירים רבה א, יט) says that just like water covers the earth from one end to the other, so too does Torah. Just like water exists forever, so too does the Torah. Just like water purifies the body, so too does Torah. Just like water falls drop by drop (rain) and becomes a coursing river, so too is Torah acquired "drop by drop", two halachot each day, until they become a bubbling torrent, etc.
On the other hand, water is considered to be the element in nature that is connected with תַּאֲווֹת. R' Chaim Vital (שערי הקדושה) says that all the negative מִדּוֹת originate from four elements. The negative mida of the pursuit of pleasure and the physical תַּאֲווֹת originate from the element of water. Think about it – where do most of the world build hotels? Nearby a body of water.
So, on the one hand water is connected with the Torah and on the other hand it is a tool of the יֵצֶר הָרַע, used to trip us up.
This is reflected in the word מַיִם itself. You have the two letters "mem", the two opposing types of water. What is the pivotal point that decides which type of water you will follow? The letter "yud", the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת. When they are present, the scales are tipped in favor of the spiritual water of the Torah. In their absence we fall into the abyss of the waters of תַּאֲוָה.
The pivotal point is the "yud", the יָדַיִם, the hands.
If we are מְקַדֵּשׁ the hands, if we do קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, those hands become fit for performing avodah in the Beit HaMikdash, the highest level of spirituality a human can achieve in this world – the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur in the Kodesh HaKodashim, who is likened to an angel. Conversely, chas veshalom, if we do not sanctify our hands, they can lead us to the most terrible sins רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלַן – all those on the left tablet of the עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת - which are all directly connected to, or are תּוֹלָדוֹת, of the element of water, like קִנְאָה and חֶמְדַּת הַמָּמוֹן.
When HKB"H told Moshe to use the מַרְאֹת הַצֹּבְאֹת donated by the women to the Mishkan, he was affronted. How can a tool of the יֵצֶר הָרַע be a part of the Mishkan? The answer is twofold.
Firstly - and this is an enormous chidush – even the יֵצֶר הָרַע has a place in the Beit HaMikdash! When HKB"H finished the job of creating the world, at the end of the 6th day, He reviewed everything He had created and granted it His seal of approval – טוֹב מְאֹד (note, that unlike schools and universities which give students an "excellent" grade, HKB"H's highest grade is טוֹב מְאֹד). Included in that was the יֵצֶר הָרַע. The יֵצֶר הָרַע is a necessary part of Creation, it has a role to play and is therefore an inextricable component in the Mikdash. A major section of sefer Meir Panim describes how the Lechem HaPanim makes use of the beneficial aspects of the יֵצֶר הָרַע to do tikkun for the עֵץ הַדַּעַת.
Secondly, these were not simple "vanity" mirrors, used for the purpose of תַּאֲוָה. They are called מַרְאֹת הַצֹּבְאֹת because they played a vital role in the creation of Am Yisrael. If not for the נָשִׁים צִדְקָנִיּוֹת in Egypt, who after a long day of back breaking slave labor, used those very same mirrors to make themselves beautiful to entice their equally exhausted husbands - תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ עוֹרַרְתִּיךָ for one singular purpose – in order that Am Yisrael would פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד and end up becoming the multitudes that formed צִבְאוֹת ה'. Davka it is the females who have less water (55%) in their body mass, they are less drawn to the sins of water than men.
What lies at the heart of the machloket between the Chachamim and R' Yossi regarding how you do קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם?
According to R' Yossi, the reason that the כִּיּוֹר is not considered on a par with the other כֵּלִים in the Mishkan is because the כִּיּוֹר is not a כְּלִי that you do avodah with. The כִּיּוֹר is a הֶכְשֵׁר עֲבוֹדָה, it is a facilitator that prepares the Kohen to do avodah. That is why R' Yossi holds of the opinion that you should wash both hands and feet simultaneously. You cannot possibly stand up and do such an action, but that is not compulsory, because R' Yossi does not consider the כִּיּוֹר and קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם as avodah and therefore does not require standing.
The Chachamim do consider קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם as avodah and the halacha is like them. However, this does not alter the fact that the Torah does not include the כִּיּוֹר with the other כֵּלִים in Truma and Tetzaveh. Why? The כִּיּוֹר may be avodah, but it is not the same level as the avodah of the other כֵּלִים. The avodah of the other כֵּלִים each have a solitary purpose – the Menorah to disseminate the תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה throughout the world, the Shulchan to disseminate prosperity throughout the world, etc. The כִּיּוֹר on the other hand does not have one solitary purpose, it has a multiple purpose – to facilitate the avodah of all the other כֵּלִים. It is the starting point of all the other avodot! No hands, no Mizbeach. No hands, no Menorah. No hands, no Ketoret … no hands (look ma', no hands!) – back home to ma'. From that perspective the כִּיּוֹר is not inferior to the other כֵּלִים, it is the most elevated, which is why it is mentioned last – אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן חָבִיב.
