The Place of Hashem

This weeks Parsha is the longest in Sefer Devarim and contains no less than 55 individual Mitzvos. Only two other Parshios in the entire Torah, Ki Seitzei and Emor, contain more Mitzvos. As we learn this Parsha—as with all of Sefer Devarim—we must keep in mind that it was all said as part of Moshe Rabbeinu’s final address to Klal Yisrael, and the way that the various Mitzvos and instructions were given over can be insightful as well.

In this Parsha there are two Pesukim that speak of locations that will be central to Klal Yisrael in the future—one more immediate than the other—but they could not be more different in the instructions.

At the very beginning of the Parsha, Moshe tells Klal Yisrael that before they enter Eretz Yisrael, they will gather on two mountains to receive a set of Brachos and Klalos. The Passuk describes the location: “Halo Heima B’Ever HaYarden, Acharei Derech Mevo HaShemesh, B’Eretz HaCannani Hayoshev B’Arava, Mul HaGilgal, Etzel Elonei Morei: Are they not on the other side of the Yarden, by the way where the sun goes down, in the land of the Cannani who live in the Arava, opposite Elonei Moreh .”

In describing the location that the Jews will receive these Brachos and Klalos, Moshe uses at least three different descriptors. This is in addition to the fact that in the Passuk right before Moshe referred to the mountains by name: Har Grizim and Har Eivel.

Let us contrast this to a Passuk later on in the Parsha, when Moshe is discussing the eventual location of the Mizbeach that will be used to bring Korbonos to Hashem: “Ki Im El HaMakom Asher Yivchar Hashem Elokeichem Mikol Shivtechem, Lasum Es Shemo Sham, LiShichno Sidrishu U’Vasem Shamah: But to the place which Hashem shall choose out of all your tribes, to place his name there, to his dwelling place you shall seek, and you shall come there.”

In describing the location of the Mishkan or Bais Hamikdash, exactly no detail is given: “Shamah--there”

The contrast between these two Pesukim is quite striking: in one case Moshe Rabeinu gives exact and precise directions with multiple landmarks, and in the other he leaves out any descriptive phrases, referring to the Makom HaMizbeach as merely “there.”

Why is this?

The Kli Yakar on the Passuk “Halo Heima B’Ever HaYarden” cites the Gemarah in Sotah which says that these landmarks, the identifying marks that Moshe used to describe Har Grizim and Har Eivel, were not even accurate: they were not in the Arava, and they did not face Gigal! Rather the Gemara explains that the Moshe meant to give the Bnei Yisrael directions on how to travel once he was Niftar and they no longer had the protection of the Ananei HaKavod—to travel through the settled parts—alluded to by the word HaYoshev—and to travel over flat lands of the Arava and not mountainous regions.

The Kli Yakar himself is not satisfied with the Gemarah though, for if Moshe meant merely to give the Bnei Yisrael general travel advice, why did he chose to do so in a roundabout way when referring specifically to Har Grizim and Har Eivel? He could have been more explicit in his instructions, what is the connection to this Passuk?

The Kli Yakar says, B’derech Remez, that the three descriptions in the Pasuk tell us that the Brachos will apply to three types of Jews, if they travel on the correct path. The first type is the “Timimei Derech” those who devote their lives to Avodas Hashem. The second are the people who are involved in Yishuv HaOlam—general business and livelihood—but support those who are involved in Limud HaTorah. The third phrase—B’arava—refers to those who have positions of power and Kavod within the Klal, but whom travel on the “flat” path, without Ga’ava or asserting themselves on others.

The message of the Klei Yakar seems to be that the Brachos of Har Grizim can apply to every Jew, no matter which path he takes, as long as he lives his life in the Derech Hashem.

I think this explanation of the Klei Yakar can help us understand the difference between the two Pesukim we mentioned above.

Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, one of the foremost Roshei Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael today, explains that the reason that there are such explicit directions to reach Har Grizim and Har Eivel is because the Brachos are not generally difficult to achieve. As the Kli Yakar writes, if one lives his life in the proper way, he will be Zoche to the Brachos regardless of the specific path he chooses. One need not work specifically hard to attain that level.

The Makom HaShechina, on the other hand, cannot be reached so easily, says R’ Baruch Mordechai, it takes special effort and hard work. For that reason there are no explicit directions to the place “Asher Yivchar Hashem Elokeichem…Lasum Es Shemo Sham” because reaching that point is not as simple as following a map—it takes intense dedication to Avodas Hashem and Mesiras Nefesh for the sake of growth.

