חובת העבודה לשם שמים ללא פניות
They shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell among them. (25:8)
Rashi explains: ‘They shall make Me a Sanctuary – they will make a House of Sanctity for My Name.’
Rashi teaches us here the main principle in avodas Hashem. This is that the avodah is not called by the name of the person unless his intent is purely for Hashem Yisbarach.
Seemingly, the language of the Torah is self-explanatory, and anyone looking at the words understands that if he fulfills the command in its time is doing it for the sake of Hashem Yisbarach. Had he not wanted to establish a house of kedusha for Hashem Yisbarach, he would not have been involved in it at all. Nevertheless, Rashi saw fit to explain the intent of the words ‘V’asu li’ that the intent is ‘leshmi – for Me’.
The truth of the matter is that were it not for the command of Hashem Yisbarach to set up a Mishkan [Sanctuary] for Him, they never would have been involved in setting it up at all. But even after the command, the work itself does not testify that the willful purpose of the builder was to evoke satisfaction for His sake, Yisbarach. Perhaps his intent was for his own benefit and enjoyment, for after he set up the Mishkan and HaKadosh Baruch Hu rested His Shechina below, then those below would benefit from the glow of the Shechina, and through it they would merit to elevate to lofty levels and benefit from avodas Hashem. Therefore, we need Rashi to explain that it was incumbent on the builders to turn their faces away (that is, remove any personal attachment) when they were involved in the holy avodah, and all their intentions must be only for the sake of Hashem, to extend His Kingship below and arose satisfaction before Him.
Our Torah is eternal and every teaching is for all generations, and the eternal point in the posuk before us is ‘for Me, for My sake’, that is, that for everything that we do for Hashem Yisbarach should only come from the intent to bring satisfaction before Him, and not so he should also earn some benefit, not even a spiritual benefit, as we have said.
We find similar words in the sefer ‘Tzavaas HaRivash’ (Hanhagos Yashrus Os 11), ‘In everything that one does, he should have in mind that he is doing it to bring satisfaction to his Creator Yisbarach, and not even a little for his own need, even if he does it to give himself pleasure from his avodah, this then is a personal need. With everything that he does he should have in mind that he is bringing satisfaction to the Shechina through this. He should not think even a little that he is doing this for his own benefit, for this is futile and empty, so why should he do this for his own benefit? Even if he does several things and preparations so that he can serve with dveikus [clinging to Hashem] and he will have enjoyment from this avodah, this is also serving his own need. The main thing is that all his avodah should only be for the need of the Shechina, he should not do this for his own need, even a little.’
This is the intent of the Tanna, Antignos, leader of Socho, when he said (Avos 1:3), ‘Do not be like servants who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward, instead be like servants who serve their master not for the sake of receiving a reward.’ Antignos was not speaking specifically about a mundane [physical] reward, for included in his words is also life in the World to Come, for this is only about bringing the neshama closer to its Maker. Tzaddikim sit and benefit from the glow of the Shechina, and even so, it is not appropriate for the person to serve his Creator for the sake of this exalted purpose.
This is how the Rambam writes it (Hilchos Teshuva 10:4), ‘The early Chachamim said, “perhaps you will say, ‘I am learning Torah so that I will be wealthy’, or ‘so that I will be called Rebbe’, or ‘so that I will receive reward in the World to Come’, the Torah states (Devorim 11:13) 'לאהבה את השם' – ‘to love Hashem’, all that you do should only be done out of love.” The Chachamim also said (Avodah Zara 19a), 'במצוותיו חפץ מאד' – ‘who desires His commandments very much’ (Tehillim 112:1), and not for the reward of His commandments. The great ones of the Chachamim would instruct their multitude of students, ‘Do not be like servants who serve the master, etc.’ (Avos 1:3), rather, because he is the Rav, it is fitting to serve him, that is serve him out of love.’
It is written in the sefer ‘Likutei Moharan’ (Mahadura Basra Siman 37), ‘The general rule which is the main purpose, just serve and go in the ways of Hashem, Shemo Yisbarach, so that you merit to recognize Him Yisbarach, and to know Him Yisbarach, as this is the main purpose, and this is His will Yisbarach, that we recognize Him Yisbarach. It is not appropriate for the person to have any other intent when he is serving Yisbarach – but only to fulfill the will of Yisbarach, who said and do His will.’
There is someone who works his entire life and chases after the pleasures of this world in order to fill his belly with the pleasures of this world. There is someone who serves and strives, in order to merit Olam Haba, and this is also called filling the belly, for he wants to fill his belly with the good things of Olam Haba. This is classified as 'חלקם בחיים וצפונך תמלא בטנם' – ‘whose portion is eternal life, and whose belly You fill with Your concealed treasure’ (Tehillim 17:14). That is, they choose their portion in life, to fulfill their desires in life, life in this world, and they choose much treasure, that is Olam Haba, and that is ‘Your treasure’, they choose the best of the treasure, that is Olam Haba, and both are classified as filling the belly.
‘This is ‘whose portion is life, and whose belly You fill with Your treasure’, these are two groups, those that choose this world and those who serve for Olam Haba, classified as ‘whose portion is life, Your treasure’, both fill the belly, they want to fill their bellies and desires, this one this world and that one the World to Come. The one who chooses Olam Haba is a little smarter, since he chooses the eternal world and despises this world which is temporary.
‘True, it is much better to serve Hashem a lot, even if one serves for Olam Haba, yet this is still called filling the belly. This is 'יש בעו בנים' – ‘sated with sons’, all their work is so their sons will have an inheritance, like the way of the world.’ (end of the quote)
This is the main principle in avodas Hashem. The person must know that so long he does not purify his thoughts and intend only for Hashem Yisbarach, he does not merit to serve Hashem Yisbarach, nor merit to truly keep the mitzvah...
Based on this, we can understand the last words of ‘veshachanti besocho and not ask that this is self-explanatory, for since HaKadosh Baruch Hu commanded to build Him a house, He surely wants to reside in it. But as we have said, the intent is just to build the Mishkan for the sake of Yisbarach without question, then the house will be desired and the Shechina will rest there.
