Boruch Hashem, six more live hostages were returned this past week. Many of them, along with other former hostages, have spoken about how they felt a special closeness to Hashem during their terrible ordeal. People who were far from any religion before Simchas Torah have become closer to Judaism, mainly because of this feeling. Where does it come from?
We’ll try to bring an answer from this week’s parshah, Terumah. The parshah begins with Hashem commanding Moshe Rabbeinu, Make for me a Mikdash and I shall dwell among you.
The Yalkut Shimoni brings that Moshe was very perplexed by Hashems command to build the Mishkan. “Hashem, you are bigger than all the heavens; how can there be any house big enough for you? You must want it to be huge! How can we build it?” Hashem answered, “No, it will only be twenty by eight beams, and I’ll squeeze my Shechinah, divine presence, into there.”
This is an incredible concept! Hashem can shrink Himself, a completely spiritual being, and contain Himself in a small physical place among Klal Yisrael! Rav Avigdor Miller describes this incredible and awesome display. Imagine being given a tour of Bnei Yisrael’s encampment in the desert. The guide would point out all the amazing sights, including the clouds of glory, the orderly arrangement of the Shevatim, the camp of the Leviim, Moshe and Ahron’s tents, and in the center is the house of the Creator of the world!
Now, how does the Shechinah express itself in this world among us? Is it some shining, amazing light?
It’s more than a great light. It is an amazing tangible feeling of closeness, calmness, and serenity. Hashem is here with me.
A Yerushalmi yid shared the following story to describe this feeling. He was on a trip to the U.S. on behalf of his yeshivah. The exact itinerary had been planned in advance, trying to utilize every moment properly. He was meant to take a morning flight to his next destination. The timing didn’t work out to daven in shul, so he planned to put on his tallis and tefillin by his host, and then daven in the car while being driven to the airport. When they reached the airport, he wanted to take them off, but the driver insisted, “You’d better run to your flight, there’s no time to wait!” If he missed the flight, it would completely ruin his entire schedule. He ran through the airport and through security with his tallis and tefillin on (this was pre-9/11; they weren’t so crazy with the security check), and made it to the gate with just minutes to spare. As he boarded, the doors were closed. He felt so embarrassed, as he had felt so strange and out of place, being stared at while running through the airport wearing his tallis and tefillin. Even thinking of it later on brought him feelings of shame. However, had he been in the same situation in Yerushalayim, there would be absolutely nothing to feel embarrassed about! Why? In Yerushalayim, he would feel at home, being in his comfort zone. Others might look at him strangely? So what! He’s at home. He has the tangible feeling that Hashem is here with him. That’s feeling the Shechinah.
There was a story with Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman zts”l (of All For the Boss fame). He was traveling by train through Germany, between the two world wars. He was davening on the train, standing on the side, in a place he thought was not blocking any aisle. The German conductor walked by and didn’t like what he saw. He began to yell, “You’re blocking the way; this is against regulations!” Rav Herman ignored him, and calmly finished davening. Rav Herman turned around and yelled back, “I was speaking to my G-d! How dare you disturb me!” He was at home there, because he felt the Shechinah there with him, and was upset with someone interfering, even the conductor! That’s a physical recognition of the Shechinah.
It’s been documented that many people who were in crisis suddenly felt a calmness and closeness to Hashem at that moment. When there’s no one else to turn to, they feel a closeness to Hashem which protected them and helped them get through their intense suffering.
There are special halachos regarding sitting by a choleh kol gufo, somebody sick who is bedridden. The visitor should not sit by the head of their bed, because the Shechinah is there. Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zts”l paskened that one could even say Yekum Purkan by that choleh, even though we only say it with a minyan. Why? Because the Shechinah is there. Malachim don’t deal with prayers said in Aramaic, such as Yekum Purkan, but we could daven with minyan and say it prayers because the Shechinah itself is there. Why is the Shechinah by this choleh? Because someone in such a difficult situation feels Hashem’s closeness, and that feeling is the Shechinah.
Amalek is the big opposition to the presence of the Shechinah. They believe that everything in this world happens by itself. Things are chaotic with no Divine intervention, and they are angry at Hashem for creating such a world! They have tremendous bitterness, and they don’t even know who they’re angry at. They feel the exact opposite from what Klal Yisrael feel. At a time of pain, Jews feel a closeness to Hashem, believing that He is there and running the show with complete control. Amaleikim feel a great coldness and distance from Hashem, which is a reason why they hate Klal Yisrael, because they can’t get to the one they really hate: Hashem.
Whenever there’s the opportunity for the Shechinah to come live with us, Amalek shows up. Before Matan Torah and the building of the Mishkan, Amalek showed up. Before entering Eretz Yisrael, after Ahron died, Amalek came back. (Before Dovid became the king he also had to deal with Amalek, after the Amaleikim raided Ziklag.) Before building the first Beis Hamikdash, Shaul needed to get rid of Amalek. Before the building of the second Beis Hamikdash, Haman caused trouble. It was all arranged this way to first get rid of Amalek’s attitude in order to bring the Shechinah closer.
R’ Moshe Shapiro zts”l explained, that by the Aron Habris, the word aron comes from the word ohr. From the aron came a tremendous light of holiness, the Shechinah, shining forth. When Shlomo built the Beis Hamikdash, it was built upon arches and caverns, with a hiding place for the aron prepared there, below the Kodesh Hakadashim, for when the aron would need to be hidden. That Light still shines from there, even during the churban. That’s why the Goyim built above it, because they (their malach) sense it’s there and don’t want that holiness be revealed. Any digging they do on Har Habayis is not just trying to destroy artifacts; rather, it’s attempting to reach the source of the Shechinah they sense there, to try and destroy it.
Our times is a time of hester, where Hashem’s reasons are hidden from us, and people feel frustrated and lost. We need encouragement to realize that Hashem is close to us. With working on our emunah and bitachon, we can have this amazing feeling of closeness to Hashem! May we merit to the coming of Mashiach very soon, with the complete revelation of the Shechinah!
Based upon shiurim heard from Rav Yisrael Altusky shlita, Yeshiva Torah Ore, Yerushalayim. Shiurim can be heard on the Kol Halashon website.
