A few words from Rabbi Kerbel.... If you were to ask a random sample of our country’s rabbis which of the 54 Torah portions in the Torah are the most popular, it is unlikely that this week’s parasha would make the ‘top ten’. Almost one third of the Book of Exodus deals with the tedious instructions for building a portable sanctuary – a ‘mishkan’ – in the desert that will serve as a symbol of God’s presence within the midst of the people of Israel. The late Rabbi, Pinhas Peli, wrote that: “the building of the Tabernacle served an educational purpose: to convert the people from passive participants in their new relationship with God to active partners, sanctifying space, creating a symbol of holiness in their midst.” The ‘mishkan’ leads to the creation of the The Temple in Jerusalem and then to the synagogues of today. As important as these sacred spaces are, we must also remember that we not only want God to be a presence in our sanctuaries but also and more importantly, in our hearts as well. Shabbat Shalom! Rabbi Paul Kerbel
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:00:01 +0000
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