Moshe Rabbeinu sang in אז ישיר that Hashem will bring His nation to: מקדש ה' כוננו ידיך - “The Sanctuary, Hashem, that Your hands established” (Shemos 15:17). Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro zt”l explained that the imagery of two hands evokes the concept of a handshake. At first, they are two separate hands; now, clasped together, they have formed a new entity.
The Beis HaMikdash was that “handshake”, the meeting place of Hashem and Man. It was there that we experienced profound connection and unity with Hashem.
The Torah tells us that Hashem commanded: ועשי לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם – “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me – so that I may dwell among them” (Shemos 25:8). That was then, and indeed the Jewish people built a Mikdash in the Wilderness, but today we can no longer build a Beis HaMikdash until Mashiach comes. The Rambam writes (Hilchos Melachim 11:1) that in the future, Mashiach will restore the kingdom of David HaMelech and will build the Beis HaMikdash. However, Rashi writes (Succah 41a) that the Third Beis HaMikdash will descend from Heaven, completely built. Either way, we cannot build the Beis HaMikdash as Klal Yisral built the Mishkan and both Sanctuaries in Yerushalayim.
Is there anything we can do to make it happen sooner?
There is a fascinating Medrash Rabbah at the end of Parshas Vayeishev (88:7) that gives encouragement and hope to the Jews throughout the ages, during the most difficult times of our existence. The Medrash asks the same question over and over: מי היה מחכה – “Who would have thought it? Who would have anticipated it?”
The Medrash gives nine examples of things that were beyond imagination. Who could have imagined that Avraham and Sarah at their age would have a child? Who could have imagined that Yaakov, who crossed the Yarden with a mere staff, would prosper and become wealthy? Who could have imagined that Yosef, after terrible travails and imprisonment, would become the viceroy of Egypt? Who would have imagined that the baby Moshe, who was placed in a little basked on the river, would become the leader of Klal Yisrael? The same question applies to Rus, a penniless convert who became the ancestress of David and Mashiach. David was disparaged by his family, yet became the King of Yisroel; King Yehoyachin, who was a captive in a Babylonian prison for thirty-seven years, was released? Who could have imagined that the Jews would be miraculously saved from Haman, or foretold the survival of Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah who were thrown into a furnace by Nevuchadnetzar? No one would have believed that the Jews were rescued from their many exiles and have faith in the ultimate coming of Mashiach and the universal acceptance of Hashem by all nations.
The meforshim explain that Jews should learn from these incidents that we should never despair. There is always hope for the redemption that will come when Hashem deems it is the right time.
Rav Elya Svei has an original understanding of this Medrash (cited in the sefer Ruach Eliyahu):
Rav Elya writes that such unimaginable events are brought to fruition because there was a מחכה, someone who truly believed and anticipated that Hashem’s salvation would come. Yosef and Yaakov each believed in his dreams (see Bereishis 37:11), so they were fulfilled. Miriam believed that her younger brother Moshe would be the savior of Klal Ysiroel and told it to her parents. Naomi believed that her daughter in law Rus would marry Boaz and be the progenitor of David. Rav Aharon Kotler and the Satmer Rav believed that Torah and Yiddishkeit could be established in America after the Holocaust – and indeed they made it happen.
It is the same, writes Rav Elya, regarding the coming of Mashiach. The Navi Amos writes: ביום ההוא אקים את סכת דוד הנפלת – “On that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David...” (Amos 9:11). It will happen, says Rav Elya, when we anticipate and desire it wholeheartedly. This is how we can make it happen sooner rather than later.
Chazal teach us that in our final judgement we will be asked: צפית לישועה – “Did you hope for the Ultimate Salvation?”
We now know what we need to do – lets act upon it! (Based on R’ Paysach Krohn’s, From Sorrow to Celebration)
