Adar 5762

PARSHAT KI TISAH (PARAH)
Sanctification of Time and Place

There was no sicha delivered in the Yeshiva this week, the following is a translation of the sicha from Parshat Ki Tisah 5751.

Following the detailed instructions on how to construct the Mishkan, the Torah commands "you must observe My Sabbaths" [1] (Shmot 31:13). Chazal offer many interpretations for this pasuk, but Rashi explains on a "pshat" level that construction of the Mishkan must not be at the expense of Shabbat observance. This is as opposed to the offering of the Korbanot which involve acts otherwise forbidden on Shabbat.

One possible explanation as to why Shabbat may not be violated for construction of the Beit Hamikdash is that the function of the Mikdash is to increase the glory of Heaven in this world. Serving Hashem in a Sanctuary that is respectable and beautiful, one in which the people themselves have an opportunity to contribute to its beauty, increases the level of yirat Shamayim. Nevertheless, given that the Mikdash is built by human beings, it is only natural for an observer to be mainly impressed by man's ability to build such an edifice - the sense of "there is none beside Him" [2] (Devarim 4:35) is lacking, just as today sometimes a person's main impression of the Kotel is of the way it was constructed.

Shabbat, on the other hand, is testimony to the fact that "there is none beside Him" - man has no share in the Shabbat. The Shabbat is "raza d'Echad" "the mystery of Oneness" - entirely belonging to Hashem. It is for this reason that the bracha for the sanctification of the Shabbat is not "mekadesh Yisrael vehaShabbat" "Who sanctifies Israel and the Shabbat" - (as we say on the Chagim "Mekadesh Yisrael vehazmanim"). Here the Jewish nation is not mentioned because while the Jewish people may determine the precise time for Yom Tov, the time of Shabbat stems from the time of Creation - it is "established in perpetuity from the six days of Creation" [3] (Pesachim 117b). Therefore, regarding the Chagim the Rambam tells us that should there, G-d forbid, arise a situation in which no Jewish people will the reside in the Land of Israel, the Yom Tovim will become null and void. We are promised, however, that this scenario will never occur, the source probably rooted in the words of the Megillah: "and these days of Purim should never cease among the Jews, nor shall their remembrance perish from their descendants" [4] (Esther 9:28) - the twelfth month of Adar (and therefore the other months) will always exist.

On Shabbat we feel Hashem's presence more strongly than during the rest of the week, on weekdays we feel, so to speak, as if we are partners in the running of the world, making Hashem's honor and glory hidden as against Shabbat when it is more revealed. Yom Tovim (in which there are less prohibitions than on Shabbat) there is a revelation of the glory of Heaven but on a lesser level. There are those who rule that even on Yom Kippur, there is no prohibition against carrying between a private and public domain (although the halacha is not in accordance with this view) and there is a discussion whether we may utilize work done by animals. Even if the prohibitions of Shabbat apply on Yom Kippur, they are not punishable by stoning as they are on Shabbat. Yom Kippur is not "a memorial for the six days of Creation" [5] the way the Shabbat is.

The construction of the Beit Hamikdash cannot be carried out on Shabbat or even on Yom Tov - for on these days, man is not involved in the creative activities of the world. I asked one of the Gedolim once whether construction of the Beit Hamikdash may be carried out on Chol Hamoed, to which his response was that it depends on how one rules regarding the question of whether we don Tefillin on Chol Hamoed. The custom in Yerushalayim is not to lay Tefillin, it would therefore stand to reason that we may not construct the Beit Hamikdash on Chol Hamoed - it is a day in which man is less involved in the labor and running of the world. Given that the construction of the Mikdash is the work of man, the Shabbat - the day in which man is not involved, may not be desecrated for its construction. The cessation of building of this edifice on the Shabbat results in a greater revelation of the glory of Heaven.

Perhaps this is where the Jewish people erred in the chet haegel - they felt that they could decide for themselves where and in what form the Divine Presence should be housed. The Kuzari and the Ramban explain that the people were in search of a physical housing for the Shchina to replace Moshe Rabenu whom they had mistakenly thought had died. Their decision, of course, was improper, for only Hashem can decide where to house His Shchina. Man may carry out the CONSTRUCTION of the Mishkan, but not the PLANNING. The sin of the chet haegel was that the people thought they could be involved in the planning stages as well. When David HaMelech handed over the plans for the construction of the Mikdash to Shlomo, he told him: "everything is in writing, by the hand of Hashem, which He gave me understanding to know" [6] (Divrei Hayamim I 28:19). The shape and form of Hashem's Eternal Home was as it was dictated to him by Shmuel Hanavi. We find several sources in Chazal for prohibiting any part of the Beit Hamikdash to be constructed based on the decisions of man. The chet haegel was viewed so severely because the Mikdash is a place of total yirat Shamayim, in the planning of which man plays no role - the planning is Hashem's alone. The Jewish people sinned by deciding for themselves to construct the Golden Calf.

