The inner point that rectifies action

ויקחו לי תרומה כו' ועשו לי מקדש.

"And they shall take for Me a terumah (offering) … and they shall make for Me a Mikdash" (Shemos 25:2, 25:8).

The Sefas Emes opens with the command to bring offerings for, and build, the Mishkan.

דכ' את ה"א תירא אותו תעבוד ובו תדבק.

For it is written: "Hashem your God shall you fear, Him shall you serve, and to Him shall you cleave (u'vo tidbak)" (Devarim 10:20).

The verse lays out three levels of avodah: yirah (fear), avodah (service), and deveikus (cleaving to Hashem).

דרשו חכמינו ז"ל וכי אפשר לידבק בשכינה והלא אש אוכלה הוא אלא המשיא בתו לת"ח ומהנהו מנכסיו עליו נאמר ובו תדבק.

Our Chachamim expounded: Is it possible to cleave to the Shechinah — is it not a consuming fire? Rather, one who marries his daughter to a talmid chacham, or benefits him from his possessions — about him it is said "and to Him shall you cleave."

Since one cannot literally cling to Hashem, Chazal teach that supporting Torah scholars is the practical way to fulfill deveikus.

ובנ"י קיימו כל אלו המדרגות שהם כמ"ש ואהבת כו' בכל לבבך ב' יצריך זה הי' בגלות מצרים והגאולה שבוודאי הי' שם כל מיני מצרים והוא בחי' את ה"א תירא אותו תעבוד עבודה שבלב בכל נפשך הוא בקבלת התורה כמ"ש נפשי יצאה בדברו.

And Bnei Yisrael fulfilled all these levels, which are as it says: "And you shall love [Hashem] … with all your heart" — with both your inclinations: this was in the galus of Mitzrayim and the geulah, where there were surely all sorts of "narrow straits (meitzarim)," and that is the aspect of "Hashem your God shall you fear, Him shall you serve" — the avodah of the heart. "With all your soul (nafshecha)" is at the receiving of the Torah, as it says: "My soul left me when He spoke."

The three levels of the Shema map onto Bnei Yisrael's history: "with all your heart" (both yetzarim) was achieved in the trials of Mitzrayim — the avodah of yirah and service; "with all your soul" was achieved at Har Sinai, where their very neshamos departed at hearing Hashem's word.

ובו תדבק בכל מאודך נתקיים עתה בנדבת המשכן שעי"ז זכו להשראת השכינה כדרשת חז"ל ובו תדבק כנ"ל.

"And to Him shall you cleave," "with all your might (me'odecha)," was fulfilled now in the donation of the Mishkan, through which they merited the resting of the Shechinah — as the derashah of Chazal on "and to Him shall you cleave," as above.

The third level, "with all your might" (understood as one's possessions), was fulfilled through the generous donations to the Mishkan — the very deveikus that Chazal describe as supporting holiness with one's wealth.

והאמת כי קודם החטא היו מוכנים בנ"י להיות כמלאכים.

And the truth is that before the cheit (sin of the Golden Calf), Bnei Yisrael were prepared to be like angels.

Before the cheit ha'eigel, Bnei Yisrael stood at so lofty a madreigah that they could have remained on the level of malachim.

רק אחר החטא שחטאו בנעשה הי' העצה ע"י נדבת המשכן.

Only after the sin, when they sinned with [the level of] "na'aseh," the remedy was through the donation of the Mishkan.

After the cheit damaged their lofty "na'aseh," the tikkun (repair) came through building the Mishkan with their gifts.

וכי אפשר לידבק כו' הוא אחר החטא.

And "is it [even] possible to cleave…" applies after the sin.

The question "how can one cleave to a consuming fire?" reflects the post-cheit state, where direct deveikus is no longer simple and must come through avodah.

ועשו לי מקדש הוא תיקון העשי' דכ' שער החצר הפנימית כו' ימי המעשה יהי' סגור וביום השבת יפתח וביום החודש.

"And they shall make for Me a Mikdash" is the tikkun of the realm of action (asiyah), as it is written: "The gate of the inner courtyard … the six working days it shall be shut, but on Shabbos it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon" (Yechezkel 46:1).

Building the Mikdash repairs the world of action. The prophet's image of the inner gate — closed on weekdays, open on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh — teaches that the inner kedushah is normally hidden during the work-week.

והנה בחי' שבת הוא למעלה מהעשי' והוא בחי' מרע"ה שמתגלה בו המדרגה שהיו מוכנים בנ"י קודם החטא כמ"ש חז"ל שמרע"ה מחזיר לבנ"י בשבת אותן הכתרים שניתן להם בקבלת התורה.

Now, the aspect of Shabbos is above [the realm of] action, and it is the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu, in whom is revealed the level that Bnei Yisrael were prepared for before the sin — as Chazal said that Moshe Rabbeinu returns to Bnei Yisrael on Shabbos those crowns (kesarim) that were given to them at the receiving of the Torah.

Shabbos transcends the workday world and corresponds to Moshe Rabbeinu, who restores each Shabbos the "crowns" Bnei Yisrael received at Sinai and lost through the cheit — recovering the pre-sin madreigah.

וכ"כ מזמור שיר ליום השבת ר"ת למשה כדאי' בספרים.

And so too, "A psalm, a song for the Shabbos day" — its initial letters spell "l'Moshe (for Moshe)," as is brought in the seforim.

The roshei teivos of "Mizmor Shir L'yom HaShabbos" form "L'Moshe," hinting at the deep bond between Shabbos and Moshe Rabbeinu.

