Parashat Pekudei 5774, 2014:

Understanding and Living Eidut HaTorah (the Testimonies of the Torah)

Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

Our parasha contains a seemingly straightforward pasuk (verse): “He [Moshe] took and placed the testimony [Hebrew, “eidut”] into the ark, put the poles upon the ark, and placed the ark cover on the ark from above.” (Sefer Shemot 40:20, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, emphasis my own). Herein, Rashi (1040-1105) translates “the testimony” (“eidut”) as “haluchot” (“the Tablets of the Law”). In Sefer Shemot 25:16, however, he translates the exact same expression as “haTorah” (“the Torah”) and adds the following explanation: “…for it [the Torah] is testimony between Myself and you [the Jewish people] that I have commanded you these commandments that are written therein.” It seems, therefore, that there is a contradiction in Rashi’s explanations of the term “eidut.”

Rabbi Shabbetai Bass (1641-1618) approaches our problem in the following manner:

It appears to me that since the Torah writes [in Sefer Shemot 25:16]: “the eidut that I will give to you,” that this is grammatically referring to the future, since the Ten Commandments had already been given. Moreover, even if the Tablets of the Law had already been broken, it is likely to assume that Moshe had already rewritten them or prayed that they should once again reappear as they had once been. Therefore, [“that I will give to you”] must actually refer to the entire Torah that would be written in the future. (Siftei Chachamim, Sefer Shemot 25:16)

Rav Bass does not directly address the problem of the seeming contradiction, he does, however, champion Rashi’s explanation of “eidut” as referring to the Torah in its entirety. This is the self-same Torah that would be written by Moshe and given to the Jewish people at the end of the 40th year of their desert wanderings. In doing so, Rav Bass is also following Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s elucidation of our expression in Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudei: 4, wherein he interprets “eidut” as specifically referring to Torah (“ain eidut elah Torah”). It seems, therefore, that “eidut” as “Torah,” may well be the preferred understanding of this term.

What, however, is the conceptual link between “eidut” and Torah? Stated somewhat differently, why should the Torah be described as “eidut?” In order to answer these questions, let us turn to the taxonomy of mitzvot of Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch (1808-1888). Rav Hirsch identifies six major groups of commandments in his works Horeb and The Nineteen Letters, one of which is entitled “edoth” (“eidut”). He defines this category in the following terms:

Memorials or testimonies to truths essential to the concept of the mission of man and of Israel. These testimonies comprise symbolic words or acts which bear lessons of profound significance for the individual Jew, for Israel as a whole, and for mankind in general. (Translation, Rabbi Dr. Bernard Drachman, as prepared by Jacob Breuer, Feldheim Publishers, page 75.)

In summary, edoth, according to Rav Hirsch, fulfill the following functions:

• They serve as memorials or testimonies.
• They convey truths that represent the mission of mankind, in general, and of the Jewish people in particular.
• They constitute symbolic words or acts that present depth-level teachings and spiritual guidance for individual Jews, the entire Jewish people, and for all mankind.

As suggested above, eidut HaTorah represent one category in Rav Hirsch’s classification of mitzvot. In addition, however, I believe they provide a deep insight into the nature of the Torah in its totality. In my estimation, the Torah serves as an ever-present testimony of, and blueprint for, the best of which mankind is capable. Allow me to bring two examples from the works of the Rambam (Maimonides 1135-1204), the first from the holiday of Purim, and the second from the Laws of Festivals:

It is preferable for a person to be more liberal with his donations to the poor than to be lavish in his preparation of the Purim feast or in sending portions to his friends. For there is no greater and more splendid happiness than to gladden the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts. One who brings happiness to the hearts of these unfortunate individuals resembles the Divine Presence, which Isaiah 57:15 describes as having the tendency “to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive those with broken hearts.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Purim u’Chanukah 2:17, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)

When a person eats and drinks [in celebration of a holiday], he is obligated to feed converts, orphans, widows, and others who are destitute and poor. In contrast, a person who locks the gates of his courtyard and eats and drinks with his children and his wife, without feeding the poor and the embittered, is [not indulging in] rejoicing associated with a mitzvah, but rather the rejoicing of his gut. (Ibid. , Hilchot Yom Tov 2:18)

As alluded to in these Maimonidean passages, Hashem is intimately aware of the trials and tribulations faced by the disenfranchised of the earth. This accounts for the numerous commandments that stress the need to provide for the needs “of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts.” Moreover, Talmud Bavli, Sotah 14a describes how the Almighty Himself practices acts of gemilut chasadim (loving-kindness) – something that we are duty-bound to imitate (i.e. Imitatio Dei):

Just as Hashem clothed the naked [in the case of Adam and Chava]… so, too, should you clothe the naked. Just as Hashem visited the sick [in the case of Avraham after his brit milah]…so, too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He comforted the mourners [in the case of Yitzhak after Avraham’s passing]…so, too, should you comfort the mourners. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He buried the dead [in the case of Moshe Rabbeinu]…so, too, should you bury the dead.