Chazal compare the sin of the spies and the "mekoshesh eitzim" (the person who gathered wood on Shabbat - see Bamidbar 15:32-36), with that of Adam HaRishon partaking from the Tree of Knowledge. One opinion states that the trees gathered by the "mekoshesh eitzim" were the Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life. This, of course, is in the hidden realms of the Torah and on a simple "pshat" level they were ordinary trees, yet we can perhaps understand Chazal's words regarding the similarity of these sins based our own intellectual perception. Hashem commanded the Jewish people to enter the Land of Israel, a Land whose uniqueness is expressed as "a land that Hashem, your G-d, seeks out; the eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to year's end" [7] (Devarim 10:12). What does this mean? Is Hashem not found everywhere? The Ramban explains that DIVINE Providence in Eretz Yisrael is immediately noticeable. When the Kuttim worshipped Avoda Zara in Eretz Yisrael they were punished immediately, which was not the case while in Chutz la'Aretz. In Chutz la'Aretz, Hashem allows events to be run more in concert with the laws of nature - his Hand is hidden from us. The miracle of Purim occurred in Chutz la'Aretz - and Chazal regard the pasuk: "But I will surely have concealed My face on that day" [8] (Devarim 31:18) as referring to the miracle of Purim. Only when we read the entire Megilla do we ponder the unlikelihood of this sequence of events being a mere coincidence - and the A-lmighty's presence becomes obvious. The miracle must be sought from the depths of His concealment. With the exception of Egypt, Chutz la'Aretz is generally not a place in which open miracles occur.

One of the reasons why Hallel is not recited on Purim is "we do not recite Hallel for a miracle that occurred outside the Land of Israel" [9] (Megilla 14a). Eretz Yisrael is designated as a place of Divine revelation and therefore miracles are more common. The proof for this is that in the Beit Hamikdash ten miracles occurred daily - the greater the sanctity of the place, the more we see and feel Hashem's direct intervention - without being limited by any laws of nature.

Moshe Rabenu told the spies, that if in the desert (which was in Chutz la'Aretz) they merited conquering the enemy due to the miracles Hashem performed for them, how much stronger would Divine Providence be once they entered the Land of Israel. "Yet in this matter you do not believe in Hashem, your G-d" [10] (Devarim 1:32) - they preferred Hashem's hidden Providence to His more revealed presence in Eretz Yisrael. This was precisely the advice given Adam HaRishon by the serpent - is it not better to serve Hashem when His Presence is hidden. The serpent argued that it is easy to serve Hashem without the test of having to choose between good and evil, when it is clear what path to choose, real devotion entails making a choice. We can only speak this way of Adam HaRishon based on our own limited ability to understand and based on what Chazal have told us. Chazal tell us, in fact, that Adam HaRishon's wisdom was greater than that of the administering angels. Yet, Adam HaRishon preferred to remain serving Hashem on a lower level.

The same mistake the spies made regarding SPACE - preferring to serve Hashem in a place of lower sanctity, the "mekoshesh" made regarding TIME. He believed in Hashem and that He runs the world, but he wanted to feel Hashem's presence even while involved in active labor. He preferred serving Hashem's hidden weekday presence over the more revealed and open Shabbat presence. The "mekoshesh", from this perspective, preferred to eat from the Tree of Knowledge rather than from the Tree of Life - which symbolizes a Life that is entirely Shabbat.

As the Mikdash and the Shabbat serve to awaken us, we must constantly search for ways in which to increase the glory of heaven rather than our own honor. It is taught that the word "Bereishit" an anagram of "yerei Shabbat" (awe of Shabbat). Shabbat and the Mikdash of which it is written "My Sanctuary shall you revere" [11] (Vayikra 26:2), serve as models for increasing our awe of G-d and negating ourselves before Him. Haman, sought the opposite - the only honor he cared for was his own. It was not enough that the whole world was bowing down to him, he wished to be treated as a god. He became infuriated when even one person refused to bow to him: "However it seemed contemptible to him to send his hand against Mordechai alone" [12] (Esther 3:6) and he wanted to destroy the entire Jewish nation without leaving even a trace. Haman wished to rise high and "King Achashverosh promoted Haman" [13] (Esther 3:1) - as Chazal tell us, he "promoted" him fifty amot high. So " May all Your enemies be destroyed O Hashem" [14] (Shoftim 5:31), speedily in our day. Amen.