By Phillip Dolitsky, National Ambassador of Education, Atlantic Seaboard NCSY
When we refer to someone as a narcissist, we consider that person to be overly occupied with himself and appearance. As Greek mythology has it, Narcissus was walking by a pool of water when he suddenly stops and looks at his reflection in the water. He falls extremely in love with himself, and is immobilized by his own beauty. As a result, he dies in place, where a flower grows, a flower we now call Narcissus.
A very similar story is told twice in the Gemarah; once in Maseches Nedarim and once in Maseches Nazir. The story the Gemarah is of a shepherd who is walking by a pool of water and stops to look at his reflection. At this point, he looks inside himself and decides to become a Nazir, taking the oath to become closer to Hashem. Complete opposite stories. How could the same circumstances produce diametrically opposite outcomes?
Towards the end of Parshas Vayakhel, Hashem commands the building of the Kior, the washbasin that holds the water to wash the hands and feet of the Kohanim. The Kior is to be made out of מארת, mirrors, an interesting choice of materials for a washbasin. In fact, Rashi quotes a Midrash in which Moshe puts up a fight as to why mirrors should be used. Moshe complains, saying that too often people look into mirrors lustfully, caring more about themselves than anything else. Why should mirrors, which can be the source of so much strife be used in the Mishkan? Despite Moshe’s complaint, Hashem still demands the Kior be made from mirrors.
I believe the lesson that Moshe had to learn is one that is seen throughout the Torah. Moshe had to learn that any object that Hashem has put into this world, no matter how mundane, can be elevated to a status worthy of putting into the Mishkan. So while people can use mirrors for lustful purposes, Hashem purposely had them used in the Mishkan to show how they can be used to serve Hashem. This idea is perhaps the reason why the Nazir is obligated to bring a Sin Offering at the end of his time being a Nazir. He has set out to become close to Hashem by abstaining from wine and other physicalities, and while that is admirable, perhaps he has missed the point. Maybe he has not realized that while wine can be the source of so much harm in this world, it can also be the source of so much good and holiness. Just like the shepherd used his reflection to do something good as opposed to Narcissus who did something bad, everything in this world has that potential. It is up to us to see the holiness in everything we encounter!
Shabbat Shalom!