K. But he did not divinitely establish the law of purification by blood alone, but also by holy water; for this is the most perfect path to purification, in the reasoning of the sacrament in Christ.

P. How did he show this, or how?

K. It is written: "And the Lord said to Moses, saying, 'Make a basin of brass for washing, and its base of brass, and put it between the tabernacle of meeting and between the altar, and pour water into it; and Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet out of it. when they are to enter the tabernacle of meeting, they shall be washed with water, that they may not die; or when they should come to the altar for service, for sacrifice to the Lord, they shall wash their hands and their feet with water, that they may not die; and it shall be an everlasting statute unto him, and to his descendants throughout their generations" (Exodus 30:17-21). That in this the grace of holy baptism was prescribed, as it were, is clear: for when we are baptized, we do not acquire the laying aside of the impurity of the flesh, but are delivered from the abominations of the mind and heart, and are washed from the defilements of sin by the grace and love of mankind of Him who calls us to salvation: for we are justified "not by the works of the law," according to the Scriptures, "but by the faith of Jesus Christ" (Gal. 2:16). Behold, then, how Aaron, though holy according to the law, also those who are appointed with him to the ministry wash their hands and feet with water, and then they are taken to sacred labors, and also those who enter the holy of holies free from fear, whereby the law clearly and evidently, I think, shows, and the deed itself almost cries, that he is unclean with God, and seems to be sacred according to the law; if he has not been washed with water, and that the power of the lawful ministry is not sufficient for purification. Thus, even those who are sanctified according to the law washed beforehand, but it is not the clean that is cleansed, but the defiled and unclean. Christ Himself said the same thing: "He who has been washed need only wash his feet, for he is completely clean" (John 13:10). The all-wise Paul also writes that "for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4). Thus, the law is not perfect for sanctification, if saving baptism had not come to the aid of those who thirst for kinship with God. For this reason the divine John, although he was crowned with the highest praise and attained the highest degree of virtue, nevertheless asked the Saviour to be baptized, saying: "I need to be baptized of Thee" (Matt. 3:14).

P. Pravda.

K. The hands and feet that are washed signify the purity and sincerity of the deed and, as it were, the approach to each of the actions. When we have attained perfection in this through exercise, we are permitted to ascend to the innermost tabernacle, offer spiritual sacrifices to God, and dedicate them to Him in the form of incense as the incense of the Gospel life. With profit, however, He commands those who wish to enter the Holy of Holies and those who take care of sacred matters to wash themselves, "lest they die": for it is truly dangerous and subject to punishment to approach God uncleansed. That is why the wise Paul insistently demands that we examine ourselves, if we wish to partake of the mysterious blessing, and then approach it (1 Corinthians 11:28). And that negligence in this is full of danger, he reveals when he says: "Therefore many of you are weak and sick, and many die. For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But being judged, we are chastened by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world" (11:30-32).

P. Thus, it is confirmed that the sacred laver foretold us the grace of holy baptism.

K: Yes, you must not doubt at all. And if you consider the manner in which the laver is built, you will, I think, be all the more astonished: for thus it is written of Bezalel, who skilfully arranged what was in the tabernacle: "And he set the laver between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, and poured water into it for the ablution, and Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet out of it. when they entered into the tabernacle of meeting, and came to the altar, then they were washed, as the Lord commanded Moses" (Exodus 40:31-33).

P. But what was the need for mirrors? And who were the fasting women?

K. Much of what happened does not have a clear interpretation in the Divine Scriptures, but is indicated as if in passing, as, undoubtedly, in the present case: where or who fasted at the time when the tabernacle was being erected, Moses did not say; but what it was, no one can doubt, for it is said, although it is not clear. But, having omitted this, let us proceed to it, if you will.

P. What is the point of this?

K. What were the images of the fasting women? And what does it mean that the copper washbasin was made of mirrors? P. Of course, it is up to you to talk about this as well. K: Listen. The Israelites, enduring the yoke of slavery to the Egyptians and living for a long time according to their laws, served idols. Meanwhile, especially among Egyptian women, it was the custom to enter the temples dressed in linen clothes and sacredly decorated with a mirror in the left hand and a rattle in the right hand. And such an honor, or rather to tell the truth, dishonor, was scarcely granted to the most chosen of the others and to the priestesses. And so, the women of the tribe of Israel, having found in their household utensils the remnants of the Egyptian service, namely mirrors, brought them as an offering, which mirrors were converted into a laver. And when the holy tabernacle was being erected, they fasted, crouching at its doors, and in all things leading a pure life, which circumstance, I think, signified, that when the truest tabernacle appeared, that is, the Church, "which the Lord hath raised, and not man," as the divine Paul writes (Heb. 8:2), the time had come for the vessels once consecrated to the glory of the crowd of demons to be converted into sacred vessels convenient for the reception of holy baptism. so that they may also be distinguished by glory, the highest law: for this, I think, means to make a brass laver out of Hellenic mirrors or the treasures of the devil, in which there was also water that cleansed Moses himself and was useful for the ablution, apparently mental, of the lawful priesthood: for do you not yourself, Palladius, consider those who were deceived and served demons to be vessels of the devil?

P. How can we not count?

K. And the women fasted at the door of the holy tabernacle. And this was a beautiful and wise indication that those who are justified in Christ do not enter the Church through blood, but, on the contrary, are distinguished by spiritual sacrifices and, as if carrying a spear, offering abstinence to God, as it were mortification of the flesh: for "present," it is said, "your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [for] your reasonable service" (Rom 12:1). And again: "Glorify God also in your bodies" (1 Corinthians 6:20). Thus, those who fasted at the elevation of the holy tabernacle serve as an image of souls who are no longer guided by the commandments of Moses, but, on the contrary, who have manifested the spiritual and evangelical life, and not without podvig trample on earthly pleasures, and so as not to suffer restraint from the abominable and impure sins of love of the flesh, which are very well transformed into incorruptible beauty. Or is this not the way of life of us, who are called in Christ to sanctification and spiritual thinness?

P. Quite so.