Well it's Friday afternoon and I'm counting the hours, three and a half hours to go. One must prepare his heart and not just his home. The veil that separates the man from the Holy of Holies is his heart, his actions and his character. What other nation is blessed with the Sabbath? What other nation has a God such as HASHEM? Rather you are a natural branch or a wild branch (grafted in) the Sabbath is a day unlike any other. Not Sunday, nor Wednesday but the Seventh day of the week.
We have received the Torah (Revelation). We have entered into a marriage by receiving and accepting the Torah and all of HASHEM'S ordinances. Now God is seeking from us our hearts and willingness. How far are we willing to go, are we empty vessels or do we love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Exodus 25: 1 - HASHEM spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to bnei Israel and let them take for Me a portion, from every man whose heart motivates him you shall take My portion. Verses 3 - 7 speak in detail as to what the children of Israel shall give. HASHEM questions us later in scripture, "What house can you build for Me, heaven is My throne and the earth My footstool." Imagine the glory that dwelled upon the Sanctuary, the divine presence of the Lord in all His Majesty. God is alive in me as I sit think of that moment in time when His Glory was great upon our people. You and I must be pure before Him. No sin, no shame just utter fear of Him. To fear God is not an awful thing for King David in Psalm 111:10 "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of HASHEM."
25: 8 - 9 - They shall make a sanctuary for Me - so that I may dwell among them - like everything that I show you, the form of the Tabernacle and the form of all the vessels; and so shall you do.
Our contributions to God should always be from the heart and with joy, it is when we release with pure intentions that it's reward and outcome is supreme. We must go beyond our understanding of faith and trust to receive not what our minds limit us to, but the treasuries of HASHEM. This parashah speaks volumes and its no surprise that it's read along with 1st Kings 5: 26 - 6: 13. King Solomon was directed to built the first Temple with uncut stone symbolizing long life. 1st Kings 6: 7 -When the Temple was being built, it was built of complete quarried stone; hammers, chisels, or any iron utensils were heard in the Temple when it was being built. HASHEM desires your heart in all its fullness. As you prepare for the weekly Sabbath don't look upon it as it was just another weekly Sabbath, but rather as a wedding in which the Groom is HASHEM.
SHABBAT SHALOM,
Rabbi Lawrence
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