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.

K: But for the present it is enough to say about the sacred vessels. Now, if you like, let us consider the tabernacle itself, how it is set up and arranged. And although this subject is deep and beyond the measure of our understanding, nevertheless, I think, there will be no harm at all, if we gather from everywhere what is useful for the good, approaching, as far as possible, even to the very sublime.

P. You said it well.

K. If, then, one were to speak subtly, the discourse on every subject would be lengthy and very detailed. But one should know that some of the vessels deserve contemplation and mysterious words, while others are built for the adornment and benefit of the tabernacle. Cutting off the length of the word as much as possible, I will speak briefly and shorten the narrative. So He said, "And you shall make the tabernacle of ten curtains of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet [wool], and you shall make cherubim thereon with workmanship; The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain was four cubits: the measure of all the curtains was one. Let the five curtains be joined one to another, and the five curtains joined one to another" (Exodus 26:1-3). And so, there are ten veils, and moreover, they are firmly united together: for the Father has many mansions (John 14:2), and all who dwell in them have one holy goal, and the knowledge of God is one: "The Lord has called us to peace," according to what is written (1 Corinthians 7:15). You can, if you will, accept ten veils and count as the fullness of the churches in the world, not scattered by differences of opinion or disagreement in opinion, but united in the spirit and as if united in one in unity, Christ through faith: for everywhere and in all of them "there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). And the breadth of each of the coverings was four cubits, and twenty-eight cubits long. The hint is skillfully composed and subtle; however, I think he secretly and vaguely indicates that instruction through the law is also received in a certain way in the churches, being very constrained because of the vagueness of the letter; but as time moves forward into length, it will have its end in the mystery of Christ, that is, the eighth day or the resurrection that took place on the eighth day: "the end of the law" and the prophets "Christ" (Rom. 10:4; cf. Matt. 5:17), to which the divine David also called: "Thy commandment is immeasurably extensive" (Psalm 118:96). The divine Paul also writes to those who prefer service in the law to faith in Christ: "Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. You are not cramped in us; but your hearts are cramped. In equal retribution, I say, as to children, spread yourselves. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship has righteousness with iniquity?" (2 Corinthians 6:11-14). Do you see that the desire to be attached after believing to the disobedient Jews and those who still say what is in the law produces oppression?

P. I understand.

And the linen of the coverings was of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet wool: for the adornment of the Church is adorned. This is also the divine David singing, speaking of her somewhere: "The daughters of kings are among the honorable with Thee; the queen has become at Thy right hand in the gold of Ophir" (Psalm 44:10). And the adornment and manifold beauty in it is Christ, one in nature, but conceivable in many and different forms, as, for example, not to go far, in twisted linen: for, being subtle and incorporeal in nature, the Word, begotten of God the Father, is in a certain way twisted through the interweaving as it were with the flesh. Thus He is also fine woven linen; but there is also a kind of "sinesha" (hyacinth, blue color), because it is not from the earth, but from above and from heaven: for the hyacinth is likened to the etheric body located on high and above, reaching even to the firmament. Therefore He is like a hyacinth, because He is from heaven, but purple, because He is not a slave, as if created, but from God the King and Lord of all. And the scarlet is twisted because, as I have said, He conceived in the interweaving with the flesh and abiding truly by the Word of God, He gave His Blood for us, since the scarlet is a sign of blood. And the fact that there was an image of the Cherubim on the skins, this circumstance very well indicates, perhaps, the union of the lower with the higher and the unity of the earthly Church with the heavenly powers. It must be known that the wisest Solomon also carved the Cherubim on the walls of the temple. In the same way was made the image of the temple, indicated by the words of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40:47). The covers for (linen) coverings are leather bound with loops and hooks (Exodus 26:7 ff.; cf. 36:14 ff.); and besides, the covers are of blue (hyacinth) skins and red ramskin skins, indicating the Protector of the Church of Christ, through the hyacinth, again because He is from heaven and from above, through the red color, because He appeared in the flesh: for such is the color of the flesh in a certain way.

P. I think that this is not considered without reason.

The pillars for the coverings were one and a half cubits wide and ten long, overlaid with gold at the tops and body and fixed on double silver bases (Exodus 26:15 ff.; cf. 36:20 ff.). Again, in each pillar is understood Christ, the support of the Church, "the foundation of the truth," according to the words of Paul (1 Tim. 3:15). He supplies and maintains everything. After one and a half cubits, He is indirectly designated as perfect by the nature of the Godhead, and then as diminished by the measure of humanity. It would not be foolish to say that Christ is all-perfect, as it were, in the whole cubit, since He is God by nature, and in the half cubit as it were lowered in consequence of human nature: for nothing is perfect in what is produced. Being rich, the Only-begotten One in us became poor, and brought Himself down to exhaustion (2 Corinthians 8:9; cf. Phil. 2:7).