We must ask ourselves, though: the Makom Hamikdash in reality was indeed easy to find—it was on top of a mountain. In reality it was easy to identify and reach the Makom Hashraas HaSechina; what is R’ Baruch Mordechai referring to? What is the Makom that cannot be reached without specific effort and Mesiras Nefesh?

I think we can understand this if we take note of the way that the Bais Hamikdash is referenced in this Parsha.

In a number of places throughout the Parsha, Moshe gives over Mitzvos that apply only in Eretz Yisrael, and specifically to the Bais Hamikdash or Mishkan: the Issur of Shechutei Chutz (bringing Karbonos outside the Mikdash) the Heter of eating Basar Chullin when one is far from the Mikdash, the Mitzvah of Achilas Kodshim in the Mikdash and others.

In each case the place of the Hashraas HaSechina is referred to as “HaMakom” In fact in this Pasuk itself, the term Makom is used: “Ki Im El HaMakom Asher Yivchar Hashem Elokeichem…”

We know that the word Makom means “the place” but it is also one of the names of Hashem: for example in the Tefillah of Acheinu we say “HaMakom Yerachem Aleihem,” and in the Hagaddah we say: “Baruch HaMakom…”

How are these connected? How does the Shem Hashem of HaMakom relate to the Bais Hamikdash which is referred to as HaMakom in our Parsha?

R’ Shimshon Pinkus explains that Makom refers to a place, or spot, but also to space—when we ask people to move aside in Ivrit we say “Taaseh Makom.” In this sense, the first thing that Hashem created in Brias HaOlam was Makom—for the world to exist space was first required. (To be clear, this does not refer to space as in the moon and the starts, but space as in an empty area capable of holding the world.) This is a little bit difficult to understand, because we don’t think of space as something that requires creation, but in fact it is: unless there is a place to put the world, it cannot exist.

If this is true, that Makom is the first creation, it is also the most constant creation. Space has been here since before the beginning of time, and will be here as long as there is a world—nothing can exist without it.

This is the Koach that the Shem Hashem of Makom refers to—the constant and consistent nature of Hashem’s presence.

I think this is best illustrated by the way R’ Shimshon explains another usage of the Shem HaMakom: Nichum Avelim. When we comfort those who have lost a loved one, we utilize this name of Hashem: “HaMakom Yinachem Eschem: Hashem should comfort you.” R’ Shimshon explains that the name Makom is used to convey to the Avelim that though they have suffered a loss, they should take comfort in the knowledge that the presence of Hashem in their lives is constant—just like Makom itself.

At the Levaya of The Chofetz Chaim, one of the Maspidim said: “The Chaofetz Chaim is no longer with us, but the Hashem of the Chofetz Chaim is.” The entire Olam Hatorah felt lost on that day—the Chofetz Chaim represented the Shechina on this world—how could they go on? The Maspid saught to remind them of this fact: HaMakom Yinachem Eschem—Hashem has a contstant presence in our lives and that fact itself should comfort you.

Perhaps this can help us understand the term Makom as it relates to the Bais Hamikdash. We think of the Bais HaMikdash as a physical structure, a building. In reality the building itself was just a way to symbolize the Hashraas Hashechina in our midst.

The Chassam Sofer uses this to explain the reason that we have Tisha B’Av on the Ninth Day of Av when the Bais Hamikdash was physically destroyed on the Tenth: the Shechina left the Bais Hamikdash and entered Galus on the Ninth of Av—the destruction of the building indeed happened on the tenth, but that is not what we are mourning on Tisha B’av—we are mourning the Galus of the Shechina.

When the Torah refers to the Bais Hamikdash as HaMakom it is reminding us of this fact. Yes, at some point we will have a physical location for the, at which we can perform these Mitzvos. But the presence of Hashem in our lives is not dependent on a physical structure—it is constant, just like space itself.

However, when we don’t have the physical structure of the Mikdash, reaching that level of Hashraas Hashchina in our lives becomes all the more difficult. That requires much work and Mesiras Nefesh—we cannot merely follow a map, as R’ Ezrachi explains. That is why specifically in the Passuk which refers to the Makom of Hashem there are no directions given—because there are times when we need to be Doresh Hashem in a sense of Makom, to access his ever-present nature in the absence of a physical location, through our own hard work and Mesiras Nefesh for Avodas Hashem.

But, if we achieve this, the Passuk promises: “U’vasem Shamah” we will find Hashem and dwell in his presence.