This morning thousands of Russians looked to the sky to watch a ball of fire streak across the skyline and leave a stream of white smoke in its wake. Moments later a massive explosion shook the ground and caused 1100 injuries from flying glass to people who were looking out the window at the spectacle in the sky. Reports now say that a 49 foot wide Meteor weighing ten tons came crashing into the atmosphere at the speed of 33,000 miles an hour giving it the equivalent punch of 300,000 tons of TNT!
Within the next hour another Asteroid about four times the size is going to be brushing by for a visit (17,000 miles away), and has scientists and millions of people following its track and journey.
Apparently people are out there hunting for particles of the meteor as besides the tremendous mineral value which scientists and researchers would love to see, are also worth quite a lot due to the rarity and novelty of having a space particle on your living room mantle.
Many people on the ground in Russia thought the sky was coming crashing down and the heavens were falling, and throughout the day, the scientists have been reminding us that there is no connection between the meteor and impending asteroid and the heavens aren’t falling down.
As I followed this piece of news over the course of the day, I realized the tremendous power and impact of a small object from outer space and I was trying to think of any remote connection to a message in the Torah. However, for some reason, maybe because I don’t know enough yet, I couldn’t think of where meteors might be mentioned in the Torah.
Then right before DA14 passed near planet earth, I started thinking about the portion of the week and realized that perhaps the message is right there.
This week’s Torah Portion contains some very big ideas and many hundreds of technical details that artists and engineers would love to read, as it describes several artifacts that were to be used in the Tabernacle and the Temple and how they were meant to be made. In addition it is full of the technical details of how the actual Tabernacle was to be constructed and covered and the precise order of construction of each part.
Interestingly despite the Torah normally being very sparse with words, for this set of instructions we have four long Torah portions dedicated to conveying the instructions and implementations. This begs the question, why spend so much time on detailing the technicalities of the Tabernacle? It wasn’t even a long-term project, and eventually would be replaced by a more permanent Temple? So why the great length and details of the text?
Yet perhaps today’s meteor hit can tell us something about this. When something from Heaven comes to Earth the impact and thus preparation need to be huge too. The underlying spiritual purpose of the Tabernacle was to serve as a place where the Divine Presence could rest and where the Jewish people would have a central focal point to connect to G-d. To create and make such a place, even when instructed by G-d was a revolutionary idea and a complete game changer. Never before had this been done or accomplished, and for the Jewish people this was opening the door to a new world and spiritual experience that they or anyone else had never been privy too.
It was for this reason that every detail was so imperative that it be done right and exactly in accordance with the guidelines and instructions given to Moses for the Jewish people. They were accomplishing something very new and huge, but to succeed and to allow the physical world to connect with G-dliness and spirituality, the small details and following the exact instructions were an imperative.
The Chassidic Masters explain that ultimately the long-term message of creating a physical space that serves as a place of connection to G-d, is not limited to the Tabernacle in the Desert, or to the Temple in Jerusalem, or even to the synagogues in our community. Rather, every home can serve as a mini sanctuary and tabernacle, which are both welcoming and befitting for G-dliness and spirituality. Each one of us can have a piece of Heaven on our Mantle, through making our homes into beautiful Jewish homes that illuminate the inside and simultaneously serve as beacons to the world around us.
In the Tabernacle in the Desert, the details were not irrelevant, and each item needed to be made and treated correctly, similarly, in our own homes, the details and rituals of Judaism that may sometimes seem technical and detailed, are essential and vital to create the personal spiritual Tabernacle in the home.
Thus, Kiddush, Mezuzah, Kosher, Torah Study, Education, Jewish Values, Charity, and so much more, are the modern day equivalent of creating personal tabernacles in our home. It may be tough at times, and the details may sometimes seem annoying, but ultimately we must remember, that it is these things and values which allow us to bring Heaven on Earth and have a piece of Heaven on our Mantle.
You may not want a Meteor in your living room, but a piece of Heaven, well that sounds much better.
Good Shabbos
Yisroel