Ha Kodosh Barachu will reside within the Ark of the Covenant as a result of Israel building the ark according to ‘his’ specifications detailed here in Parasha Terumah.
It is hard to comprehend the presence of deity so near and accessible as was designed through the Mishkan. We have no counterpart these days to refer to. Hashem is in this world but due to our very own fragmentation we do not have the mitzvah of a Mishkan. We only have its memory. May we speedily and soon come to realize the unification of above and below and return to the blessings of Mishkan as an ever-present reality in our lives.
One day Chaim was speaking about this very thing to his grandson, Shmuel. Shmuel asked him.
“Zeddie how come Ha Kodosh Barachu wanted us to build him a Mishkan? Isn’t Hashem everywhere all the time?
“Dear Shmuel you are right Hashem is everywhere but the Mishkan is a very special place of holiness that cannot be compared to any other place. It is meant to be where Hashem is both accessible to his people and where we may give thanks for all the blessings we receive. What is this like?
One day there was a very powerful King. He ruled all over a kingdom so very large that it was said no one had ever seen all of it nor did they know all the people who lived in it.
Now the King would travel far and wide trying to meet everyone and see how best to govern his kingdom but because there were pressing matters of state he found himself usually stuck inside the king’s palace for most of the year. One day in the middle of spring just before Purim; in fact around this very same time of year, the king met with all of his counselors.
“Pray tell me my trusted ministers how may I govern all the people so that they will know that I am their king and that I am here for them always?” The King asked.
“My King you are already known throughout the land for everything you do,” The minister of Finance said.
“Do they know me in Lanaday? I’ve never been there you know,” The King responded.
“Well no but they know of you,” The minister of Finance said and then was silent.
“It isn’t enough. I am their King and must find a way to be accessible to everyone,” The King said turning to the other ministers who shifted and shuffled but no one had an answer.
“Okay here is what I want. Build me a secret place more magnificent than anything ever built before. It has to be small enough so that it will not take up a lot of room and yet it must contain everything that I am. When I go inside there I want to be able to see all of my people all of the time and hear their needs and be able to respond to them,” The King paused watching their astounded faces all except for one, Bezalel who was the master builder.
“It will be done according to your specifications,” Bezalel spoke and walked away.
“One more thing,” The King said. “Have the people throughout the land give their best in helping to build my special place. Whatever their hearts feel is right.”
So all throughout the kingdom people gave from their heart and the king’s special place was built. It was an amazing place deep within the palace where the king could send his love to all who turned their thoughts his way when they were in need or they simply were thankful for all that they received.
So Shmuel this is the Mishkan as it was meant to be and will be very soon in our days, B”H.
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