In Parshat Ki Tisa, between the command for each individual to donate a half-shekel and the infamous sin of the golden calf, we find the instruction to construct a wash basin.

The L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: You shall make a washstand of copper and its base of copper for washing, and you shall place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water therein. Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet from it.1

With the exception of the Kiyor and the Golden Incense Altar, all the other vessels of the Tabernacle—the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread, the Menorah, and the Outer Altar—are listed in Parshat Terumah.2 The Golden Incense Altar is mentioned in Parshat Tetzaveh after the clothing of the Priests is detailed, and the Kiyor is mentioned here in Ki Tisa.

This distinction naturally raises the question: Why are these two vessels listed separately? In this article, we will focus on the Kiyor but also touch on the reasoning behind the separate listing of the Incense Altar.

1. It Served as a Prerequisite to the Service

Bechor Shor explains that since no actual service was done with the Kiyor and it merely served as a way for the Priests to purify themselves in order to perform the service, it is not listed with the other vessels.3

2. It Was Not Essential

Regarding the Golden Incense Altar listed in Parshat Tetzaveh, Sforno explains that it is mentioned separately from the other vessels because those vessels were essential to the sanctuary’s primary function—drawing G‑d’s presence into the physical world. In contrast, the Incense Altar served to honor G‑d after He had accepted the sacrifices. Similarly, the Kiyor was not a vessel intended to draw forth G‑d’s presence.4 There is no explicit requirement that the hands must be washed specifically from the Kiyor, and if it were unavailable, the Kohanim could sanctify their hands in another way.5 As such, it is not listed with the other vessels that were essential to the functioning of the service.

3. It Resolves a Difficulty

The two explanations above clarify why the Kiyor is not listed alongside the other vessels, but do not directly address its placement immediately after the half-shekel donation. To explain this, Abarbanel examines the purpose of the half-shekel collection—namely, its use for the sockets of the Tabernacle:

After the Torah clarified any doubts regarding the silver that was needed for the sockets of the Tabernacle, it proceeded to resolve another uncertainty concerning what was stated at the end of Parshat Tetzaveh—that Aaron would enter the Tent of Meeting in the morning to burn incense and to kindle the lamps. The question arises: How could it be that after offering burnt offerings and sacrifices on the Outer Altar, with his hands soiled and stained with fat and blood, he would then enter the sanctuary of G‑d?

Therefore, G‑d instructed Moses: “And you shall make a copper Kiyor.” The Kiyor is a vessel designed like a pipe that holds a large quantity of water externally. It has an opening, and when this opening is released, the water flows outward, washing the hands and feet.6

4. The Half-Shekel Coins Were Used for the Kiyor

Ibn Ezra quotes Saadia Gaon who explains that the instructions for the Kiyor directly follow the half-shekel donation because part of the collected silver was used for the channel and reservoir that supplied water to the Kiyor.7

5. Donations From Individuals

Ibn Ezra himself explains that the juxtaposition signifies that both the half-shekel and copper donations for the Kiyor were given by individuals rather than being part of the general collection for the Tabernacle’s construction.8 The copper for the Kiyor specifically came from the women’s mirrors, we are told:

And he made the washstand of copper and its base of copper from the mirrors of the women who had set up the legions, who congregated at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.9

6. A Reference to Charity

Baal Haturim offers a unique explanation for the convergence of the half-shekel donation and the command to fashion a Kiyor. He understands the positioning to subtly imply that giving charity will lead to an abundance of rain, symbolized by the water that filled the Kiyor.10

7. Purification Through the Study of Torah

In his work, Tzeror HaMor, 15th-century Spanish sage Rabbi Avraham Saba explores the deeper significance hinted at in the flow of these verses.11 According to his interpretation, the half-shekel given to charity symbolizes our inherent incompleteness—the idea that we are not whole without a connection to the Divine. Thus, after the completion of the Mishkan, which atones for the deficiencies of the people, the Torah first describes the half-shekel collection and then follows with the command to construct the Kiyor. The Kiyor signifies that, despite our imperfections, approaching G‑d requires purification with water, symbolizing the cleansing of impure thoughts through the study of Torah, which is called “living waters.”12

8. A Dwelling in the Lowest Realm

In the Rebbe’s reading, the Kiyor presents a dichotomy. On the one hand, it was merely a preparatory vessel with no direct role in the Temple service. On the other hand, it is uniquely connected to Moses, illustrated by the fact that the Talmud says, “Any basin that is not large enough for four Kohanim to sanctify [their hands and feet] in it may not be used for sanctification,” and as Rashi articulates, “Moses and Aaron were two, and his sons were two.”13 Even though Moses only participated in the service for the seven days of inauguration, a basic law, a requirement for all generations, emerged as a result of his participation. This demonstrates Moses’ unique connection to the Kiyor and the preparations necessary for the service of the Tabernacle.

The Rebbe connects this dichotomy with another seeming contradiction. The copper mirrors donated by the women from which the Kiyor was fashioned were associated with material temptation. These mirrors were used by the women to beautify themselves to elicit the desire of their husbands in Egypt—to the extent that Moses initially rejected them. Yet G‑d declared them “more cherished than all else.” These mirrors symbolize the dedication of the Jewish women who ensured the survival and continuity of the Jewish people in the darkest of times.14

This idea aligns with the entire point of the Tabernacle in the first place, as a “home for G‑d in the lower realms.” Moses, on the other hand, whose vision of G‑dliness was clear and direct (aspaclaria hamei’ira), sought an unfiltered Divine presence. He viewed materials linked to earthly desires as a concealment of G‑dliness. G‑d, however, insisted that even the lowest elements must be elevated into holiness. The mirrors, despite or because of their origin, were to be used to create the Kiyor, a vessel of purification, emphasizing that true Divine service involves refining the material world and subjugating one’s natural tendencies to fulfill G‑d’s ultimate purpose.

On the surface, the Kiyor, made from these mirrors, was merely a preparatory vessel, not directly involved in the Temple service, and thus not listed among the other sacred vessels. However, G‑d declared the mirrors “more cherished than all else” because they symbolized the subjugation of physical desire to holiness. Likewise, the act of washing with the Kiyor, though only preparatory, is deeply valued by G‑d—in a way even more than the actual service—because it represents subduing the negative forces and serving G‑d with full devotion.15