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This week’s parsha (Terumah) introduces a new concept. It’s called in Hebrew, dira betachtonim (“a dwelling place in the lower worlds”), and it is epitomized by the building of the mishkan, or “tabernacle.” This miniature sanctuary (in comparison to its eventual successor, the Beit Hamikdash, or Temple) was built in the desert after the Jews received the Torah. All of its dimensions and materials are detailed in the Torah, and it was built based on the instructions found in the Torah. The concept of dira betachtonim – in which G-d seeks to establish His presence in the lowest possible realms - is implicit throughout the Torah, but finds explicit expression in the building of the mishkan. The events of matan Torah (“giving of the Torah”) led naturally to the mishkan; since matan Torah involved the descent of G-dliness to unite with the physical world, and the ascent of the physical to meet the spiritual, the next logical step was to build a sanctuary that would embody the new-found relationship. The mishkan was the place where “heaven met earth” – where, after thousands of years of estrangement, the unity of physical and spiritual was consummated (and from there, spread to the rest of the universe).
That being the case, it is a good idea to consider the materials used to build the mishkan, and how they differed from the construction materials used later to build the Temple. The most important material used in the mishkan was wood – acacia wood – which Rashi says was brought out of Egypt by the Jews. The main building material of the mikdash was stone (quarried from the Jerusalem hills and beyond). That presents a philosophical quandary, since the mishkan, as a temporary structure meant to house the tablets of the ten commandments and serve as a communal meeting place, where sacrifices were offered, was not on as high a spiritual level as the permanent Temple in Jerusalem. Yet, the former was made of vegetable material, while the Temple was made mostly of stone, which is a lower form of creation than the wood of the mishkan?
However, the answer is that since the purpose of the Temple was to provide a dira betachtonim – a dwelling place in the lower worlds – this was best realized in the stones of the Temple. There is no category of creation lower than mineral (stone), so when spirituality was expressed in the stones of the holy Temple, this was the greatest possible fulfillment of a “dwelling place in the lower worlds.” Thus, the temple was composed of stone, while the tabernacle was mostly wood (vegetable) and animal (the coverings of the wood structure were made of animal skins and furs).
However, we’ll have to dig deeper to understand, because as it happens, there was also mineral material in the mishkan. If it were composed only of vegetable and animal materials, then the principle mentioned above would be unassailable – since the tabernacle was not yet the full embodiment of dira betachtonim – therefore, it contained only materials which were not themselves at the bottom of the hierarchy of creation. But, we find that there is a mineral element to the mishkan as well – the floor of the mishkan was dust, or dirt. This was not the same hard stone of which the permanent Temple was made, but nevertheless it was from the same mineral category, and therefore it raises questions about nature of the mishkan (in relation to the final Temple).
We’ll be able to answer these questions by analyzing the effect of spirituality upon the physical world. There are two possible outcomes, one more powerful than the other;
1) The limitless, boundless nature of G-dliness becomes evident. G-dliness shines and expands even to the lowest form of creation (because if it were somehow limited, it could not illuminate the lowest rungs of they physical world).
2) As a result of the effect of ulimited G-dliness upon the physical world, even the physical world itself “recognizes” the ultimate truth of G-dliness. That is, not only does the world become aware of G-dliness as an unlimited phenomena, the physical creation (which has no natural connection to G-dliness) becomes aware of G-d Himself.
In terms of human behavior, we might explain these two steps in the following
two ways.
1) The man of infinite kindness (such as Avraham avinu) expresses his kindness by reaching out even to people who are very “low” and in unfortunate circumstances. The unlimited nature of Avraham’s kindness, for example, was expressed in that he gave food even to Arabs who bowed down to (of all things) the dust of their own feet.
2) When the man of kindness wishes to give not only because the other needs his help, but because it is his very nature to give. For example, Avraham so much wanted to do kindness that he suffered when he could not find anyone to whom to give. And when he did ultimately find someone which whom to share, and actually shared his own supplies, it caused him great pleasure – because it was not the mere act of giving that interested him, but the fact the other person received from him that mattered.
From this, we see an additional effect when the creation itself recognizes G-liness. This is a far greater chidush (“novelty”) than the phenomena of G-dliness descending to the physical world. G-dliness descends and illuminates the world because that is its nature – it is unlimited. But, when the physical world from below recognizes the existence of G-dliness, this is an expression of “truth” in the universe – the truth that the entire universe is imbued with G-dliness. As the Ralbag (in Sefer Milchamot HaShem, maamar 6, end of ch. 15) expressed it, “The nature of truth is that it corroborates itself from every possible angle.”
