Ukhevod Hashem malei et Hamishkan. And the Glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan (Tabernacle). This phrase appears twice, in two successive pesukim, at the end of this week’s parsha (40:34-35), after the completion of the Mishkan.
The Glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan. It is difficult to imagine what that must have felt like – intense bright warm light, clarity, awe, truth. Also, quiet, gentleness, compassion, simplicity, wholeness, a whisper of tenderness. And most of all, limitless love pouring forth.
The truth is that God’s Glory is always filling the entire universe. Melo kol ha’aretz kevodo, His Glory fills the earth, a phrase from Isaiah that we say in kedushah. God’s Glory fills the earth, but the universe is such a vast space that we have trouble wrapping our minds around this concept and really feeling it. Also, I wonder whether it isn’t necessary for us to act in some way, to take the initiative, to build, to actively call down God’s Presence, not in order for It to be here, but in order for us to perceive it. And so, although the universe is already full of God, we need to build Him a sanctuary; we need to decide we want Him in order for us to feel Him.
This physical Mishkan is a metaphor for the human heart. Bilevavi mishkan evneh. In my heart, I build a Mishkan. In my heart I build a place for God to dwell; I open myself to contain His light, His Truth, His Love. I invite His Glory to shine inside my heart, that I may be a vessel for His love and kindness in the world.
We have finished the parshiyyot of building the Mishkan. They began with the instruction: ve’asu li mikdash veshakhanti betokham. They should build Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst. Many have noted that God does not say He will dwell in its midst, but rather in their midst, in the midst of the hearts of every single person.
We have finished building the physical Mishkan. How do we build a mishkan inside us? We have to want it, to work at it, to believe it is possible; we have to believe we are worthy and we are wanted; we have to believe we are capable of carrying the divine Glory inside us.
That is why it is so important that this final chapter of the Mishkan happens after the sin of the Golden Calf. Even after their sin, God testified through His Presence that He still wished to reside among the people. God’s Glory comes down among us, when we ask for It and work for it; we do not need to be worthy of it. Indeed, we are not worthy of it. We can remain in our imperfect humanity, and the Glory of God will still dwell inside us. Karov Hashem lekhol korav. God is close to all those who call Him, who call to Him in earnest.
The Glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan. The word for “filled,” malei, could also be read in the present tense: The Glory of the Lord fills – right now, and at every moment – the Mishkan, the world and our hearts.
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