It can be very easy and undemanding to mourn for the Bais HaMikdosh. The Destruction was an event that occurred two-thousand years ago, for which it is difficult to muster up much of a sense of responsibility, and there seems to be precious little that we can really do to bring about its rebuilding.
Perhaps we should focus instead on another Mikdosh. Based on the Pasuk of ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם, the Seforim HaKedoshim explain that each person is a Holy Temple, or, at least, has the potential to be one. We can look around and see that not every person is exemplifying the life of a living Temple. Best would be if we looked in the mirror and saw how we are not living up to that standard.
What prevents people from becoming personal Holy Sanctuaries. Undoubtedly there are many reasons. But let's focus on what our Sages have taught us: The Temple was destroyed because of improper interpersonal relationships. Simply put, people treating each other nastily and without compassion, hence the Temple was destroyed. The same is true with regards to the personal individual Temples. The lives of many people have been negatively affected by how they have been treated by others. The list of interpersonal offenses is so long and, unfortunately, so well documented, that you can pick from a long list of ways which, collectively, have caused harm to others.
How often have we heard that this harm - bullying, sexual abuse, among others - has caused long-term harm to others' ability to function in society and be productive human beings. Or, in other words, it limits their ability
to be Sanctuaries for the presence of the Schechina and to embody the purpose for which the world was created.
I would suggest on this Tish B'Av that we should focus on rebuilding the personal sanctuaries. Look in the mirror first and think of what you need to do in your own life to make yourself a Sanctuary, and then look at those around you, and how you are (or aren't) interacting with them, and what it would take to help rebuild their Sanctuaries.
Perhaps we should focus instead on another Mikdosh. Based on the Pasuk of ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם, the Seforim HaKedoshim explain that each person is a Holy Temple, or, at least, has the potential to be one. We can look around and see that not every person is exemplifying the life of a living Temple. Best would be if we looked in the mirror and saw how we are not living up to that standard.
What prevents people from becoming personal Holy Sanctuaries. Undoubtedly there are many reasons. But let's focus on what our Sages have taught us: The Temple was destroyed because of improper interpersonal relationships. Simply put, people treating each other nastily and without compassion, hence the Temple was destroyed. The same is true with regards to the personal individual Temples. The lives of many people have been negatively affected by how they have been treated by others. The list of interpersonal offenses is so long and, unfortunately, so well documented, that you can pick from a long list of ways which, collectively, have caused harm to others.How often have we heard that this harm - bullying, sexual abuse, among others - has caused long-term harm to others' ability to function in society and be productive human beings. Or, in other words, it limits their ability
to be Sanctuaries for the presence of the Schechina and to embody the purpose for which the world was created.
I would suggest on this Tish B'Av that we should focus on rebuilding the personal sanctuaries. Look in the mirror first and think of what you need to do in your own life to make yourself a Sanctuary, and then look at those around you, and how you are (or aren't) interacting with them, and what it would take to help rebuild their Sanctuaries.
No comments:
Post a Comment