So, the greatest possible revelation of G-dliness in the “lower worlds” takes place when the creation can, on its own, bring proofs and evidence for the existence of G-d and spirituality in the world. But, even when the awareness of G-dliness comes as the result of revelation of infinite light from above (rather than from the reasoning power or awareness of the creation below), there is a great advantage to the acceptance and recognition that takes place. The awareness may not penetrate and permeate the creation to the same degree as when the creation arrives to its own conclusions, but nevertheless the very acceptance of G-dliness by the “lower worlds” goes beyond the simple revelation of G-dliness from Above. The reception and acceptance of G-dliness goes deeper and beyond mere illumination of spirituality from Above. In the terminology of Chasidut, “the origin of the calim (‘vessels’) surpasses the origin of the orot (‘illumination’).”
This, then is also the distinction between the mishkan (“tabernacle”) and the mikdash (“temple”). The mishkan represents the descent of unlimited G-dliness to the world, and the mikdash represents the ability of the world to not only accept, but recognize G-dliness for what it is. And therefore, in the mishkan, G-dliness came down to the very lowest rungs of creation, to illuminate the dust of the floor. And in the mikdash, it turned the stones into vessels to contain G-dliness.
And for the same reasons, the order of expression of the spirituality of the mishkan was from Above to below. First, G-dliness was expressed in the animal skins that covered the mishkan. Then, it was expressed in the wooden beams (representing the vegetable world) that were the sides of the mishkan. And ultimately, the G-dliness of the mishkan illuminated the dirt floor, representing the mineral world. In the temple, though, the order was reversed; stone was the main component of the entire building – the roof, sides and flooring were all of stone, and the small amount of wood that was present in the temple was only for the purpose of supporting the stone structure.
When the main purpose of the descent of G-dliness was to express its unlimited, boundless nature, then this was best expressed in the order of the mishkan – from Above to below. First, the infinite light from above illuminated the animal furs of the covering of the mishkan, then the vegetable (wooden) beams, and finally, the mineral world as represented by the dirt floor. But, when the purpose was not only unlimited illumination from Above, but that the “lower worlds” themselves should accept divinity, then the order was reversed. It became the stones themselves, the lowest level of creation, that stood out in the Temple, absorbing and exuding G-dliness.
Even though in the Temple, the ideal that the physical realm could express infinite G-dliness came to fruition, this was still not the ultimate goal. In both the mishkan and the mikdash, there was a “reason” for the revelation of G-dliness. Either it was for the purpose of expressing the unlimited nature of G-dliness even in the lower worlds (as in the mishkan), or it was for the purpose of persuading the lower worlds to recognize the truth and existence of G-d (as in the Temple). But, in either case, there was a reason. And yet, as the Alter Rebbe explains regarding the desire of G-d to “dwell” in the lower worlds – “regarding a desire, there are no questions.” There is nothing you can ask, explain, or give a reason for – when you want something, you want it. So, G-d’s desire to dwell in the lower worlds comes to fullest fruition precisely in a situation for which we can find no reason – not even the two reasons listed above.
That situation will only come about in the future, when the meshiach (Jewish messiah) arrives. At that time, G-d will make His presence known in the places that are so low, that “there is nothing lower than it, as far as hiding and concealing His illumination. There will be darkness and doubled over darkness, full of klipot and sitra achra, totally opposed to Hashem, who say, ‘Only I exist, there is nothing else.” That is, when G-d makes His presence known in a world that has no connection to G-dliness whatsoever [not to G-dly illumination, and certainly not to transformation into something G-dly], in a realm whose very essence screams out against G-dliness, saying “I am, and nothing but me exists” – this is where G-d seeks to make His “dwelling place.”
And this takes place when a Jew establishes his presence, keeping the six hundred and thirteen mitzvoth of the Torah, in an area that not only lacks Jewish presence, but even militates against it. In such an area, when Jews establish their presence, not in order to reveal some “hidden” holiness that might be there (because the entire essence of the place opposes holiness), but just in order to serve G-d, the result is that the Jews break and shatter the resistance to G-dliness. On that occasion, it is only because of the presence of the Jews that G-dliness becomes revealed, as something “new” and novel – and there is where G-d wishes to make His presence felt.
This concept – to create a G-dly dwelling in a place that is totally and absolutely opposed to spirituality – has no place in intellect whatsoever. It is not about bringing down unlimited G-dly light (since even the unlimited light would not transform such a place). Nor is it about transforming the place into a G-dly environment, since that is clearly impossible. This concept is purely about applying the very essence of G-dliness (since it is He who wishes such a dwelling), from the essence of His power, about which we say, “He alone has the power and ability to create something from absolutely nothing.” He gave that power to the Jews in order to create a dwelling place for Him in the lower worlds as something totally “new” and novel, as explained above…
From Inyanei Beit Habechira, in Hilchot Beit Habechira, chidushim u’biurim on the Rambam, page 129
Rabb David Sterne, Jerusalem Connection in the old city of Jerusalem