It is time for each of us to become shutfim im Hakadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit (partners with the Holy One Blessed be He in creating the world) by emulating His beneficent behavior and gladdening “the hearts of the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the converts.” By joining Hashem in this manner, we will be well on our way to fulfilling the stirring words of the second paragraph of the Aleinu: “l’takane haolam b’malchut Sha-dai” (“to improve the world through the realization of G-d’s Kingship”). May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog and Scoopit.com Pages:

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Parashat Vayakel, 5774, 2014:

Erev Shabbat (the Eve of Shabbat) and Mindfulness

Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

In many ways, our parasha is a recapitulation of the commandment to collect the raw materials necessary to build the Mishkan, and the multifold steps involved in its construction. As a result, Moshe began our Torah portion with these well-known words: “Moses called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble, and he said to them: ‘These are the things that the L-rd commanded to make.’” (Sefer Shemot 35:1, this and all Torah and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). Following standard textual precedent, the following pasukim (verses) should have continued this subject and stated:

And Moses spoke to the entire community of the children of Israel, saying: “This is the word that the L-rd has commanded to say: ‘Take from yourselves an offering for the L-rd; every generous hearted person shall bring it, [namely] the L-rd's offering: gold, silver, and copper …’” (Ibid. , 4-5)

Instead, Hashem, in His infinite wisdom, interpolated the following two Shabbat-themed verses in between verses one and four, and thereby interrupted what would have been the normal stylistic flow:

Six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have sanctity, a day of complete rest to the L-rd; whoever performs work thereon [on this day] shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places on the Sabbath day. (Ibid. , 2-3)

Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on the explanations of Midrash Mechilta and Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 70a on our verses, explains the seemingly out of place discussion of Shabbat in the following fashion:

Six days: He [Moses] prefaced [the discussion of the details of] the work of the Mishkan with the warning to keep the Sabbath, denoting that it [i.e., the work of the Mishkan] does not supersede the Sabbath.

You shall not kindle fire: Some of our Rabbis say that [the prohibition of] kindling was singled out for a [mere] negative commandment, while others say that it was singled out to separate [all types of labor].

In essence, Rashi makes two very well-defined observations:

1)    The melacha (creative activity) involved in constructing the Mishkan does not take precedence over the Torah’s command of shemirat Shabbat (the obligation to refrain from all proscribed labor on the Sabbath).

2)    At the very least, the specific mention of kindling a fire on Shabbat indicates that it constitutes a negative prohibition. Alternatively, it can be viewed as representative of all manner and variety of forbidden labor.

What emerges from the Torah’s placement of our Shabbat-themed verses in the midst of the mitzvah to construct the Mishkan is now quite clear: Nothing, not even building a “House for Hashem,” may contravene the obligation of shemirat Shabbat. This speaks volumes about the fundamental role of Shabbat in the psyche of the Jew, and its consequent overriding significance within the Halacha (Jewish Law). Perhaps Ahad Ha’Am (Asher Tzvi Hirsch Ginzberg, 1856-1927) said it best when he declared: “More than the Jews have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jews.”

My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, often spoke about kedushat hayom (the holiness of the day) in reference to both Shabbat and the Festivals. In doing so, he joined many other distinguished Torah scholars throughout Jewish history. The Rav, however, emphasized halakhic feeling, rather than just the cognitive gesture, more so than many of his predecessors:

… When we shift our attention from halakhic thinking to halakhic feeling, from halakhic topics to axiological themata, we suddenly find ourselves in a new dimension, namely that of kedushah, holiness. Suddenly the Sabbath is transmuted or transformed from an abstract norm, from a formal concept, into a “reality,” a living essence, a living entity; from a discipline in accordance with which one acts compulsorily into a great experience which one acts out spontaneously. (Out of the Whirlwind: Essays on Mourning, Suffering and the Human Condition, page 90, David Shatz, Joel B. Wolowelsky, and Reuven Ziegler, editors)

