כלי יקר – 25:11
“וצפית אותו זהב טהור מבית ומחוץ תצפנו, ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב” – “And you shall cover it with pure gold, from inside and from outside you shall cover it, and you shall make on it a golden diadem all around.” The Posuk says that the Aron should be covered with gold from inside and from outside, and then repeats – you shall cover it. Why does it need to repeat that you shall cover it? Additionally, why does the Torah tell us in the beginning that the Aron was to be covered with gold on the inside, while when it repeats that it is to be covered on the outside, it does not say that it is covered with gold? Naturally one is more careful and meticulous about the outside, about the appearances, than what is inside. Thus, that the outside needed to be covered in gold; the Torah didn’t need to say it. However, that the inside be covered gold, that needed to be stated, for that is often not done. If one is to make the inside gold, then he most certainly needs to make the outside gold. This is a lesson for how one is to act. Outwardly, many are careful as to how they are perceived by other people, but they are not careful about their insides, what is really going on. The Torah tells us that one must make sure that his inside is gold, that he has a pure heart and is learning Torah for the sake of Hashem – and yes, his outside should also be gold, that he should act in a way befitting one who learns the Torah Hakdosha.
Now we can understand why Mitzvos are supposed to be done, “the way they are standing.” Hakodosh Boruch Hu is Mashgiach over the entire world, and each and every facet of the world is taken into account. Nothing is happenstance, and everything is taken into account. Things grow in a certain way, and everything that happens in Hakodosh Boruch Hu’s world is very purposeful. As we see by the Mishkan, every single thing has its place, its Kedushah, and one cannot replace another. Chazal tell us that Hakodosh Baruch Hu created the world through the Torah Hakdoshah. Everything that the Torah tells us is very specific, and thus, one must follow it exactly. Chazal tell us that we must perform the Mitzvos of the Torah the way they are standing. This teaches us that everything is exact in the Torah and Creation, and we must follow it as such. So too, everything that one does in this world has ramifications, for good or Chas V’sholom for bad. One must learn to use his heart in his Avodas Hashem.
When learning the Torah Hakdosha, one is to do so Lishma – for the sake of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. One is to perform Mitzvos all Lishma, for the sake of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. One’s performance of Mitzvos has a great effect upon himself, and on everything around him, including with what he performed the Mitzvah. One must not perform Mitzvos so that others can see what he does, but must do so for it is the Rotzon Hakodosh Boruch Hu. May we be Zoche to truly serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu in the proper way, for the sake of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, and may our hearts be pure gold.