The כִּיּוֹר has a vital function directly connected to the first two days of Creation. On the first day HKB"H created light. On the second day HKB"H separated the two waters and separated Heaven and earth. The third day - the כִּיּוֹר - is the link that connects Heaven and earth, the lower waters with the upper waters. It is the starting point that connects the מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁל מַעֲלָה with the מִקְדָּשׁ שֶׁל מַטָּה, as David HaMelech said (Tehilim 123, 3) כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו. This is where it all begins, with the כִּיּוֹר. After that and only after that does the earthly Menorah connect with the Heavenly Menorah, the earthly Shulchan with the Heavenly Shulchan etc.
The location of the כִּיּוֹר, between the Mizbeach, used to atone for sins resulting from the element of water and the spirituality of the Heichal, reflect this theme.
When Am Yisrael sinned with the egel, they chose the "wrong water". The passuk (Shmot 32, 6) says וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק. What does that mean? Rashi says two things - גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת and שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים – sins of the element of water and … sins of the hands.
They took the two integral luchot and broke them apart into two halves. To atone for this HKB"H commanded them to bring מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל weighing ten "geira". The passuk (Shmot 30, 13) says עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הַשֶּׁקֶל. Why ten geira? Because Am Yisrael sinned by not abiding by עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת so they atone for that by bringing a coin weighing ten geira. The gematria of עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה is 828. Half of that is 414 which is the gematria of מְקוֹר חַיִּים. When HKB"H wanted to create man, He said (Breishit 1, 26) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱ-לֹקִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל הָאָרֶץ, that man should have dominion over all the other creatures – including the יֵצֶר הָרַע. At the sin of the egel, Am Yisrael allowed their יֵצֶר הָרַע to have dominion over them, so to atone for that they have to bring 414, in gematria וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל הָאָרֶץ as a reminder of who should have control over who. They brought ten geira – the letter "yud", the same letter yud that connects the two waters and is the pivotal point between them in the word מַיִם.
Immediately following that we have the paragraph of the כִּיּוֹר because it is a continuation of the same thing.
In Bamidbar it does not say specifically who carried the כִּיּוֹר. The reason is the same as above, because it was not carried by one specific family of one specific tribe. It was carried by the entire Am Yisrael, in their hearts and … in their hands. An eternal reminder that the starting point of the Mishkan is first to do קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם.
The gematria of כִּיּוֹר is גְּבִיעַ הָעוֹלָם. No, this has nothing to do with the FIFA World Cup. It is a different kind of גְּבִיעַ altogether, the גְּבִיעַ of the world. The word גְּבִיעַ is the foundation of Am Yisrael – ג' the 3 Avot, יב' – the Twelve Tribes and ע' the seventy souls who went down to Egypt with Yaakov that seeded Am Yisrael. Just like Am Yisrael is the גְּבִיעַ הָעוֹלָם, the foundation of the world, so too is the כִּיּוֹר, the link between Heaven and earth.
Through our sins, we no longer have the Beit HaMikdash and the כִּיּוֹר. However, the heart of the כִּיּוֹר still pulsates within us and is ever present in our lives. Every time we perform an act of קְדֻשָּׁה, like waking up, like eating bread, like davening in shul, like the Kohanim blessing Am Yisrael, etc. – we still first do קִדּוּשׁ יָדַיִם, or by its synonym נְטִילַת יָדַיִם. Many of the halachot of נְטִילַת יָדַיִם are in fact derived from the כִּיּוֹר, for example the opinion that the Kohanim used a נָטְלָה (Zevachim 22a).
Doing נְטִילַת יָדַיִם is not simply a sanitary issue (although the by-product of it is improved sanitation - which is why less Jews died during the Bubonic plague than non-Jews). It is predominantly a spiritual issue, to remove spiritual impurity. The inner, spiritual meaning of נְטִילַת יָדַיִם is explored in the shiur on Eikev (2022).
The essence of נְטִילַת יָדַיִם and the כִּיּוֹר are tikkun for Adam Harishon who was created by HKB"H taking a קוֹמֶץ of the earth mixed with water (Meir Panim) and like Am Yisrael with the egel, Adam allowed his יֵצֶר הָרַע to have control over him. The gematria of כִּיּוֹר is קוֹמֶץ.
It is also not coincidental that we read this parsha in proximity to Purim, because the theme repeats – Am Yisrael allowing their יֵצֶר הָרַע to have control over them when they participated in Achashverosh's feast and sinned with water related sins. The gematria of כִּיּוֹר is כְּטוֹב לֵב הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיָּיִן.
It is our fervent prayer to be victorious in the "world cup", the restoration of the original גְּבִיעַ הָעוֹלָם, Am Yisrael. That HKB"H should take our "halves", reunite us and make us whole again so that we may merit the Geulah and the return of the Shechina (the gematria of כִּיּוֹר is מִלִּפְנֵי ה'), בבי"א.
