In this week’s Parsha, Hashem instructed the Jewish people to build a Mishkan (Tabernacle). The pasuk says “V’Asu Li Mikdash v’Shachanti b’Socham-“And they shall make me a Mishkan and I shall dwell in them.” The wording in this pasuk seems incorrect. Seemingly, Hashem should have said that He “will dwell in it”, meaning that the Shechina will dwell in the Mishkan itself. Why does Hashem instead say, “And I will dwell in them”? What does this mean?
I would like to share with you a beautiful answer that I heard from my father Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlita: Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk answers that the Shechina is not limited to a physical space where the Mishkan is. He says that rather every Jew has the ability to be a living and breathing, walking and talking Mishkan, in which the Shechina can reside! This is why it says, “I will dwell in them” – meaning every person who allows the Shechina into their lives! We have such an incredible opportunity!
One morning, a young man living in Eretz Yisroel had an important question and he decided to call Rav Moshe Feinstein in America. Rav Moshe picked up, and from the way Rav Moshe answered the phone, the man was able to tell, that Rav Moshe had just woken up. Suddenly he remembered that there was a time difference, and he had called Rav Moshe when it was 2 am for him in America. The man was very embarrassed. He quickly apologized to Rav Moshe and said that he was calling from Eretz Yisroel and forgot the time difference.
He was about to hang up, when Rav Moshe said, “Please don’t hang up yet. Give me a few minutes, I’ll be right back.” The man understood that Rav Moshe probably needed to wash his hands and say the birchas Hatorah (the blessings of the Torah). A few minutes later, Rav Moshe came back on the line. Rav Moshe apologized for keeping him waiting and asked how he could help. The man asked his question, and Rav Moshe gave an answer. Afterward, Rav Moshe asked the man for his address. The man wasn’t sure why Rav Moshe was asking but he gave the address.
A few weeks later this man received an envelope in the mail from Rav Moshe. Enclosed was a check, with a note attached. Rav Moshe wrote the following: “I know that I kept you waiting for a few minutes on a long-distance call. The check is to cover the extra charge that you incurred as a result.” The man was shocked. Not only did Rav Moshe not get upset at him for disturbing his sleep, but Rav Moshe also felt that since he needed a few minutes to prepare to answer the question he needed to pay for the extra time on the long-distance call. Only someone who allows the Shechina in their lives can act like this. We all must strive to be a living and breathing, walking and talking Mishkan, in which the Shechina can reside!
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