The Connection Between Shabbat and the Beit HaMikdash
Welcome to Embrace Shabbat. It is Erev Shabbat Chazon—the
Shabbat where we are meant to reflect on the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) and
its destruction. As we have mentioned in the past, the Gemara teaches:
לא נחרבה ירושלים אלא בשביל שחללו את השבת
"Jerusalem was destroyed only because of the desecration
of Shabbat."
There is a profound connection between the Beit HaMikdash and
Chilul Shabbat (desecration of Shabbat). Conversely, there is an equally
strong connection between honoring Shabbat and the ultimate rebuilding of the
Beit HaMikdash.
We see this clearly in Lecha Dodi, where we sing:
- מקדש מלך עיר מלוכה (Sanctuary of the King, royal city)
- קומי צאי מתוך ההפכה (Arise, leave from the midst of the
upheaval)
- רב לך שבת בעמק הבכא (Too long have you dwelt in the
valley of tears)
In the very next stanza, we sing: Hit'orari, hit'orari, ki
va orech ("Awake, awake, for your light has come"). In the middle
of accepting Shabbat upon ourselves, we seemingly go off on a tangent about
rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash. But it is not a tangent at all; accepting
Shabbat is intrinsically linked to the rebuilding of the Temple.
Parallels of Holiness
On this Shabbat leading into Tisha B'Av, let us focus on
these connections. Our Shabbat rituals directly mirror the service of the Beit
HaMikdash:
- Shabbat
Candles:
Symbolize the Western Wall of the Menorah.
- Two
Loaves (Challah): Mirror the Lechem HaPanim (Showbread).
- Kiddush
Wine: Mirrors
the Nisuch HaYayin (Wine Libations).
- Zemirot
(Songs): Mirror
the songs sung by the Levi'im.
- Washing
in Warm Water:
The custom to wash hands and feet before Shabbat corresponds to the
Kohanim, who had to wash their hands and feet before serving.
The Hierarchy of Kedusha (Holiness)
The Beit HaMikdash is the place where the Shechinah
(Divine Presence) rests, and Shabbat is the time where the Shechinah
rests. In a way, Shabbat holds a unique level of holiness. Jewish tradition
outlines three dimensions of Kedusha:
Holy People (Am Yisrael)
Holy Times (Shabbat/Chagim)
Holy Places (Beit HaMikdash)
We determine priority by what happens during a conflict. If
Shabbat conflicts with saving a Jewish life, saving the life trumps Shabbat. If
building the Beit HaMikdash conflicts with Shabbat, we pause the construction
because Shabbat takes precedence.
The human being is the greatest vessel for the Shechinah—a
walking Sefer Torah. Next comes holy time, which is spiritual and non-physical
(Mekadesh Yisrael ve'hazmanim). Finally, there are holy places and
items.
Every Shabbat, we step into a sanctuary of time. Just as
entering the Beit HaMikdash gave a person a tangible feeling of the Divine,
entering Shabbat is entering a holy zone. Great individuals throughout history
could actually feel the Neshamah Yeteirah (additional soul) enter them
without ever looking at a clock.
Avoiding "False Testimony" in Retzei
Generally, we do not speak directly about the destruction or
the comfort of the Temple on Shabbat, except for the prayer of Retzei in
Birkat Hamazon.
However, the Pele Yoetz writes that one must be
exceedingly careful during the Shabbat meals to remember the Churban
(destruction). When we sit at our beautiful tables, we must ask: What about
God's table?
Note on the Nine Days: The reason we abstain from meat and wine during the Nine
Days is not standard mourning (as regular mourners are permitted meat and
wine). Rather, it is because God's table is empty of sacrifices and libations.
(Some Sephardic customs extend this through the tenth of Av because the Temple
continued to burn into that day).
The Pele Yoetz warns us against offering "false
testimony" (me'id edut sheker be'atzmo). In Retzei, we say:
אף על פי שאכלנו ושתינו חורבן ביתך הגדול והקדוש לא שכחנו
"Even though we have eaten and drunk, we have not
forgotten the destruction of Your great and holy House."
If we say these words without a single thought about the Beit
HaMikdash, we are speaking falsely.
The Three Elements of Greatness and Holiness
To ensure our words are true, let us dedicate this Shabbat to
saying Retzei with deeper kavanah (intention). Notice how the
phrase Gadol v'Kadosh (Great and Holy) appears three times in our
liturgy, representing the three dimensions of holiness:
Holy Time: HaShabbat HaGadol VeHaKadosh hazeh (This great and
holy Shabbat).
Holy Place: Churban beitcha ha'gadol v'ha'kadosh (The destruction
of Your great and holy House).
Holy People: Shmecha ha'gadol v'ha'kadosh aleinu karata (Your
great and holy Name You have called upon us).
On Shabbat, we honor the holiness of time and people, but we
bemoan the lack of the holy place, asking God: V'hareinu benechamas Tziyon
("And show us the consolation of Zion").
Turning Rest into Consolation
The Tiferet Shlomo (on Parashat Noach) points out a
beautiful linguistic connection. The word for rest, מנוחה
(Menucha), contains the exact same letters as the word for comfort, נחמה
(Nechama). Through the Menucha of Shabbat, we bring about the Nechama—the
comfort of the rebuilt Beit HaMikdash.
Why do we ask for the rebuilding of the Temple specifically
during Retzei? The Tiferet Shlomo explains that because we taste
a microcosm of the Divine Presence on Shabbat, we are moved to say: "Hashem,
we have tasted this lower level of Your rest; please grant us the ultimate,
full-fledged rest of the Geulah (Redemption) and Olam HaBa (the World to
Come)."
As the sages promise: "He who mourns over Jerusalem will
merit to see its comfort." Let us leverage this Shabbat Chazon to shift our
focus, pray Retzei with true intention, and merit to see the Beit
HaMikdash rebuilt.
