Washbasin being moved.
Washbasin being moved.Temple Institute

The Temple Institute moved a giant copper laver, or wash basin, to the new home of its exhibit of Temple articles on Monday.

A statement by the Temple Institute said the basin, which is 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) tall and 2.8 meters (9.1 foot) in diameter is kosher for use in the Third Temple and can be used to purify 12 priests at once.

The statement also said the new basin has advanced systems that make it possible to overcome certain problems in Jewish law, as was done at the time of the Second Temple.

The Temple Organizations HQ congratulated the Temple Institute for its new headquarters and wished its employees "to see their vessels being moved again soon, this time to their appointed place, the Temple…"

Temple Laver Moved to New Locale

Temple Institute moves to new headquarters, and takes giant laver with it.

The Temple Institute moved a giant copper laver, or wash basin, to the new home of its exhibit of Temple articles on Monday.

A statement by the Temple Institute said the basin, which is 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) tall and 2.8 meters (9.1 foot) in diameter is kosher for use in the Third Temple and can be used to purify 12 priests at once.

The statement also said the new basin has advanced systems that make it possible to overcome certain problems in Jewish law, as was done at the time of the Second Temple.

The Temple Organizations HQ congratulated the Temple Institute for its new headquarters and wished its employees "to see their vessels being moved again soon, this time to their appointed place, the Temple…"

The laver, a large vessel which appears like a kettle, was the first vessel which the priests had contact with every day, for they had to sanctify their hands and feet with its waters before commencing any sacred task in the Holy Temple.

The original laver which was constructed for the desert tabernacle in Moses' time included two spigots for releasing the water. In the era of the Second Temple, the High Priest Ben Katin fashioned 12 faucets for the laver, so that the entire shift who participate in the offering of the daily sacrifice may sanctify themselves at once.

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 9:14) relates that the original laver was made from the contributions of the righteous women of Israel, who donated their shiny mirrors towards this cause. These mirrors, made of highly polished copper, were melted down and it was from these that the laver was created.

This act of sacrifice– the fact that the women cared more about fulfilling G-d's  word than about their own appearance – was precious in the eyes of G-d. He declared that the laver must be of copper throughout the ages, to invoke the merit of these righteous women.