Picking up a Fallen Mishkan
Bamidbar - Shavuos
On the Shabbos before Shavuos we read the Parsha of Bamidbar. The Parsha begins with the census of the Jewish people. Shevet Levi is not counted together with the rest of Bnei Yisroel. Levi has been singled out for a sacred task, the care for the Mishkan.
In describing their responsibilities, the Torah teaches ובחנות המשכן יקימו אותו הלוים, “when the Mishkan would camp, the Leviim would erect it”.
What is the deeper meaning of this and how is it connected to our preparation for Matan Torah?
The Mishkan is also referred to as the Ohel Moed, the tent of meeting. Hashem describes the purpose of the Mishkan as ונועדתי שמה לבני ישראל, “I will meet there with Bnei Yisroel”. The word ונועדתי describes a union and connection between Hashem and the Jewish people. It shares the same letters as ונודעתי, meaning “I will be known there to the Jewish people”.
This represents the innate connection every Jew has with Hashem, stemming from the essence of the Neshama. This connection is actualised and revealed through the Mishkan, the tent of Torah study. Enclothed within Torah is Hashem’s supernal will. Through study, we draw this lofty G-dly light into our soul to reveal our essential bond and devotion.
But what happens when our Mishkan rests? What happens when we fall from this level connection and we experience a spiritual collapse?
Our Neshama is enclothed within the body with our animalistic soul. Our selfish drives, pursuit of pleasure and the sins that we commit block the light of the Neshama from being expressed and her innate connection becomes hidden. What do we do to restore our Ohel Moed?
The Torah teaches us that resurrecting the Mishkan is done by the Leviim.
The tribe of Levi comprises three families; Gershon, Kehos and Merari. Each one of these families allude to a spiritual service which must be done if we wish to stand our Mishkan up once more.
Gershon comes from the terminology גרש, to banish. The first step in our spiritual reboot is to banish the negativity from within us. We have to arouse our inner strength to rule over our Yetzer Hara - כובש את יצרו and stop our wrongful actions.
The second stage is Merari. Merari is related to the idea of מרירות, a sense of bitterness and contrition for our wrongdoing. This comes through realising the impact of our actions and how they create a barrier which obstructs us from relating to Hashem and experiencing our essential bond.
After these two stages, we come to Kehos. Kehos is related to the term to be gathered, as in the verse ולא יקהת עמים, “and the nations will be gathered to Him”. This describes our reunion as we recollect our heart and soul to be gathered to Hashem once more.
Kehos is also related to the term קיוה which describes a sourness. In Tanya the Alter Rebbe likens the service of the Beinoni in restraining their animalistic desires, to the pleasure experienced from taking a naturally sour or bitter food and preparing it well so that it becomes tasty. This alludes to the affect of Teshuva which, through effort and preparation, transforms the sourness into a pleasant taste. Teshuvah is the gathering to Hashem which comes from a place of distance and bitterness.
The Mishkan housed the Aseres Hadibros that were given on Shavuos. At Matan Torah we experienced the most lofty of revelations and the essential bond that the Neshama has with Hashem defined our reality. As we re-experience Matan Torah, we have to prepare our Mishkan to ensure that it is set up and able to house the Torah and the accompanying G-dly revelations.
Through restoring our fallen sanctuaries, Hashem will restore the סוכת דוד הנופלת, the fallen tent of Dovid with the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdosh. Just as the third Beis Hamikdosh will be eternal, we too will no longer experience any collapse and our Mishkan bond will be openly manifest for always.
~ Based on Likutei Torah on Parshas Bamidbor
In describing their responsibilities, the Torah teaches ובחנות המשכן יקימו אותו הלוים, “when the Mishkan would camp, the Leviim would erect it”.
What is the deeper meaning of this and how is it connected to our preparation for Matan Torah?
The Mishkan is also referred to as the Ohel Moed, the tent of meeting. Hashem describes the purpose of the Mishkan as ונועדתי שמה לבני ישראל, “I will meet there with Bnei Yisroel”. The word ונועדתי describes a union and connection between Hashem and the Jewish people. It shares the same letters as ונודעתי, meaning “I will be known there to the Jewish people”.
This represents the innate connection every Jew has with Hashem, stemming from the essence of the Neshama. This connection is actualised and revealed through the Mishkan, the tent of Torah study. Enclothed within Torah is Hashem’s supernal will. Through study, we draw this lofty G-dly light into our soul to reveal our essential bond and devotion.
But what happens when our Mishkan rests? What happens when we fall from this level connection and we experience a spiritual collapse?
Our Neshama is enclothed within the body with our animalistic soul. Our selfish drives, pursuit of pleasure and the sins that we commit block the light of the Neshama from being expressed and her innate connection becomes hidden. What do we do to restore our Ohel Moed?
The Torah teaches us that resurrecting the Mishkan is done by the Leviim.
The tribe of Levi comprises three families; Gershon, Kehos and Merari. Each one of these families allude to a spiritual service which must be done if we wish to stand our Mishkan up once more.
Gershon comes from the terminology גרש, to banish. The first step in our spiritual reboot is to banish the negativity from within us. We have to arouse our inner strength to rule over our Yetzer Hara - כובש את יצרו and stop our wrongful actions.
The second stage is Merari. Merari is related to the idea of מרירות, a sense of bitterness and contrition for our wrongdoing. This comes through realising the impact of our actions and how they create a barrier which obstructs us from relating to Hashem and experiencing our essential bond.
After these two stages, we come to Kehos. Kehos is related to the term to be gathered, as in the verse ולא יקהת עמים, “and the nations will be gathered to Him”. This describes our reunion as we recollect our heart and soul to be gathered to Hashem once more.
Kehos is also related to the term קיוה which describes a sourness. In Tanya the Alter Rebbe likens the service of the Beinoni in restraining their animalistic desires, to the pleasure experienced from taking a naturally sour or bitter food and preparing it well so that it becomes tasty. This alludes to the affect of Teshuva which, through effort and preparation, transforms the sourness into a pleasant taste. Teshuvah is the gathering to Hashem which comes from a place of distance and bitterness.
The Mishkan housed the Aseres Hadibros that were given on Shavuos. At Matan Torah we experienced the most lofty of revelations and the essential bond that the Neshama has with Hashem defined our reality. As we re-experience Matan Torah, we have to prepare our Mishkan to ensure that it is set up and able to house the Torah and the accompanying G-dly revelations.
Through restoring our fallen sanctuaries, Hashem will restore the סוכת דוד הנופלת, the fallen tent of Dovid with the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdosh. Just as the third Beis Hamikdosh will be eternal, we too will no longer experience any collapse and our Mishkan bond will be openly manifest for always.
~ Based on Likutei Torah on Parshas Bamidbor