Silver, gold, and copper represent three types of Jews: Silver represents those among us who are not fazed by the spiritual darkness of the mundane world but who, on the contrary, channel Divine consciousness into it. Gold represents those of us who used to be entrenched in the mundane world, but have overcome the stranglehold of its materialism. Copper represents those of us who are still struggling to overcome the materialism of the mundane world.
The Torah requires that all three metals be used for the construction of the Tabernacle. This is a lesson both for those who perceive themselves as gold and silver as well as to those who think of themselves as copper. The “silver” among us must not shy away from involvement in the physical world, preferring instead to occupy themselves with only spiritual matters. Similarly, the “gold” among us, who overcame materialism and therefore might feel immune to its dangers, are still not exempt from elevating the physical world. Finally, the “copper” among us might think that they first have to refine themselves before they can elevate the world, but the Torah tells them otherwise: they, too, must do their part in building G‑d’s home in this world.1
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