וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִי בְתוֹכָם.
And they should make for Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell among them. - Shemos 25:8
Do we have a sanctuary nowadays? The prophet Ezekiel (11:16) says: לָׁכֵן אֱמֹר כֹה אָׁמַר א -דֹנָׁי ה' כִּי הִּרְ חַקְתִּים בַגּוֹיִּם וְכִּי ה פִּיצוֹתִּים בָׁא רָׁצוֹת וָׁאֱהִּי לָׁהֶם לְמִקְדָשׁ מְעַט בָׁא רָׁצוֹת א שֶר בָׁאוּ שָׁם. Thus said the Lord Hashem/Elohim: Though I have distanced them in the nations and though I have scattered them among the lands, I have been for them a small sanctuary in the lands where they arrived. Gemorah Megilla (29a) teaches: וָׁאֱהִּי לָׁהֶם לְמִּקְדָׁש מְעַט. אמר רבי יצחק, אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות שבבבל. (“I have been for them a small sanctuary.” Rebbi Yitzchok said: these are shuls and Torah study halls that are in Bavel.). Hence, this is teaching us that although we don’t have the מִּקְדָׁש, nevertheless a shul and a beis medrash nowadays has a status of a מִּקְדָׁש מְעַט.
This is manifested also in halacha. In Sefer HaMitzvos Hakatzar, the Chofetz Chaim writes: “It is a positive commandment to have a reverent awe of the Beis Hamikdash, as the Scripture says, “and have awe of My sanctuary” (Vayikra 26:2). Now, our synagogues and Torah study halls are called “small sanctuaries,” as the Scripture states, “I have been for them as a small sanctuary” (Yechezkel 11:16). We have to be careful in these places from engaging in frivolous laughter, levity, or idle talk. We don’t perform any financial calculations there and we don’t sleep there. Their holiness is very intense. This mitzvah is in force everywhere (both in Eretz Yisroel and outside), at every time, for both men and women.”
It’s to important to point that the verse in our parsha says: And they should make for Me a sanctuary and I shall dwell among them. And since Hashem treats our shuls and Torah study halls as small sanctuaries, the promise of “I shall dwell among them” is also fulfilled. Let’s make sure that we provide for HaKadosh Boruch Hu an honorable place for His abode here in this world by treating our shuls and Torah study halls with great respect.
