Housing Holiness
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
Parshat Terumah begins with Hashem's command to build the Mishkan/Sanctuary [which will be later replaced by the Beit Hamikdosh] and includes the first group of instructions for erecting the structure and constructing its vessels. There seems to be an unusual parallel structure in the first verse and in the eighth verse: "Let them take for me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him..." After listing assorted materials, the Torah continues, "They shall make for me a sanctuary so that I may [so that my Presence may] dwell among/within them... and so shall you do." From the addition of this last clause, Chazal extrapolate that the command to build a sanctuary to the Almighty and use it to Serve Him is a command not just for the times in our history when we were blessed with these sacred structures, but is also a command for all generations. However, without the Beit Hamikdosh, how can we fulfill this command today?
To begin the study of Hashem's presence, we must go back to the foundation of the world, to creation and to the first humans, Adam and Chavah. At that time, God's presence was manifest throughout the world. Adam and Chavah heard God's presence manifesting itself in the Garden of Eden. But they had just sinned, and God then further contracted His presence from the world to remain almost entirely in its heavenly abode. With the building of the Mishkan and Beit Hamikdosh, Hashem again found an earthly abode for His presence. Hashem always wanted His presence to be manifest in this world, not merely obscured, but mankind had to merit this overt presence again. Hashem's withdrawal of His presence rather than the physical destruction of the Temple is the real churban, the essence of the destruction we mourn, writes Rabbi Pincus.
When Dovid Hamelech writes in Tehillim, "One thing I asked of Hashem, that shall I seek—that I dwell in the House of Hashem all the days of my life, to behold the sweetness of Hashem and to contemplate in His Sanctuary," the logical allusion is to make the house I live in a space where Hashem can reside, writes the Netivot Shalom. How else would it be possible to reside in Hashem's house every day? Our mission is to create the aura of sanctity, of purity in action and refinement of speech within the confines the homes we live our lives in so that Hashem's presence can also reside among us.
This idea is supported by the term we use for marriage, kiddushin/Sanctification. The young couple pledges to be sacred to each other and, by extension to sanctify their home where children can be raises with awe of God and love of Torah, writes the Tolna Rebbe in Avodat Avodah. Therefore, the custom developed for the kallah to give her chatan a talit/prayer shawl to symbolically surround him in the sanctity they will incorporate in their new home. Citing Rav Yitzchak Isaac of Kamerna, the Tolna Rebbe reminds us that the third Beit Hamikdosh is already waiting in heaven. It has been built brick by brick through each of our positive actions. All that is waiting for it to descend is the Aron/Ark. That Aron is an anagram of nora/awe and fear of Heaven which must be built in our personal homes, vechein taasu/thus you will do so that the Beit Hamikdosh will descend to earth from heaven.
There were many symbolic builders of the Beit Hamikdosh, each adding his own effort to the construction. Rabbi Spero gives us some beautiful insights from the Belzer Rebbe. When Hashem descended to this world, He came with His machaneh/camp. The numerical equivalent of machaneh is 103. These angels built the first wall. Avraham Avinu had seen the sacred place as a har/mountain, equal to 206 (when adding 1 for the complete word), double 103, building the second wall. Yitzchak Avinu envisioned a sadeh/field, equal to 309, three times machaneh. Yaakov Avinu envisioned a bayit/house, equal to 412, building the fourth wall. Moshe Rabbenu gives us a clue to completing the Beit Hamikdosh. Moshe Rabbenu wanted desperately to enter the Holy Land, vaetchanan/and [he] prayed. Moshe Rabbenu offered 515 prayers, putting the roof over the structure, and teaching us that when we pray sincerely, invoking the merit of our forefathers, we, too, are helping reconstruct the Beit Hamikdosh.
When an איש Ish/man and אשה Ishah/woman join together in sanctity, the "yud" of Ish and the "heh" of ishah join together to form God's Name, and His Presence hovers between them. Rav Schorr, in Halekach Vehalebuv, notes that the numerical equivalent equivalent of Ish and Ishah is 617. By adding the one for the single unit they create together, we have a total of 618, six times 103, setting the foundation for the Beit Hamikdosh.
Rav Asher Weiss concretizes for us how we can symbolically create the main vessels used in the Beit Hamikdosh. The menorah that sheds light symbolizes Torah and Torah study. The mizbeach/altar, used for the daily sacrifices, now is represented by our daily prayer. Finally, the shulchan/table for the show bread represents the food we serve the hungry, and encompasses all acts of kindness. These three, Torah, service/prayer, and acts of kindness form the pillars that continue to support the world even in the absence of the Beit Hamikdosh, and our continued practice will lead to its reconstruction.
While there is a spiritual Beit Hamikdosh in the heavens, and there was a second Beit Hamikdosh on earth, in truth, writes the Tiferet Shimshon, man himself is the third Beit Hamikdosh and is the purpose of all creation. Even if the structure was destroyed, Man himself remains sacred. As Rabbi Reiss notes, Hashem created Man betzalmeinu/in Our image/in Our shadow. When we emulate Hashem, when our actions are synchronized with Hashem's actions as a shadow is synchronized with its subject, we are building a sanctuary within ourselves, we are building a sanctuary within ourselves and hastening the building of the structural Beit Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim. As Rav Scheinerman adds, Hashem implanted His Shechinah/Presence within each of us, within our minds.
