This Shabbat, we will read פרשת תרומה, where HaShem commands בני ישראל in building the משכן, and its fixtures. However, before G-d mandates the creation of every vessel, He instructs us to build a מקדש for Him. As the תורה states: “ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם - And make Me a Mikdash, and I will dwell amongst them.” This פסוק is quite perplexing. Firstly, what does it mean to build a מקדש? If this is solely a reference to the משכן, then why use a different term? What does this specific language teach us? Moreover, the implication from this פסוק is that עם ישראל can only receive the שכינה (Divine Presence) when they assemble a מקדש for G-d. But, why is this so - why does the שכינה only rest after the מקדש’s construction?

Recorded in Yeshivat Sha'alvim