Skip to main content

TERUMAH-ELEVATING SPARKS

When we see the element of corporeality in something or, heaven forbid, of evil, then we are to serve God with it by virtue of the love or fear or other such quality that it possesses. In this manner we elevate it. For instance, we contrast a good love to the evil love, for it was only for the purpose of loving God that love was emanated by the Creator into this world. This is what the raising of the sparks means. So it is with regard to fear and other traits. If we see an evil fear anywhere, heaven forbid, we must elevate it to the realm of holiness. Other traits must be elevated in the same manner.

 

The dismantling of the Tabernacle means that the traits symbolized by the various parts of the Tabernacle are not connected to the performance of Commandments. When the Children of Israel in the desert chanced upon a place where there was an unworthy love, they stimulated this love to become the love of God, Who is the source of all love. So too for the attributes of fear and beauty.


Afterwards, when they had already elevated the traits of love and fear, they erected the Tabernacle. That is to say, they connected these attributes to the Commandments of the Creator. For when a man possesses love of God or fear of God, but refrains from performing the commandments that apply to these attributes, the love or fear cannot endure. But when he does perform the commandments that apply to a specific attribute, the attribute itself will continue to exist. Therefore they erected the Tabernacle after they elevated the sparks, connecting the attributes to the Commandments symbolized by the erection of the Tabernacle, in order to ensure their permanent existence in sanctity. 


However, only Moses was able to erect the Tabernacle, thus connecting the Tabernacle to the Torah.


If, heaven forbid, the love and fear are not directed toward the Creator, then it is as if they were not at rest. But when they are directed toward the Creator, they are considered at rest, because they are fulfilling the purpose for which they were emanated from the Creator. But there is another step: when the attributes are constantly connected to the Commandments, they can release Divine Sustenance from above.


The state of being constantly connected occurred only in the Temple in Jerusalem. There, the vessels were connected to each other and to the Commandments. But the level at which the attributes were at rest, when they fulfill their function in the worship of the Creator, this obtained in the Tabernacle also, as suggested by the fact that the Tabernacle had no roof. This indicates that there was rest but no permanent connection or relatedness. (Kedushat Levi, Pekudei)


We use the section of the Shema, with its emphasis on loving God, to connect everything we do, including our emotions, to God, so that all the attributes may find a permanent home as they did in the Tabernacle and Temple.


By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Creation

 All was destroyed during the month of Av. Creation began on Elul, and, so it will again. We recite this prayer for the New Month focusing on Creation. “God created the world in order to do good to an other (Derech Hashem 1:2:1).” Creation was an expression of absolute love, the “other” had done nothing to earn it. This is why Elul, the month of Creation is also the month of intense love between God and Israel. I recite this prayer imaging myself participating in the final Heavenly planning meetings before Creation. I am not praying as one who has already existed and experienced success and failure, but as one who has the opportunity to see the world before Creation, and request in this moment of intense love all that I could possibly need and want. I use this prayer to prepare for all my Elul prayers until the 25th of the month when Creation began. For what shall I ask? What will I need to succeed? How will I define success? What do I hope to achieve? Rabbi Simcha Weinberg
Post a Comment
Read more

Birchat Hamazon

By: Machberes Avodas Hashem The Chafetz Chaim taught: "At the conclusion of the main portion of Grace after Meals we add a series of,' May the All Merciful.' We add numerous such petitions, indicating that a request to God after the performance of a mitzvah is especially acceptable before Him (Michtevei haRav Chafetz Chaim, page 45)." One of the primary issues of the Exile is, "You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that no prayer can pierce (Lamentations 3:44)." It is more difficult to pray during the Three Weeks than other times during the year because we experience this "cloud." With COVID unfortunately around, this year proves to be even more difficult because our time in shul has changed drastically, and we have never experienced the pain of the three weeks while in a situation similar to the present state of the world. We can use this strategy of the Chafetz Chaim, that of praying immediately after the performance of a mitzvah, so that we may feel t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Who clothes the naked

"Certainly those determining acts of her life were not ideally beautiful. They were the mixed result of a young and noble impulse struggling amidst the conditions of an imperfect social state, in which great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion. For there is no creature whose inward being is so strong that it is not greatly determined by what lies outside it." "But we insignificant people with our daily words and acts are preparing the lives of many Dorotheas." "Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to t...
Post a Comment
Read more