What is a “house of G-d?” First let’s grasp what a house is, on the simplest level.
Chazal say: ‘Not like Avraham, for whom it is written, “mountain,” as it says, As “on this day, on the mountain, Hashem will be seen” (Bereishis 22:14). And not like Yitzchak, for whom it is written, “field,” as it says, “And Yitzchak went out to pray in the field” (ibid 24:63). Rather, like Yaakov, who called it “house,” as it says (ibid 28:19) “And he called the name of that place, ‘The house of G-d.’” (Pesachim 88a)
This Gemara expresses the different approaches taken by the Avos. What is the right way to achieve a personal connection and relationship with Hashem? Avraham chose the way of the “mountain,” Yitzchak, the way of the “field,” and Yaakov, the way of the “house.” And Hashem cherished the way of the “house” above all.
Obviously, it is impossible to build a relationship with Hashem in the street or the park, as the relationship requires privacy. If a person spends his time in the street, this surely will not help him grow to be an outstanding talmid chacham and yerei Shamayim. But Avraham Avinu maintained that climbing to the top of a high mountain and thus separating himself from the impurity of his surroundings granted him sufficient privacy with Hashem.
Yitzchak Avinu disagreed: A mountain is not enough. True, there are not very many people on top of a mountain; nevertheless, it is an area open to all who wish to enter. What we need is a field because a field is private property. That is why “Yitzchak went out to pray in the field.” He felt that to be alone with Hashem and build a relationship with Him, the additional privacy of a field is needed.
Yaakov Avinu countered that even the privacy afforded by a field is insufficient to build a proper relationship with Hashem. What we need is total privacy – that of a house. A house is one hundred percent private. No one comes in without knocking, even when the door is unlocked. This is because everyone knows that a house is a private place, and no one may enter unless granted permission by the master of the house.
Hashem agreed with Yaakov Avinu: “Rather, like Yaakov, who called it ‘house.’” Here, Yaakov taught us something very important. To build a relationship with Hashem, it is not enough to just have deveikus. The deveikus needs complete privacy. Not like Avraham’s mountain, and not like Yitzchak’s field, but like Yaakov’s house.
In the Beis Hamikdash, we lived in closeness to Hashem, in kedushah and taharah. Nowadays, when there is no Beis Hamikdash anymore, being a talmid chacham has the same nature. A talmid chacham is someone who lives in closeness to his Creator in a relationship of absolute privacy, without allowing entrance to foreign influences.