In all likelihood, however, Rabbi Soloveitchik made his most singular contribution to understanding Shabbat in our time when he focused upon its immediate antecedent, namely, erev Shabbat:

Even in those neighborhoods made up predominantly of religious Jews, one can no longer talk of the ‘sanctity of Shabbat.’ True, there are Jews in America who observe Shabbat... But it is not for Shabbat that my heart aches; it is for the forgotten erev Shabbat (eve of the Sabbath). There are Shabbat-observing Jews in America, but there are no erev Shabbat Jews who go out to greet Shabbat with beating hearts and pulsating souls. There are many who observe the precepts with their hands, with their feet, and/or with their mouths - but there are few indeed who truly know the meaning of the service of the heart (On Repentance, pp. 97-98, Rabbi Pinchas Peli editor and translator)

According to the Rav, erev Shabbat has much to do with the internal spiritual longings and cravings of man that seem to have become truncated and all but shattered in our modern age. What are the causes for the spiritual loss of erev Shabbat? Perhaps the answer is to be found in the Rav’s general conceptualization of 20th century religious life:

 Much of this is due to the current religious atmosphere, suffused with shallow pragmatism; much is caused by the tendency towards the ceremonialization - and, at times, the vulgarization - of religion; and much is brought about by the lack of a serious ability to introspect and to assess the world and the spirit. (“Al Ahavat Ha-Torah U-ge'ulat Nefesh Ha-dor,” p. 419, translation, Rabbi Ronnie Ziegler, http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/rav/rav10.htm)

Clearly for Rabbi Soloveitchik, we live at a time in Jewish history wherein it is crucial for us to once again embrace the joy and beauty of erev Shabbat and greet the Shabbat Queen “with beating hearts and pulsating souls.” This can only be achieved, however, if we attempt to create, within the deepest recesses of our being, “[the] serious ability to introspect and to assess the world and the spirit.” How can we translate this abstract and essentially cognitively-based statement of the Rav into practical every day terms so that it can serve as a framework for authentic religious change? In some ways, perhaps, the answer lies in developing the quality of mindfulness.

Dr. Ellen Langer, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and a tenured professor in the Psychology Department at Harvard University. She is the author of eleven books and more than two hundred research articles written for general and academic readers on mindfulness over a period of 35 years (http://www.ellenlanger.com/about/). Dr. Langer identifies five different mindfulness steps that lead to increased happiness and vitality. Two of these steps (underlined), it seems, may be readily applied to our erev Shabbat and overall Shabbat experiences:

1)    Seek out, create, and notice new things: If we apply this to erev Shabbat, this means we need to embrace each Shabbat as a new and exciting experience and an island in time wherein we can be potentially transformed by its presence.

2)   Be authentic: We need to focus upon our honest feelings as we encounter the Shabbat Queen. True, Shabbat offers palpable relief from the normal hyper- technology-infused hustle and stress of our lives; yet, it can be so much more. Therefore, it is precisely in this arena that we must apply ourselves so that Shabbat can be more than the mere cessation from melacha and, instead, become the realm of authentic and creative spiritual energy.

With Hashem’s help, and our renewed dedication and determination, may we become more mindful, and thereby more spiritual, in our weekly erev Shabbat and Shabbat experiences. May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog and Scoopit.com Pages:

http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition

http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources

Parashat Ki Tisa, 5774, 2014:

The Golden Calf: Insights from Rabbi Soloveitchik

Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

One of the best-known passages that occurs in our parasha is that of the Chet Haegel (the Sin of the Golden Calf). Beyond a doubt, it is one of the most difficult and heart-rending incidents in the entire Torah. Our people were nearly destroyed because of this sin. Chazal (Our holy Sages) teach us in a variety of sources that this horrendous act was forgiven, but never “forgotten” by our Creator. This is how our parasha depicts the episode that tore asunder our relationship with Hashem:

Meanwhile, the people began to realize that Moses was taking a long time to come down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Make us an oracle to lead us. We have no idea what happened to Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt. Take the rings off the ears of your wives and children,” replied Aaron. “Bring them to me.” All the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took [the rings] from the people, and had someone form [the gold] in a mold, casting it into a calf. [Some of the people began to] say, “This, Israel, is your god, who brought you out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw [this], he built an altar before [the calf]. Aaron made an announcement and said, “Tomorrow, there will be a festival to G-d.” Getting up early the next morning, [the people] sacrificed burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and then got up to enjoy themselves. (Sefer Shemot 32:1-6, this and all Torah translations, The Living Torah, Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatzal)

