Our country is experiencing a sports phenomenon which is occupying so much of our time, - March Madness for collegiate basketball. Any sports enthusiast during this time acts in such a frenzy and has put aside all of their activities just to give all their attention to this madness. I must admit that as I observe this phenomenon, I am greatly impressed by their passion and their overwhelming attention to each and every game. It is at that moment that I would hope that this self same passion should be channeled towards more important objectives in life, i.e. attending minyan , a set time for daily learning, for acts of chesed, family interaction, etc. It is with this thought in mind that I share this Devar Torah with you.
This Shabbat we will bring to a close Sefer Sh’mot , and in unison, we will call out in resounding voices, חזק חזק ונתחזק. We reflect, at this time, the historical journey of the Jewish People from their debased lives of slavery on to the glorious road of Geulah, eventually leading them to the Promised Land.
I am reminded of the story of the little girl who refused to go to sleep in a neighbors’ house unless the bedroom door was left open. “Why? Are you afraid of the dark, a big girl like you?” teased the neighbor. “Yes, I am”, replied the girl. “But you are not afraid of the dark at your home” she said. “I know”, answered the little girl, “but in my home that's "my" dark.”
Reflecting on the little girls’ answer made me think about the requirements to build the Mishkan at this point in the lives of the Jewish People. At this point in their spiritual journey, came the command to build their own sanctuary, a place of Sanctity, a place of their ‘own’, a place to meet Hashem that will dispel the darkness of Galut and replace it with a Z’man G’eulah.
The question posed to me, “Was the Mishkan a sanctuary for G-D or for man?”
The obvious answer is- “It was built for both.”
I sense that Hashem, in His infinite way, recognized the need to part of the people, to be part of the human race. He could not achieve this goal from high above, in the heavens, He needed to come unto mans turf, for only then will He be able to elevate man to a higher and more sublime plateau.
Man will recognize that his need for true fulfillment can only be accomplished when he feels a closeness to G-D and that this Mishkan will serve this sublime purpose.
The Mishkan, in all its glory, will serve as a place for man to meet G-d and in doing so the spirit of man will be infused with the spirit of Hashem.
There is a fascinating Medrash reflecting on what took place after the completion of the Mishkan. The completed Mishkan was brought to Moshe and the people stated, “עשינו כל מה שצויתנו, we did all that you told us,but we are sorry to tell you, אינו עומד, the structure does not stand, it continues to fall. “Why, they inquired of Moshe, is this happening?” Moshe was equally confused and asked Hashem himself, “Why is this happening?”
G-D replied, “כדי שידעו כל ישראל , שאם על ידך אינו עומד שוב אינו עומד לעולם "So that all Israel may know that if it is not established by your hand it will not be established at all.”
The lesson is quite simple: a Sanctuary, a Synagogue, has to possess the imprint of ‘Torat Moshe’ otherwise it cannot endure. Torah must be the means to reach our objectives and goals in life.
Extending this thought, it is wise to realize that the word Mishkon is similar to the word Mashkon, collateral. What Hashem was saying to the Jewish People, at this time in history, “I want the Mishkon to become a Mashkon, and even more so I want the Jew to be a Mashkon for the world. Man the Mashkon, became now a Mishkon , a Sactuary, a Tabernacle for all the world to dwell in.
This Mishkon/ Mashkon can only be erected in a way that will assure its permanency is by building it
I am reminded of the story of the little girl who refused to go to sleep in a neighbors’ house unless the bedroom door was left open. “Why? Are you afraid of the dark, a big girl like you?” teased the neighbor. “Yes, I am”, replied the girl. “But you are not afraid of the dark at your home” she said. “I know”, answered the little girl, “but in my home that's "my" dark.”
Reflecting on the little girls’ answer made me think about the requirements to build the Mishkan at this point in the lives of the Jewish People. At this point in their spiritual journey, came the command to build their own sanctuary, a place of Sanctity, a place of their ‘own’, a place to meet Hashem that will dispel the darkness of Galut and replace it with a Z’man G’eulah.
The question posed to me, “Was the Mishkan a sanctuary for G-D or for man?”
The obvious answer is- “It was built for both.”
I sense that Hashem, in His infinite way, recognized the need to part of the people, to be part of the human race. He could not achieve this goal from high above, in the heavens, He needed to come unto mans turf, for only then will He be able to elevate man to a higher and more sublime plateau.
Man will recognize that his need for true fulfillment can only be accomplished when he feels a closeness to G-D and that this Mishkan will serve this sublime purpose.
The Mishkan, in all its glory, will serve as a place for man to meet G-d and in doing so the spirit of man will be infused with the spirit of Hashem.
There is a fascinating Medrash reflecting on what took place after the completion of the Mishkan. The completed Mishkan was brought to Moshe and the people stated, “עשינו כל מה שצויתנו, we did all that you told us,but we are sorry to tell you, אינו עומד, the structure does not stand, it continues to fall. “Why, they inquired of Moshe, is this happening?” Moshe was equally confused and asked Hashem himself, “Why is this happening?”
G-D replied, “כדי שידעו כל ישראל , שאם על ידך אינו עומד שוב אינו עומד לעולם "So that all Israel may know that if it is not established by your hand it will not be established at all.”
The lesson is quite simple: a Sanctuary, a Synagogue, has to possess the imprint of ‘Torat Moshe’ otherwise it cannot endure. Torah must be the means to reach our objectives and goals in life.
Extending this thought, it is wise to realize that the word Mishkon is similar to the word Mashkon, collateral. What Hashem was saying to the Jewish People, at this time in history, “I want the Mishkon to become a Mashkon, and even more so I want the Jew to be a Mashkon for the world. Man the Mashkon, became now a Mishkon , a Sactuary, a Tabernacle for all the world to dwell in.
This Mishkon/ Mashkon can only be erected in a way that will assure its permanency is by building it
על פי הי ועל תורת משה.
With this thought in mind we can readily understand why we bellow out in pride at the conclusion of the Sedrah, חזק חזק. We hope and pray for the strength that emanates from Hashem to make us a strong and permanent Mashkon, collateral, to assure we, ourselves, become the true Mishkon, wherein Hashem dwells.
With this thought in mind we can readily understand why we bellow out in pride at the conclusion of the Sedrah, חזק חזק. We hope and pray for the strength that emanates from Hashem to make us a strong and permanent Mashkon, collateral, to assure we, ourselves, become the true Mishkon, wherein Hashem dwells.
These are days when we begin to prepare for the Yom Tov of Pesach and we realize how important preparation is for the true fulfillment of this Yom Tov. If this be true for a Yom Tov, think how much more preparation is necessary to bring about the full redemption of man and for Man/Woman to become the glorious Mishkon of Kedusha and thereby heralding the Geulah Shlemah.
שבת שלום ומבורך
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