Terumah 5786 - Can two walk together without having met? Creating sacred space | The magnetic pull of the energy field between the two cheruvim atop the Ark (Copy)

RIfifng on the two cherubim atop the Ark: the space between is where God comes to meet us; the space between when we meet one another, face to face

עמוס ג׳:ג׳

(ג) הֲיֵלְכ֥וּ שְׁנַ֖יִם יַחְדָּ֑ו בִּלְתִּ֖י אִם־נוֹעָֽדוּ׃

Amos 3:3

(3)Can two walk togetherWithout having met?

In Parashat Terumah, we will read - in great detail - about the dwelling place that we are to make, so that God can dwell among us:

שמות כ״ה:ח׳

(ח) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

Exodus 25:8

(8) And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.

"a sanctuary" - מִקְדָּ֑שׁ (mikdash) - from the verbal root √קָדַשׁ (kadash), to set apart, to be made sacred, to consecrate.

"I will dwell [among them]" - וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם (shachanti) - from the verbal root √שָׁכַן (shachan) - to dwell, reside, abide; from which we have the word מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan) - dwelling place.

During the forty days that Moses is "on the mountain" in intimate conversation with God, Moses will receive exceptionally detailed instructions about how the Ark and the Tabernacle are to be constructed (in this week's parsha, Parashah Terumah) and also how the priestly garments and ritual objects are to be crafted (in next week's parsha, Parashah Tetzaveh). As I write this commentary, at a time when the simple interpersonal skill of looking at and being with another person seems to be vanishing from the public square, I am moved to focus on one element of the instructions for the construction of the mishkan: the two cherubim that will sit atop the Ark, in the most interior place in the mishkan. I invite you to join me in exploring what we can learn from the two cherubim, their placement, their attitude vis-a-vis one another:

שמות כ״ה:י״ח-כ״ב

(יח) וְעָשִׂ֛יתָ שְׁנַ֥יִם כְּרֻבִ֖ים זָהָ֑ב מִקְשָׁה֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם מִשְּׁנֵ֖י קְצ֥וֹת הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃ (יט) וַ֠עֲשֵׂ֠ה כְּר֨וּב אֶחָ֤ד מִקָּצָה֙ מִזֶּ֔ה וּכְרוּב־אֶחָ֥ד מִקָּצָ֖ה מִזֶּ֑ה מִן־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת תַּעֲשׂ֥וּ אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֖ים עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י קְצוֹתָֽיו׃ (כ) וְהָי֣וּ הַכְּרֻבִים֩ פֹּרְשֵׂ֨י כְנָפַ֜יִם לְמַ֗עְלָה סֹכְכִ֤ים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם֙ עַל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶ֨ל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת יִהְי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃ (כא) וְנָתַתָּ֧ אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת עַל־הָאָרֹ֖ן מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְאֶל־הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־הָ֣עֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶתֵּ֖ן אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (כב) וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֲצַוֶּ֛ה אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}

Exodus 25:18-22

(18) Make two cherubim of gold—make them of hammered work—at the two ends of the cover. (19) Make one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end; of one piece with the cover shall you make the cherubim at its two ends. (20) The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, shielding the cover with their wings. They shall confront each other, the faces of the cherubim being turned toward the cover. (21) Place the cover on top of the Ark, after depositing inside the Ark the Pact that I will give you. (22) There I will meet with you, and I will impart to you—from above the cover, from between the two cherubim that are on top of the Ark of the Pact—all that I will command you concerning the Israelite people.

Parenthetically: Here we have a paradox that is at the heart of our experience as Jews. We are not to make physical representations of God; we are an “aniconic religion”. It’s fascinating that here, with the description of the ark cover and the cherubs sitting on top of it, we have a detailed description of factors that will create a potential space for God to visit with us.