Year after year we ask ourselves the same question: How was it possible for our ancestors to have participated in this heinous activity? After all, Hashem had just taken them out of Egypt with unrivaled wonders and miracles. In addition, He had revealed Himself to the entire nation at both Kriyat Yam Suf (the splitting of the Sea of Reeds) and at Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah) on Mount Sinai. The entire episode seems to defy rational understanding and leaves us baffled.

My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, analyzed the Chet Haegel on many occasions. In a public lecture held on March 12, 1979, he labeled this event a “puzzle that deals with great people which reached the highest heights who were converted into a primitive band of idol worshippers and idolaters.” Based upon the commentaries of Rabbi Yehudah Halevi (1075-1141), Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1164), Rabbi Don Yitzhak Abarbanel (1437-1508), the Beit HaLevi (Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, 1820-1892), and the Malbim (Rabbi Meïr Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser, 1809-1879), however, the Rav maintained that the Golden Calf was not really pure avodah zarah (idol worship). Instead, it was, at worst, an instance of shituf (adding or combining) wherein the people viewed the Egel Hazahav as the intermediary between themselves and G-d, rather than His replacement.  

Rav Soloveitchik maintained that the entire concept of an intermediary between man and G-d is false from its inception. Unfortunately, many of our ancestors viewed Moshe precisely in this manner:

The sin of the Egel was, in contrast, to the Original Sin, the consequence of man’s self-negation and self-downgrading. The awareness of their smallness actually motivated them to sin… the people could not visualize the fulfillment of the great promise without Moshe’s leadership. (My transcription, 10 minutes, 17 seconds into the lecture)

The Rav cited Sefer Shemot 32:1 to buttress his contention:

Meanwhile, the people began to realize that Moses was taking a long time to come down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Make us an oracle to lead us. We have no idea what happened to Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt…”

Therefore, the Rav declared: “This was their mistake; no matter that Moses was the greatest prophet, the greatest of all men. Every plain Jew has access to the Ribono shel Olam (The Master of the Universe, transcription my own 11:05-11:18).” Moreover, according to the Rav, Hashem’s promise to take the Jewish people out of Egypt was independent of Moshe’s presence.” Hence, the purpose of the Egel Hazahav was to replace Moshe, not G-d, so that Hashem’s spirit could abide therein [i.e. in the Egel], just as it had in Moshe.

Heartbreakingly, even though it was not straightforward idol worship, the Egel Hazahav created a pirood (split) between Hashem and His beloved people that remains in effect until our own historical moment:

After the Revelation [Mount Sinai], Ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu [the Holy One blessed be He] was in the midst of the community. When the Jews worshipped the Golden Calf, however, He moved away once again; Ha-Kadosh Barukh Hu absented Himself. Had the sin of the Golden Calf not taken place, He would have been with the people forever. Jewish history would have been different. But the people did not understand. They made the Golden Calf, and as a result the Shekhinah [Divine Presence] removed Itself from their midst. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, The L-rd is Righteous in All His Ways: Reflections on the Tish’ah be-Av Kinot, Rabbi Jacob J. Schachter, editor, page 111, brackets my own)

The incident of the Golden Calf took place over three thousand years ago. How, then, can we understand it in terms that speak to us in the 21st Century? Once again, we can turn to Rabbi Soloveitchik and his trenchant analysis of this chata’ah gedolah (great sin, Sefer Shemot 32:31):

The Golden Calf epitomizes individuals throughout the ages who have sought to create new forms of religious experience and expression. Although many such efforts may be well-intentioned, they are not legitimate because they lack a divine mandate. This was the essence of the Golden Calf. Tampering with prayer, the priestly blessings, the synagogue or any other form of religious service is another form of that sin. At that time, the Israelites offered sacrifices to G-d. However, because G-d had not commanded such service, it was illegitimate and unacceptable. Therefore, we can see how critical it is that we maintain tradition, particularly regarding prayer. It is important to our survival as a people. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David, editor, page 192)

With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to witness the fulfillment of Yermiyahu’s heartfelt prayer: “Hashiveinu Hashem alechah v’nashuvah chadash yemeinu kekedem” (“Enable us to return to You Hashem and we will return, renew our days as they were in former times”). Then, please G-d, may the Sin of the Golden Calf be erased forever more with the arrival of Mashiach ben David (the true Messiah) and the building of the Beit Hamikdash. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog and Scoopit.com Pages:

http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition

http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources

Parashat Tetzaveh, 5774, 2014:

Who Will Build the Third Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple?)

Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

This week’s Haftorah contains Yechezkel’s celebrated prophecy of the Third Beit Hamikdash (Sefer Yechezkel 43:10-43:27). The first three pasukim (verses) serve as a general statement of context and content:

You, Son of man, describe the House [i.e. Beit Hamikdash] to the House of Israel… let them measure its plan… let them know the form of the House and its scheme, its exits and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its laws and all its teachings, and write it down in their sight so that they keep the whole form thereof and the laws thereof, and do them. This is the teaching of the House; upon the top of the mountain, all its boundary round about shall be most holy; behold, this is the teaching of the House. (This and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, brackets my own)

Afterwards, we find 15 verses that depict the measurements of the mizbeach (altar) and the initial korbanot (sacrifices) to be offered thereupon.

Yechezkel lived nearly 2600 years ago during the time of the First Beit Hamikdash (622 BCE-570 BCE), and prophesized its destruction at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BCE. It was subsequently rebuilt by the returning Babylonian exiles - only to be followed by its annihilation by the Romans in 70 CE. Judaism’s eschatological vision maintains that the soon-to-be-rebuilt Third Beit Hamikdash will never be destroyed and thereby exist for evermore. Therefore, one may very well ask, “Who will build the eternal Third Beit Hamikdash?”

According to Rashi (1040-1105), the Third Temple will be built by Hakadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One blessed be He):

The future Mikdash that we long for, completely constructed and perfect in all aspects will be revealed to us and come from Heaven. As it states in the Torah: “the sanctuary, O L-rd, [which] Your hands established.” (Sefer Shemot 15:17, Commentary to Talmud Bavli, Succah 41a, s.v. ee nami)

Rashi reiterates this opinion in Talmud Bavli, Rosh Hashanah 30a s.v. lo tzricha: “… but the building of the future [Mikdash] is in the hands of Heaven.” Significantly, Tosafot, in Talmud Bavli, Shevuot 15b s.v. ain binyan Beit Hamikdash b’lilah, follow this view: “There are those who say this refers to the future Beit Hamikdash that will be built by itself [i.e. without man’s involvement]. As it states in the Torah: ‘the sanctuary, O L-rd, [which] Your hands established.’” Clearly for both Rashi and Tosafot, G-d, not man, will construct the next Beit Hamikdash.

In stark contrast, the Rambam (Maimonides 1135-1204) maintains that man will build the Third Beit Hamikdash at the onset of the Messianic era:

In the future, the Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and gather the dispersed of Israel… If a king will arise from the House of David who diligently contemplates the Torah and observes its mitzvot as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law as David, his ancestor, will compel all of Israel to walk in (the way of the Torah) and rectify the breaches in its observance, and fight the wars of G-d, we may, with assurance, consider him the Messiah. If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in its place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is definitely the Messiah. (Mishneh Torah, Sefer Shoftim, Hilchot Melachim 11:1, 4, this and all Mishneh Torah translations, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, with my emendations for clarity)

Maimonides affirms this position, as well, in the following statement regarding the mizbeach (the Altar):

The dimensions of the Altar must be very precise. Its design has been passed down from one to another [over the course of the generations]. The altar built by the exiles [returning from Babylon] was constructed according to the design of the Altar to be built in the Messianic age. We may not increase or reduce its dimensions. (Mishneh Torah, Sefer Avodah, Hilchot Bet Habechirah 1:3)

We have seen that two intellectual and spiritual giants of our Mesorah (Holy Tradition) have two very different opinions as to who will build the next and final Beit Hamikdash – G-d (Rashi) or man (Rambam). Regardless as to which approach one follows, may each of us be zocheh (merit) to see the Beit Hamikdash soon and in our days, so that we may once again serve Hashem as one indivisible and united nation. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog and Scoopit.com Pages:

http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

http://www.scoop.it/t/educational-technology-yeshiva-edition

http://www.scoop.it/t/great-digital-judaic-studies-resources