This week’s parsha discusses the assembly of the Mishkan that Hashem commanded the Jewish people to build as a resting place for the Shechinah. The Medrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:21) teaches that in the absence of the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdosh, our tefillos take the place of the Divine service that took place there. In lieu of coming close to Hashem by offering korbanos, today we draw near to Him through our tefillos. In the introduction to his sefer Iyun Tefillah, Rav Shimon Schwab writes that as we open the siddur and progress through davening, we are in a sense traversing the Beis HaMikdosh, until we ultimately reach the Kodesh HaKodashim. By envisioning this process as we daven, we can completely transform our perspective on tefillah and infuse our tefillos with greater meaning and kavonah.
In Tehillim (134:1), Dovid writes about servants of Hashem who stand in His house to bless Him during the nights. Why would a person go to the Beis HaMikdosh at night when the avodah [service] took place during the day? These righteous individuals were so enthusiastic to enter the Beis HaMikdosh as soon as it opened in the morning that they lined up at night eagerly awaiting the opportunity to be sublimely inspired and uplifted. During this time, they prepared themselves by learning Torah and singing songs of praise to Hashem. This concept parallels the way we get ready to daven by waking up early to learn Torah and by extolling Hashem through Adon Olam, Yigdal, and other supplications.
There were 15 steps leading up to Shaar Nikanor (Middos 2:5), the gate that opened into the Chotzer [Courtyard] of the Beis HaMikdosh. These steps correspond to the Birchos Hashachar, the 15 berachos we recite at the beginning of Shacharis. As we say these blessings, we should picture ourselves ascending the steps to the Beis HaMikdosh, accompanied by the sweet music of the Leviyim who stood there.
Upon entering the Courtyard, a person would encounter Kohanim offering korbonos on the Mizbe’ach. Today, when we are unable to do so, we follow the morning blessings with Korbanos, in which we read the passages in the Torah and Gemara that describe the offerings and the laws that govern them. After walking through the Chotzer, a person entered the Ulam [Vestibule]. The Mishnah (Middos 3:7, 4:1) says that the doorways through which one entered and exited this hallway were massive. The Ulam corresponds to Pesukei D’zimra, and the two doorways represent the Boruch She’amar and Yishtabach blessings that we say before and after Pesukei D’zimra.
Upon exiting the Ulam, a person entered the Heichal, where he would encounter the Menorah, which represents the light of Torah, and the Shulchan, which symbolizes physical needs. Before reciting Shema in the morning, we first say two berachos: Yotzer Ohr, which discusses Hashem’s creation of the physical world and corresponds to the Shulchan, and Ahavah Rabbah, which focuses on Torah study and parallels the Menorah that represents spiritual matters.
The Heichal also contained the Misbe’ach HaZahav on which Ketores was burned as a spiritual offering to Hashem. Our morning recital of Shema, in which we accept the yoke of Heaven and express our love for Hashem will all our hearts and all our souls, produces a sweet smell to Hashem and is analogous to this Mizbe’ach. As we proceed through this section of the morning prayers, we should envision ourselves in the Heichal amongst the Menorah, Shulchan, and Mizbe’ach HaKetores.
Continuing to traverse the Beis HaMikdosh, one next reaches the Paroches, the curtain that separates the Aron from the Heichal and serves as the entrance to the Kodesh HaKodashim. The Paroches parallels the beracha of גאל ישראל (Who redeemed Yisroel) that we say after Shema, which leads us directly into Shemoneh Esrei, when we speak directly to Hashem. This pinnacle of our tefillos corresponds to the Kodesh HaKodashim, as the Gemara (Berachos 28b) says that during Shemoneh Esrei, a person’s heart should be directed toward the Kodesh HaKodashim. (R’ Ozer Alport)
