Many medical organizations employ the symbol of a snake as their logo. This practice can be traced back to this week’s Torah portion of Chukat, which recounts how the Jewish people infuriated G-d by their contemptuous speech. They were duly punished, bitten by snakes.
When the Jews finally realized their mistake, Moses pleaded to G-d on their behalf. G-d’s “prescription” was for Moses to make snakes and place them up high on a pole. Moses then proceeded to make copper snakes and placed it on a pole. Whoever would look at the snake would live.
Our Talmudic Sages ask rhetorically: “Does a serpent kill or give life?” “However,” our rabbis answer their own question: “as long as the Israelites looked heavenward and subjugated their heart to their heavenly Father, they would be cured. If not they would die.“
There is an obvious question here. If the copper serpent did not cure them, what purpose was served in Moses constructing the copper servant? Why did the Jews have to look at it, if the real intent of G-d was that they direct their hearts to G-d?
To answer these questions it is necessary to also understand why Moses made the serpent out of copper. Rashi explains that the word in Hebrew for serpent (Nachash) and the word for copper (Nechoshet) are similar. Moses, therefore, decided to make the serpent out of the similar sounding copper.
It is hard to imagine that Moses would do something purely for a play-on-words effect. Obviously, the choice of copper had a direct bearing on the objective Moses had in making this copper snake.
When the Tabernacle was built, there were three primary metals used in its construction: Gold, silver and copper. Chassidic literature explains that they were representative of three levels of spiritual health. Gold, represented someone who was spiritually pure and sophisticated. Silver represented the average person, while copper represented the lowest class individual whose moral and spiritual status left much to be desired.
By commanding us to construct G-d’s sanctuary out of all these three components, the Torah teaches us the dual lesson that no one is beyond the need for the effort in building a Sanctuary and no one is beyond being helped by this construction.
Indeed, the very word for copper (Nechoshet) which contains the letters of the word Nachash (Serpent) is an allusion to Moshiach, which numerically is the equivalent of the word Nachash (358). Moshiach (the ultimate Jewish leader and role model) is capable of reaching even the lowliest class of Jew, one who has been bitten by the Nachash, the serpent.
By placing the copper serpent on high, Moses was trying to impress even the “copper” Jew who was bitten by the serpent, the symbol of the evil inclination within us, he is not beyond hope. Just place your spiritual weaknesses on a pedestal, i.e., just harness your weaknesses for something higher and more sublime, and even that copper snake will cure you from your spiritual malady.
For example, if one suffers from unbridled temptation for physical pleasure, one can take that passion and “convert” it into a passionate and fiery love for G-d, His Torah and people
If one’s spiritual progress is hampered by their uncontrollable rage, one should learn how to channel, and thereby sublimate, their anger into indignation at injustice, or displeasure with one’s own negative tendencies.
If one’s destructive “fiery” tongue is what plagues us, we should learn to use our tongue for fiery and passionate speech on behalf of good causes.
This then is what G-d’s and Moses’ message was: When you are bitten by the saraf (another word for serpent that actually means “fiery creature,”) i.e., when you are consumed with negative energy that is likened to fire (improper passion, anger, destructive speech etc.) do not despair.
One can take the very negative trait and convert it into something positive. Even the “copper Jew” can be come part of the G-dly Sanctuary. Even the destructive characteristics of the Nachash can be turned around and lead us to Moshiach.