The second part of Verse 20, and Verse 22, are of particular interest here: Verse 20: "They shall confront each other, the faces of the cherubim being turned toward the cover." (JPS translation)

וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֑יו אֶ֨ל־הַכַּפֹּ֔רֶת יִהְי֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הַכְּרֻבִֽים׃

I suggest an alternate translation, rather than "they shall confront each other:: "and their faces, each towards their companion, are above the covering, and turned toward the covering". We will read in Verse 22 that this space between the two cherubim, as they face each other, is the precise place in which God will meet with Moses:

Verse 22: The Divine presence will meet with Moses from between the two cherubim: "I will meet with you.. from between the two cherubim that are on top of the Ark of the Pact..." (JPS translation)
וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים

The verb here for "I will meet [with you]" - וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י (no-ad-ti) - from the verbal root √יָעַד (ya-ad) - is a relatively rare word in Tanakh (only 29 occurrences) and denotes a special kind of meeting - to meet with someone at an appointed time or place - suggesting intentionality and mutual agreement; in our verse, it is in binyan niphal:

other examples of this verb - to meet (in addition to the verse from Amos with which I opened this commentary):

שמות כ״ט:מ״ב

(מב) עֹלַ֤ת תָּמִיד֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם פֶּ֥תַח אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִוָּעֵ֤ד לָכֶם֙ שָׁ֔מָּה לְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁם׃

Exodus 29:42

(42) a regular burnt offering throughout the generations, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before GOD.
For there I will meet with you, and there I will speak with you,

איוב ב׳:י״א

(יא) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת ׀ רֵעֵ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב אֵ֣ת כׇּל־הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּאת֮ הַבָּ֣אָה עָלָיו֒ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֔וֹ אֱלִיפַ֤ז הַתֵּֽימָנִי֙ וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֔י וְצוֹפַ֖ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֑י וַיִּוָּעֲד֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לָב֥וֹא לָנֽוּד־ל֖וֹ וּֽלְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃

Job 2:11

(11) When Job’s three friends heard about all these calamities that had befallen him, each came from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him.

It is from between the two cheruvim - מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים - that God will meet us - וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י - with intention and specificity. From between the Cheruvim.

I’ve always thought of these two Cheruvim as setting up a sort of energetic force field between them: something like two strong magnets that are positioned at a distance from each other. Many if not most of us have had the experience of holding two magnets apart and feeling the pulsing of the energy field between them. Between the two magnets, there is a potential space that is vibrating with energy, with potential energy.

And so with our cheruvim: there is a space between them, filled with profound potential, a space where God tells us that God will come to meet with us, speak with, instruct us, and connect with us.

Here I will allow myself both poetic and rabbinic license: I have always deeply felt that there is a connection between the cheruvim - כְּרֻבִ֖ים - and the verb that means to draw near, to approach: √קרב (karav). To my ear, when I hear "cheruvim" and

שמות ג׳:ה׳

(ה) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּקְרַ֣ב הֲלֹ֑ם שַׁל־נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עוֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו אַדְמַת־קֹ֖דֶשׁ הֽוּא׃

Exodus 3:5

(5) And [God] said, “Do not come closer! Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground!”

You will note that these words begin with dirrecent letters: כְּרֻבִ֖ים with the letter כ (kaf) and קרב with the letter ק (kuf). They are not the same letter; their pronunciation - to a modern ear - will sound very similar.
What does each letter connote:

We will encounter the verbal root numerous times in next week's parsha, Parashat Tetzaveh. In the third book of the Torah, the Book of Leviticus, this verb for "drawing near" is represented many times (102 of the total 263 times this verb appears in Takankh) in the context of sacrifices - korbanot (from the same verbal root) which are a means of drawing close to God.

דברים ל׳:י״ג-י״ד

(יג) וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ {ס}

Deuteronomy 30:13-14

(13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

תהילים קי״ט:קס״ט

(קסט) תִּקְרַ֤ב רִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֣יךָ יהוה כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ הֲבִינֵֽנִי׃

Psalms 119:169

(169)ת May my plea reach You, O ETERNAL One;grant me understanding according to Your word.

The way I think about it, this is similar to what happens when we meet with another human being, with steady focus and presence: we cultivate a space for the Divine to join us, and to speak with us, to teach us and guide us. God’s presence can be manifested in the field that’s created between two people, or in a group of people, or between us and God.

For example, as we learn in Pirkei Avot:

משנה אבות ג׳:ב׳

(ב) אֲבָל שְׁנַיִם שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם...

Pirkei Avot 3:2

(2) but if two sit together and there are words of Torah [spoken] between them, then the Shekhinah abides among them...

וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י

שמות כ״ה:מ׳

(מ) וּרְאֵ֖ה וַעֲשֵׂ֑ה בְּתַ֨בְנִיתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה מׇרְאֶ֖ה בָּהָֽר׃ {ס}

Exodus 25:40

(40) Note well, and follow the patterns for them that are being shown you on the mountain.

