Making Up For the Beis Hamikdash

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah

When Hashem commanded the building of the Mishkan, Moshe Rabbeinu was confused.

“Hashem, how can the Jewish People possibly construct a dwelling for You?”

Hashem replied that “even one Jew can construct the Mishkan, as it states, ‘from any man whose heart stirs him'” (Shmos Rabba 33:8).

How does Hashem’s response answer the question? Moshe asked how the Jews could build something that could house Hashem, Who is above all physicality? That question remains.

The Alter of Slobodka explains that the Mishkan is not a physical dwelling for Hashem, it is a spiritual dwelling, where Hashem’s presence can be felt more intensely. There, Hashem enables us to build a strong relationship with Him. The way we start building this relationship is by donating to the Mishkan wholeheartedly. When a person gives what is precious in his eyes, such as gold and silver, in order to gain closeness to Hashem — this is the way a relationship is built. We are showing Hashem love and He returns it in great measure.

The Mishkan, and later the Beis Hamikdash, was a place that fostered this closeness to Hashem for generations. There, one could bring korbanos and pray to Hashem at the very point on earth where all prayers ascend to Him (Brachos 30a). The atmosphere was one of open miracles, as the Sages describe (Avos 5). The awesome impression that this made on every Jew forged a deep connection between him and Hashem.

Tosafos (Bava Basra 21a) relate that when Jews brought maaser sheini to Yerushalayim, just seeing the kohanim going about their tasks in the Beis Hamikdash with exceptional diligence and fervor deepened everyone’s yiras Shamayim. Some people even reached ruach Hakodesh as a result. Tosafos (Sukka 50b) cites the Yerushalmi that exceptional individuals in every generation were able to soar even to the level of prophecy from such inspiration. Such was the case for Yonah, who reached prophecy from the inspiration he felt at the Simchas Beis Hashoeva in the Beis Hamikdash.

Such closeness was only possible when a Jew served Hashem with all of his heart and truly wanted this relationship. The Bach (Orach Chaim 660) states that when the kohanim became lax in their avoda, this laxity was what caused prohibitions to be placed on the mizbe’ach and menorah. The only way to get these avodos back was through the great love and mesirus nefesh of the Chashmonaim for Hashem.

Today, when we have no Beis Hamikdash, how can we get close to Hashem? The closeness described above came about through the Beis Hamikdash, which we lack.

Rav Reuven Fine finds the answer in Brachos (8a), where the sages say that since the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, Hashem only has the four amos of halacha. Meaning, the same closeness we were once able to get from the Beis Hamikdash is now available through Torah study. The Bach (Orach Chaim 7:2) states that Torah study was given for this very purpose — that through study we could bring Hashem down to our world and enable us to cling to Him. Nefesh Hachaim (4:6) says that that before learning, one should think that the Torah he is about to learn should bring him closer to Hashem. If a person puts his heart into it and really does this, it works — he truly becomes closer to Hashem through his learning.

Rav Reuven Fine adds that the Shechina is present even more intensely among the talmidei chachamim of each era. The Mesilas Yesharim (26) states that the Shechina dwells upon talmidei chachamim in the same manner that it dwelled upon the Beis Hamikdash when it stood. How wise it is for us to make use of every opportunity to be with them!

Drashos Haran 9 adds that even the physical location where talmidei chachamim learn becomes imbued with kedusha, and tefillos are more accepted there. Even after a gadol passes away, Jews go to his grave because the Shechina remains with him, and tefillos said there are more accepted.

Once, on a stormy night in Yerushalayim, a person spotted Harav Aryeh Levine standing outside in the rain, davening by a wall.

When asked why he was doing this, Rav Levine replied: “I was looking for a makom kadosh to daven because someone is unfortunately very sick. I asked myself: Where can I go? I can’t go to the Kossel (which was then occupied by Jordan), so where can my tefillos be best accepted? I decided to come here because this is where the Tchebiner Rav used to live (he had passed away a year earlier). The house itself still has his kedusha.”

May we be zoche to build a close relationship with Hashem!