(Exodus 38:2-40:38)

 (Siddur)

1. When the Temple was destroyed, and the Temple service ceased, prayer took the place of animal sacrifice. Some of our rabbis believe that prayer is a higher form of service than the animal sacrifices. If that is true, then why were animal sacrifices commanded  at all?
2. Our tradition tells us that God is everywhere. We are also taught that God is more present on the Temple Mount and even more present in the “Holy of Holies”. What does it mean that God is more present?  Where in our daily lives is God more present and where is God less present?

4. [40:34] The presence of God in the mishkan was accompanied by a cloud. Why is a cloud a good image to show that God’s presence is in the mishkan?
5. [Siddur] One of the things that “a person eats its fruit in this world, but the main part of it remains for the person in the world to come” is the commandment of welcoming guests into one’s home. Why is this such an important commandment?
6. [Siddur] “…the soul that You gave me is pure…” Christianity believes that a person is born with “original sin”. We believe that one is born “pure”.  What is the difference between the way we look at people and the way that Christianity looks at people?

Commentary

The soul of the people of Israel expresses itself in the striving for absolute justice, which to be realized, must include all moral virtues.  It is for this reason that any ethical sin committed by an individual Jew weakens his link with the soul of the people. The basic step in tshuvah is to attach oneself again to the soul of the people.

–R. Avraham Y. H. Kuk, 1865-1935, Lithuania, Israel.

This study page is dedicated to the memory of Gad Eliahu ben David and Kochava—Eli Zucker

And this study page is dedicated to the memory of Sarah Bella bat Yitzchak Kummer, Chaim Yosef Yechiel ben Eliyahu Kummer and Eliyahu and Margaret Kummer