How did My Childhood Quest for Sacred Space Lead Me to True
Holiness?
Since childhood, I have always sought to create sacred spaces
around me. As a young girl scout, I would adorn the entrance to our tent with
magnificent rocks and other intriguing objects I found in nature. I wasn’t just
decorating; I was marking the threshold with beauty and meaning as if to invite
a deeper presence into that space. Even then, without fully understanding the
concept, I was trying to create a sacred space – infused with intention and
reverence. As I grew older, my yearning for sacred space deepened. When I
became a teenager, I claimed the basement of our family villa as my own – a
privilege I was granted as the eldest of three sisters. With wall hangings,
psychedelic colors, crystals, and the ethereal sound of Pink Floyd, I
transformed an ordinary upper-middle-class suburban basement into a mystical,
kaleidoscopic refuge for spiritual seekers. It was more than a teenage hangout
– it became my sanctuary. I created an atmosphere where the mundane dissolved
into something transcendent, a space where I could explore my spiritual
yearnings. Even as I traveled, whether for a day or longer, I would leave my
mark on the spaces I temporarily inhabited. Draping scarves and hanging
necklaces – was my attempt to infuse each temporary dwelling with an atmosphere
of sacredness, however imperfect. It was the best I could do with my limited
understanding of true holiness. Yet, I got a glimpse – perhaps more accurately,
a scent – of something deeper. When I visited my grandparents in Israel, I was
welcomed by the fragrance of citrus groves, a sacred scent that imprinted
itself upon my soul. It was as if my heart was being prepared, softened, and
opened to receive something greater. And then, when I stood before the Western
Wall for the first time, I knew – without scarves or necklaces or any adornment
that this was kedusha – true holiness. My childhood instinct to sanctify space
had found its source.
The Eternal Repercussions of the Mitzvah to Create Sacred Space
In Parashat Teruma, Hashem commands the Children of Israel:
ספר שמות פרק כה פסוק ח וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ
וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם:
“They shall make for Me a Mikdash (Sanctuary),
and I will dwell among them” (Shemot 25:8).
This verse encapsulates a profound spiritual truth – our mission to
create sacred spaces where the Shechinah (Divine Presence), can reside.
The command to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the wilderness was not
merely a physical task; it was a spiritual act – a calling to transform the
physical space into a dwelling for the Divine. A fascinating passage from Pesikta
Zutarta offers deep insight into our verse attributing the Shechinah
dwelling among Israel with eternal significance: This refers to both the
present world and the world to come. It refers to the eternal dwelling, for all
time. The Holy One, Blessed be He, expresses extraordinary affection for the
people of Israel by constricting His Presence within them. Happy is the nation
for whom this is true. Happy is the nation that Hashem is his G-d (Pesikta
Zutarta, Shemot 25:8). The sanctuary is not only a physical
structure in this world but primarily imbues us with a profound and everlasting
relationship – our eternal bond with the Divine that transcends into the world
to come. Hashem’s special love for Israel is manifested in the choice to have
His Presence contained within us, making Israel a vessel for the Divine. While
the Mishkan served a critical role in the wilderness as a portable sanctuary –
a place where Heaven and Earth converge, and the Israelites could experience
the presence of Hashem in their midst – its true fulfillment was always
intended to be in the Land of Israel. There, the Beit HaMikdash (Holy
Temple) would be built, a permanent home for the Shechinah. The connection
between these sacred spaces highlights a deeper truth: our mission to create a
sacred space extends beyond the temporary buildings we construct or the lands
we inhabit during exile.
What is the Connection Between The Mishkan and the Land of Israel?
The holiness of the Mishkan extends into the Land of Israel by
serving as a place of Divine guidance – just as Hashem spoke to Moshe from the Kodesh
HaKodashim (Holy of Holies), prophecy flourished only in the Land of
Israel. It is the land where the voice of Hashem is most clearly heard. The
Beit HaMikdash became the central point from which divine wisdom and guidance
were transmitted to the people of Israel. Moreover, the Mishkan was a place of
service to Hashem; similarly, the Land of Israel is a place of service, where
mitzvot such as terumot, ma’aserot, and shemitah sanctify the
very acts of eating, working, and living on the land. The daily lives of the
Israelites are infused with sanctity, as the land itself reflects the holiness
of the Mishkan. Thus, the portable Mishkan in the desert was only a temporary
construction, whereas our permanent sanctuary can exist only in the Holy Land.
