Divine Dwelling Place

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1. Of Parts and Pieces: The Instructions and Assembly of the Mishkan (Audio)

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman | 16 minutes

   The lack of symmetry between the text's portrayal of God's commands pertaining to the Mishkan and Moshe's fulfilment of those commands hints to a message that the Torah seeks to convey about the Mishkan and its relationship to the people and the priests. This shiur explores the symbolism, significance and purpose of the representation of the Mishkan—the Tent of Meeting as a portable Sinai, as portrayed at the end of the book of Exodus.

2. Of Parts and Pieces: The Instructions and Assembly of the Mishkan

   Rabbi Chanoch Waxman

   The lack of symmetry between the text's portrayal of God's commands pertaining to the Mishkan and Moshe's fulfilment of those commands hints to a message that the Torah seeks to convey about the Mishkan and its relationship to the people and the priests. This shiur explores the symbolism, significance and purpose of the representation of the Mishkan—the Tent of Meeting as a portable Sinai, as portrayed at the end of the book of Exodus.

3. Haftarat Yitro and Kedusha in Context

   Erev Shabbat Parshat Yitro

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 18 minutes

   Haftarat Yitro contains a selection that is part of Kedusha, an important part of liturgy, which is perhaps  not appreciated enough. Another part of Kedusha is found in Yehezkel, and we compare the two, looking at the verses in their respective contexts.

   Both prophets  are describing majestic visions in which angels and the like play significant roles, but different aspects of the Divine Presence are manifest. Yeshayahu describes the earth as filled with God's presence, and Yehezkel, prophesying in exile, describing God's presence as being more concentrated somewhere else. 

   Yehezkel's message is that God did not abandon the Land of Israel, even during exile.  Even though it seems like there is a big distance - as if God's presence is somewhere far above- He will yet eturn to dwell within us.

4. Why King David Could Not Build the Temple, and When We Should

   Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

   תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour and 8 minutes

   When King David expresses his wish to build the Mikdash, the prophet Natan is enthusiastic. But he returns immediately with a prophetic message that David is not to build it - that David may wish to build a house for God, but God will have to build David a "house" first. Why is this? And who really selects the "place that God chooses?"

   Throughout our study, we will explore different parts of Tanakh that deal with the meaning and purpose of the Temple (mishkan and mikdash, respectively). Who is the Mikdash really for? We consider what it means to build a house for "God's name" and examine the implications of "calling out in God's name." The viability of the Mikdash is intrinsically linked to our ability to "call out in God's name" properly.  

    

5. Jerusalem's Dual Election by Avraham and David

   Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

   תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour and 10 minutes

   This shiur focuses on the four-fold process of Jerusalem's election, examining the two different narratives within the Avraham story, as well as the two narratives within the David saga. While we do so, we consider the concepts of sacred time and sacred space and their importance in the description of the Mikdash. There are two main Jewish positions as to the nature of the Temple's original sanctity - historical (as a moment within the history of the Jewish people), and primordial (that the site of the Temple's holiness was already built into creation.

   As we look at the (dual) biblical view, while examine the stories of David's relationship with Jerusalem and Avraham's Akeida ordeal, difficult and disturbing questions arise about God's demands of humanity. How could God ask Avraham to sacrifice his son? Why was the punishment so harsh after David's census? 

   These stories are meant to disturb - and meant to tell us something about the place that God is going to select. The values of human autonomy and Divine will are intertwined in the Mikdash. Though free will is an important value, we must also remember that  human will is ultimately subordinate to the Divine will.

6. Where is “the Place which God shall Choose”?

   Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun

   When reading Parashat Re’eh, Torah scholars and biblical researchers alike generally understand the phrase, “the place which God shall choose” as referring solely to Jerusalem (Mount Moriah). This understanding makes it  difficult to explain the sacrifices offered to God upon bamot, literally “high places,” the ad hoc altars described in several places in Tanakh. We examine Biblical texts, commentaries, midrash, and archeological findings at Khirbet Qeyafa to reach new understandings about the presence and dismantling of bamot.

7. Ramban on Teruma: The Mishkan and the Divine Presence

   Rabbi Ezra Bick | 35 minutes

   In his introduction to Parashat Teruma Ramban focuses on introducing the concept of the Mishkan and its placement in the Torah immediately after Parashat Mishpatim. Ramban seeks to explain the concept of why there is a need for a “Divine dwelling place” – what is the purpose of the Mishkan? He gives an interpretive summary of Parashat Yitro and Parashat Mishpatim, emphasizing that the Jewish people had received some mitzvot and had pre-emptively accepted all future mitzvot. They are now ready to be a special nation and to experience the Divine Presence in their midst. 

8. "The Divine Presence Within Israel is a Need of the People" - "Shechina BeYisrael Tzorech Hediot"

   Rabbi Ezra Bick | 36 minutes

   We will be looking at a short section that is one of Ramban's most important comments in his entire commentary on the Torah. In a break from the usual, we will explore one of his comments that he categorizes as sod - the hidden, underlying meaning of the text. What does it mean that God took Israel out of Egypt so that He would dwell in their midst? Is the Exodus necessary for God to dwell in Israel's midst? Is it a conditional statement? Is dwelling in Israel's midst the purpose of the Exodus? Who benefits, and why is God's presence within Israel so crucial?

   As we consider different responses to these questions, we gain insight into Ramban's approach to both peshat and Kabbalistic sod perspectives on the relationship between God and Israel.

    

    

9. Ramban on Tetzaveh - The Shechinah within Israel

   Rabbi Ezra Bick | 36 minutes

   In this shiur, we examine one of the most important comments in Ramban's commentary to the Torah. What does it mean that God took Israel out of Egypt to dwell in their midst? Was the construction of the Mishkan really the purpose of the Exodus? Why would this be, and what does this mean? Is the Divine Presence dwelling in the midst of the nation for the purpose of God, Israel, or the other nations - or some combination thereof?