How do I cleave to Hashem and emulate Him? The purpose of this world is to give, not to take. As Rav Aharon Kotler notes, the more I try to make the world a better place, the more I emulate Hakodosh Boruch Hu, the more I create a place for Hashem's presence within me. Beyond just observing mitzvoth, writes Rabbi Lugassi, I have to bring Hashem into everything I do, whatever I say and hear, wherever I go.
While we are generally impacted negatively by any sin, every part of our body that was in any way complicit in also specifically impacted, writes Rabbi Zeidel Epstein citing Rabbi Shmulevitz. For example, Chavah, having been formed from Adam's side, will now experience pain when she brings forth life through the contractions in her side. Conversely, the evil Queen Jezebel, whose entire body, except for her head, hands and feet was consumed by dogs, gained a reprieve for these body parts because she would sing, dance, and clap her hands to give joy to a passing bride.
When Hashem instructs us in making the vessels for the service, He says, "Thus you will do yourselves." He is telling us to symbolically make ourselves into these vessels to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu, writes Omek Haparshah. Just as each vessel was unique and had its specific function, so is each of us unique with our individualized service to Hashem. That is why the command to fashion every vessel is written in the singular, "And you will make." The one exception is the Aron/Ark, for it is the duty of every one of us, individually and collectively to connect to and set time for Torah study.
What characteristics do the different vessels represent? What can we learn from the copper altar? The Chida notes that the fire burned continuously and came from above. But the kohain had to bring physical fire from below to add to the altar. While we must remain passionate about our service, we must bring our own passion to our service, not rely solely on being inspired from above. Further, just as the ashes were removed from the altar daily, so we must be sure to clear our minds of the detritus, the negative messages that may have entered our minds before we begin the new day.
So do each of the vessels have a parallel in our spiritual lives. The The Ark does not stand alone in Torah learning. The cherubim teach us to bring others under our wings, and the poles to carry the Ark remind us that Torah requires support. The menorah reflects working on one’s middot. In the menorah, all the flames face the center, three on each side, creating a balance, and again, the wicks need to be removed and replace regularly; the need to continuously work on ourselves. The table reminds us not only that our own bread must be obtained honestly, but also that we have an obligation to help others "eat bread." The incense offering is meant to teach us that our interactions with others should always leave behind a pleasant impression. The washbasin should help us remain a positive influence on others to remain clean and pure.
Outside the Beit Hamikdosh were two pillars named Yachin/Be prepared and Boaz/In him is strength. The lesson here is not to act rashly. To prepare and contemplate one's actions so that they are for the sake of Heaven, and then to restrain one's anger and strengthen your midot/character.
Each of us can undoubtedly relate to one of these "vessels." Invest in self-improvement so that all your actions are all for Heaven.
Today, the places that Hashem dwells among us are our shuls and study halls that take the place of the Beit Hamikdosh. We must act in these places with the same awe and reverence we would use in the Beit Hamikdosh, writes the Ramban., refraining from such simple things as idle conversation, let alone improper speech.
In line with this idea, Rabbi Dovid Hofstedter presents a modern interpretation for Hashem's command of li/for Me for both the donation of materials and for building li/for Me a sanctuary so that I may dwell among them. Using both Rashi and Onkelos who, at first glance seem to be two different interpretations, the Dorash Dovid explains that every sanctuary that we build, whether it is the Mishkan in the desert, the Beit Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim, or the mini shuls and study halls in the Diaspora, it should all be built for My sake, for the sake of Heaven. While Hashem's presence has never left that holiest of places in Yerushalayim, its sanctity spreads to all these other structures. Therefore, as the Maharsha says, when the third Beit Hamikdosh will be built, all these other sanctuaries will be folded into that structure, for that sanctity is for Me, therefore forever.
Rabbi Reiss in Meirosh Tzurim, citing the Seforno, ties another verse into this idea. Vayikra 27:12 reads, "Vehithalachti betochechem/I will walk among you." How will Hashem walk among us? During the time of the Beit Hamikdosh, the Sages and elders, the Sanhedrin, would meet in a hall in the Temple courtyard from where wisdom and prophecy emanated. In the Diaspora, suggests Rabbi Reiss, Hashem's presence rests on the giants of each generation who spread the light and wisdom of Torah to their surroundings. The energy of these righteous people remains even after their death, and so it is customary to daven by visiting the graves of tzadikim.
When we pray that the Beit Hamikdosh be rebuilt bimheirah biyomeinu/speedily, in our day, Rabbi Asher Weiss suggests that we can also translate that phrase as a prayer to rebuild the Beit Hamikdosh speedily with our days. In other words, with our mitzvah observance, we place brick upon brick in the structure of the Third Beit Hamikdosh until the Heavenly structure will be complete and it will descend to earth. When Hashem commands us to build Him a sanctuary to dwell among us, writes the Tosher Rebbe, He is imploring us even today to build the Beit Hamikdosh within our homes, within our hearts, so He may dwell within us, and then, may His presence be manifest throughout the world with the coming of Moshiach and the building of the Third Beit Hamikdosh.