As Ralbag explains, the ultimate mitzvah of building a Mikdash is not to
be carried out in just any location, but in the specific place that Hashem will
choose when the people cross the Jordan and settle in the land. The Mishkan in
the desert was merely a temporary dwelling, designed to train the Israelites in
divine service and prepare them for their inheritance of the land. They did not
stray from this path, as they did not have a permanent sanctuary until Hashem
revealed to them the location of the eternal Temple on Mount Moriah (Rabbi Levi
ben Gershon, Shemot 25:8). The Promised Land is so much more than just a
geographical location. Only in the Land of Israel do the spiritual and physical
meet in perfect harmony. Just as the Mishkan was fashioned from earthly
materials to house the Divine, the Land of Israel is the soil where Hashem’s
Presence can take root among His people. The very earth of Israel holds the
potential to become a dwelling place for the Divine. This connection reinforces
the deep sanctity of both the Mishkan and the Land, highlighting that Israel is
not only a place for the Jewish people to live but the place where Hashem’s
glory is to be revealed (Based on Yoel Yakoby, Parashat Teruma: The
Encounter Between Two Types of Sanctity).
To Build or Not to Build the Beit Hamikdash?
We all pray and yearn for the rebuilding of the permanent Beit
HaMikdash on the Temple Mount. But why don’t we begin the construction already?
One reason often cited is the belief that the Temple is meant to descend from
Heaven. However, this view is not as clear-cut as it may seem. It is based on
one interpretation of Rashi’s commentary on the Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah
41a). Yet that interpretation of Rashi is disputed among our Sages (see, for
example, the Me’iri on that Talmudic passage). Rabbi Jacob Ettlinger
succinctly reconciles these differing perspectives: “Certainly, the future Beit
HaMikdash will be built literally by humans. That which is written, ‘The
Mikdash, Hashem, Your hands established’ (Shemot 15:17), as expounded in
the Midrash Tanchuma – that it will descend from above—refers to the
spiritual Beit HaMikdash, which will enter the physical, already-built Beit
HaMikdash, like a soul within a body” (Aruch LaNer on Sukkah
41a). Another widely held assumption is that the mitzvah of building the Beit
HaMikdash is contingent on the majority of Am Yisrael (Jewish People)
residing in Eretz Yisrael. Yet this claim is also unclear. In contrast,
the Minchat Chinuch asserts: “Even today, it is possible that if the
nations were to grant permission to build the Beit HaMikdash, there would be a
mitzvah to do so, as is evident from the Midrash, which recounts that in
the days of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, permission was granted, and they began
construction” (Minchat Chinuch, Mitzvah 95). Similarly, Rav Teichtal
states that the Beit HaMikdash can be built whenever the opportunity presents
itself: “If permission were given to Am Yisrael to build the Beit
HaBechirah (Chosen House). …it is a mitzvah for all generations, as we are
commanded to build the Beit HaMikdash. Therefore, Chazal said, ‘A
generation in which the Beit HaMikdash is not built in its time is as if it
were destroyed in its time.’ (Em Habanim Semecha). The reason is that
whenever Bnei Yisrael contribute wholeheartedly, yearning to build Him a
house, they will be able to attain their aspirations” (Sefat Emet, Parashat
Teruma, Year 1850). Based on these authoritative Torah scholars, I venture
to ask: So what are we waiting for?!
How Can We Bring the Mishkan into Our Lives Today?
Although our final Beit HaMikdash has not yet been rebuilt, the
message of Parashat Teruma remains deeply relevant. Every home in the
Land of Israel – and every Jewish heart –
can serve as a mini-Mikdash. By filling our lives with Torah, kindness,
and devotion to Hashem, we continue the legacy of Parashat Teruma,
creating a space where the Divine Presence can dwell.
The
connection between creating sacred space and our role as partners with Hashem
in building a dwelling place for the Shechinah is profound. The Land itself is
holy, as it is the place where the Shechinah dwells most intimately. Every act
of sanctifying the space around us – whether through physical action or
spiritual devotion—brings us closer to fulfilling the mitzvah of Parashat
Teruma: “They shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.” This
call is not just for the Israelites of the past but for us today, as we
continue to build sacred spaces where the Divine can reside among us. May we
merit seeing the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash speedily in our days, when its
holiness will once again shine in its full glory. The lesson of creating sacred
spaces – whether in our homes, our communities, or our land – continues to
guide us toward a deeper connection with Hashem, inviting His Presence to dwell
among us. Just as I instinctively sought to transform my surroundings into
sacred spaces, the Torah calls on all of us to recognize that every space,
every moment, and every act can become an opportunity to invite holiness into
our lives. The Land of Israel, in particular, is where this sacred work is most
fully realized. It is not merely a home for the Jewish people but the very
foundation of our relationship with Hashem.
Beautiful and inspiring!
ReplyDelete