אכן ביום החודש יפתח הם הפתחים שנפתחים גם תוך העשי' שהרי בר"ח המלאכות מותרים והם בחי' י"ב השבטים.

However, "on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened" — these are the openings that open even within the realm of action, for on Rosh Chodesh work is permitted; and they are the aspect of the twelve Shevatim.

Unlike Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh opens gates of kedushah within the workday world itself (since melachah is allowed). These twelve Rashei Chodashim correspond to the twelve Shevatim, who draw holiness into ordinary action.

וכמו כן בוודאי אלה הי"ג דברים שנזכרו בנדבת המשכן הם בחי' השבטים שעל ידיהם יכולין להמשיך הקדושה גם תוך העשי'.

And likewise, certainly these thirteen materials mentioned in the donation of the Mishkan are the aspect of the Shevatim, through which one can draw down kedushah even within the realm of action.

The thirteen materials donated for the Mishkan parallel the Shevatim (and the leap-year's thirteen months); they are the channels for bringing holiness into the physical world of doing.

ככל אשר אני מראה אותך הוא בחי' השבת שמתגלה הדעת בנפשות בנ"י.

"According to all that I show you (mar'eh os'cha)" is the aspect of Shabbos, in which the da'as is revealed in the souls of Bnei Yisrael.

The "showing" of the Mishkan's pattern corresponds to Shabbos, when divine da'as shines openly within the neshamos of Bnei Yisrael.

ובמשה רבינו ע"ה הי' בהתגלות.

And in Moshe Rabbeinu it was in [full] revelation.

What is hidden in others was fully revealed in Moshe Rabbeinu, who saw the pattern of the Mishkan with complete clarity.

וכ' מראה אותך ולא כ' מראה לך והוא כענין שכ' בזוה"ק וארא ושמי ה' לא נודעתי להם.

And it is written "show you (mar'eh os'cha)" and not "show to you (mar'eh lecha)," and this is like the matter written in the Zohar [on] "Va'eira": "and by My Name Hashem I was not made known (lo nodati) to them."

The unusual phrasing "show you" (rather than "show to you") implies that Moshe himself became the very image of what was shown. This parallels the Zohar's reading that the highest Name is grasped through "knowing" rather than mere "seeing."

כי בחי' מרע"ה הוא אספקלרי' המאירה שאין שייך בו ראי' רק ידיעה כדאי' שכינה היתה מדברת מתוך גרונו של מרע"ה וז"ש מראה אותך וכן כתי' אתה מָראה בהר שכל ציור המשכן וכליו הי' נחקק בצורת מרע"ה.

For the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu is the "clear glass (aspaklaria ha'me'irah)," in which "seeing" does not apply, only "knowing (yedi'ah)" — as it is taught that the Shechinah would speak from the throat of Moshe Rabbeinu; and this is the meaning of "show you," and so it is written "you were shown (huma) on the mountain," for the entire form of the Mishkan and its vessels was engraved in the very form of Moshe Rabbeinu.

Moshe's nevuah was through the "clear lens," a level of direct knowing rather than image-based seeing — the Shechinah spoke through him. The Mishkan's blueprint was therefore "engraved" into Moshe himself; the whole structure took shape within his being.

וכן תעשו כשנסתכלו בנ"י במרע"ה קיבלו הארה לתקן כל המעשים אחריו.

"And so shall you make" — when Bnei Yisrael gazed upon Moshe Rabbeinu, they received an illumination (he'arah) to rectify all their deeds after him.

By looking to Moshe Rabbeinu, Bnei Yisrael drew an inner light that enabled them to align and repair all their own actions according to his pattern.

וכזה נמצא בכל איש ישראל בפרט ג"כ שמתגלה בו איזה הארה כפי דעתו.

And like this is found in every individual Jew as well — that some illumination is revealed within him according to his da'as.

Each Jew, on his own level, receives an inner he'arah corresponding to his understanding — a spark of that same revelation.

ואחר זו הנקודה צריך לתקן ולהמשיך כל המעשים.

And following this nekudah (inner point), one must rectify and draw out all his deeds.

From that inner point of illumination, a person must extend and order all of his actions, aligning his whole life with it.

וזה ככל אשר אני מראה וכו' וכן תעשו.

And this is "according to all that I show … so shall you make."

First comes the inner "showing" — the revealed point — and from it flows the "making," the practical avodah that follows.

וכדאיתא בזוה"ק בפסוק נודע בשערים בעלה כל אחד לפי מה דמשער בלבו.

And as it is taught in the Zohar on the verse "Her husband is known in the gates (she'arim)" — each one according to what he measures (mesha'er) in his heart.

The Zohar reads "she'arim" (gates) as "shi'urim" (measures): Hashem is "known" to each person precisely to the degree he opens his heart to grasp Him.

וזו הנקודה מתגלה בכל שבת לתקן עי"ז ימי המעשה:

And this nekudah is revealed every Shabbos, in order to rectify thereby the working days.

The inner point of illumination shines anew each Shabbos, and from it a person draws the light to repair and elevate the six days of the work-week.

Summary: The three levels of avodah — yirah, service, and deveikus — were fulfilled by Bnei Yisrael through Mitzrayim, Har Sinai, and the donations to the Mishkan. After the cheit ha'eigel, the Mishkan became the tikkun for the realm of action: Shabbos (the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu, the "clear lens") restores the lost crowns of Sinai from above, while Rosh Chodesh and the Mishkan's thirteen materials (the Shevatim) draw kedushah into action itself. The Mishkan's pattern was engraved in Moshe, and from that inner "showing" flows the "making." Every Jew likewise receives an inner nekudah of light — revealed especially each Shabbos — from which he must rectify and elevate all the days of action.