Bringing the Inanimate to Life
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Terumah
והיו הכרובים פורשי כנפים למעלה
And the Keruvim spread their wings above...
And the Keruvim spread their wings above...
The sages of the Talmud teach that he two golden Keruvim angels that stood on top of the Aron Hakodesh, showed the great love and desire of Hashem towards the Jewish people. This was revealed in a number of different ways.
Three times each day, at the time the Jewish people would Daven, the Keruvim would miraculously raise their wings upwards. This is symbolic of prayer, which is said with outstretched arms towards the heavens. This miracle was a sign to the Jewish people that Hashem desires their prayers.
One Keruv represented Hashem and the other represented the Jewish people. When Hashem’s love was revealed to the Jewish people, the Keruvim would face one another and when this love was at its greatest, the two Keruvim would embrace each other.
In addition to reflecting the love ofHashem to the Jewish people, the fact that the inanimate Keruvim would move, also held a lesson for us in our spiritual service. The Zohar teaches that the Keruvim would sing praises of Hashem, showing a level of life and understanding.
Sometimes, we may feel inanimate and lifeless in our spiritual service. In the words of the Novi, we may feel ourselves as a dried out, dead stick.
The Keruvim illustrated that even if we feel and appear inanimate, devoid of vitality and enthusiasm, we should not give up on ourselves. We are never lost. Like the Keruvim, Hashem can infuse us with renewed vitality and passion, to lift up our hands towards Him and to turn to Him with passionate love.
Three times each day, at the time the Jewish people would Daven, the Keruvim would miraculously raise their wings upwards. This is symbolic of prayer, which is said with outstretched arms towards the heavens. This miracle was a sign to the Jewish people that Hashem desires their prayers.
One Keruv represented Hashem and the other represented the Jewish people. When Hashem’s love was revealed to the Jewish people, the Keruvim would face one another and when this love was at its greatest, the two Keruvim would embrace each other.
In addition to reflecting the love ofHashem to the Jewish people, the fact that the inanimate Keruvim would move, also held a lesson for us in our spiritual service. The Zohar teaches that the Keruvim would sing praises of Hashem, showing a level of life and understanding.
Sometimes, we may feel inanimate and lifeless in our spiritual service. In the words of the Novi, we may feel ourselves as a dried out, dead stick.
The Keruvim illustrated that even if we feel and appear inanimate, devoid of vitality and enthusiasm, we should not give up on ourselves. We are never lost. Like the Keruvim, Hashem can infuse us with renewed vitality and passion, to lift up our hands towards Him and to turn to Him with passionate love.