A thought on פרשת פקודי
"...ki anan HaShem al ha'mishkan yomam v'eish ti'yeh laila bo ..."
"...the cloud of HaShem's Presence would be over the Mishkan
by day, and the fire was there by night..." (35:38)
The Recanati writes that the Ohel, the inner tent of the Mishkan, was covered by the cloud, which signified the Divine Presence. The Tent would be concealed by the cloud as the Divine Presence would fill the Mishkan. This was a replica of the Scene at Sinai, where it was as if the Heavens made contact with Earth at the pinnacle of that peak at the moment of Matan Torah. Unlike Matan Torah, where Moshe ascended and entered a zone somewhere between the material world and the Higher Realm, a once in a lifetime, once in the history of creation event never to be repeated, the "union of the Above and the worldly" which took place in the Mishkan was not a zone which could be entered, even by Moshe Rabbeinu. This is why the verses here tell us that Moshe could not enter the Tent or Mishkan at those times. The Mishkan served as a sort of replica of Har Sinai, yet the entire nation (including Moshe) could only wait at its brink until the cloud lifted.
The cloud would rest there by day. The column of fire would hover by night. The Recanati tells us that these images also signify a higher aspect of HaShem's relationship with His world. "Day" refers to middas yom, which is HaShem's endless kindness. "Night" refers to middas laila, which is HaShem's manifest attribute of justice, din. By day, meaning, when we have a clear vision, we become more mindful of the goodness which HaShem bestows upon His people. At night, meaning, when we are not clear about what our experience means, we can become more aware of the apparent din or strictness with which HaShem seems to deal with us.
Even when the world is embraced with Divine rachamim, however, we cannot see its fullness. The ban placed on Moshe, and on the nation, of venturing into the Mishkan when the cloud was present, signifies that there might appear to be strictness, as in that prohibition, despite the true reality that kindness is present. This teaches us that it is our own cloudy consciousness which confuses the nature of what is rachamim and what is din. In truth, the Fire of Night is infused with rachamim even though night is middas laila.
Time is a human invention, a natural cycle built into the universe in order to serve people. This is why we demarcate day and night. In the highest realm, however, night and day are only metaphors for Divine attributes which may appear to us as opposing forces. There is utter unity Above, and HaShem is the Source of endless kindness. The only limitations are our own.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...the cloud of HaShem's Presence would be over the Mishkan
by day, and the fire was there by night..." (35:38)
The Recanati writes that the Ohel, the inner tent of the Mishkan, was covered by the cloud, which signified the Divine Presence. The Tent would be concealed by the cloud as the Divine Presence would fill the Mishkan. This was a replica of the Scene at Sinai, where it was as if the Heavens made contact with Earth at the pinnacle of that peak at the moment of Matan Torah. Unlike Matan Torah, where Moshe ascended and entered a zone somewhere between the material world and the Higher Realm, a once in a lifetime, once in the history of creation event never to be repeated, the "union of the Above and the worldly" which took place in the Mishkan was not a zone which could be entered, even by Moshe Rabbeinu. This is why the verses here tell us that Moshe could not enter the Tent or Mishkan at those times. The Mishkan served as a sort of replica of Har Sinai, yet the entire nation (including Moshe) could only wait at its brink until the cloud lifted.
The cloud would rest there by day. The column of fire would hover by night. The Recanati tells us that these images also signify a higher aspect of HaShem's relationship with His world. "Day" refers to middas yom, which is HaShem's endless kindness. "Night" refers to middas laila, which is HaShem's manifest attribute of justice, din. By day, meaning, when we have a clear vision, we become more mindful of the goodness which HaShem bestows upon His people. At night, meaning, when we are not clear about what our experience means, we can become more aware of the apparent din or strictness with which HaShem seems to deal with us.
Even when the world is embraced with Divine rachamim, however, we cannot see its fullness. The ban placed on Moshe, and on the nation, of venturing into the Mishkan when the cloud was present, signifies that there might appear to be strictness, as in that prohibition, despite the true reality that kindness is present. This teaches us that it is our own cloudy consciousness which confuses the nature of what is rachamim and what is din. In truth, the Fire of Night is infused with rachamim even though night is middas laila.
Time is a human invention, a natural cycle built into the universe in order to serve people. This is why we demarcate day and night. In the highest realm, however, night and day are only metaphors for Divine attributes which may appear to us as opposing forces. There is utter unity Above, and HaShem is the Source of endless kindness. The only limitations are our own.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 2:56 AM
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