What we are shown, on the mountain: bringing it back to our daily / quotidian lives

שמות כ״ו:ו׳

(ו) וְעָשִׂ֕יתָ חֲמִשִּׁ֖ים קַרְסֵ֣י זָהָ֑ב וְחִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַיְרִיעֹ֜ת אִשָּׁ֤ה אֶל־אֲחֹתָהּ֙ בַּקְּרָסִ֔ים וְהָיָ֥ה הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן אֶחָֽד׃

Exodus 26:6

(6) And make fifty gold clasps, and couple the cloths to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle becomes one whole.

שמות כ״ו:י״ב

(יב) וְסֶ֙רַח֙ הָעֹדֵ֔ף בִּירִיעֹ֖ת הָאֹ֑הֶל חֲצִ֤י הַיְרִיעָה֙ הָעֹדֶ֔פֶת תִּסְרַ֕ח עַ֖ל אֲחֹרֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃

Exodus 26:12

(12) As for the overlapping excess of the cloths of the tent, the extra half-cloth shall overlap the back of the tabernacle,

וְסֶ֙רַח֙
hapax legonmenon - what is special about the overlapping remnant? and covering the BACK of the miskan?

שמות כ״ו:י״ב-י״ג

(יב) וְסֶ֙רַח֙ הָעֹדֵ֔ף בִּירִיעֹ֖ת הָאֹ֑הֶל חֲצִ֤י הַיְרִיעָה֙ הָעֹדֶ֔פֶת תִּסְרַ֕ח עַ֖ל אֲחֹרֵ֥י הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃ (יג) וְהָאַמָּ֨ה מִזֶּ֜ה וְהָאַמָּ֤ה מִזֶּה֙ בָּעֹדֵ֔ף בְּאֹ֖רֶךְ יְרִיעֹ֣ת הָאֹ֑הֶל יִהְיֶ֨ה סָר֜וּחַ עַל־צִדֵּ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה לְכַסֹּתֽוֹ׃

Exodus 26:12-13

(12) As for the overlapping excess of the cloths of the tent, the extra half-cloth shall overlap the back of the tabernacle, (13) while the extra cubit at either end of each length of tent cloth shall hang down to the bottom of the two sides of the tabernacle and cover it.

שמות כ״ו:ל׳

(ל) וַהֲקֵמֹתָ֖ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֑ן כְּמִ֨שְׁפָּט֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הׇרְאֵ֖יתָ בָּהָֽר׃ {ס}

Exodus 26:30

(30) Then set up the Tabernacle according to the manner of it that you were shown on the mountain.

שמות כ״ו:ל״ג

(לג) וְנָתַתָּ֣ה אֶת־הַפָּרֹ֘כֶת֮ תַּ֣חַת הַקְּרָסִים֒ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית לַפָּרֹ֔כֶת אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְהִבְדִּילָ֤ה הַפָּרֹ֙כֶת֙ לָכֶ֔ם בֵּ֣ין הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וּבֵ֖ין קֹ֥דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִֽׁים׃

Exodus 26:33

(33) Hang the curtain under the clasps, and carry the Ark of the Pact there, behind the curtain, so that the curtain shall serve you as a partition between the Holy and the Holy of Holies.

שמות כ״ז:ח׳

(ח) נְב֥וּב לֻחֹ֖ת תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹת֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶרְאָ֥ה אֹתְךָ֛ בָּהָ֖ר כֵּ֥ן יַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ {ס}

Exodus 27:8

(8) Make it hollow, of boards. As you were shown on the mountain, so shall they be made.

Toldot Yaakov Yosef (Rabbi Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye, Ukraine, 1710-1784), Parashat Terumah .
"As for the commandment, “make me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell amongst them,” behold, a person is like a small world, in which there is Sanctuary and a Tabernacle… If so, then a person is the pattern of the Tabernacle. That is why it is called a Mishkan - that is, a dwelling - bec within a person there is a dwelling of one part of the soul in the heart, and a dwelling of another part of the soul in the mind. So a person must make themselves into a seat for the dwelling of the Divine Presence, in their heart and in their mind.."
מצוה ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם הנה האדם שהוא עולם קטן ויש בו מקדש ומשכן...וא״כ האדם הוא תבנית המשכן ולפי׳ זה יש לפרש טעם שנקי משכן כי באדם יש משכן הנפש בלב האדם ומשכן הנשמה במוח וצריך האדם שיעשה א״ע כסא להשראת שכינה בלב ומוח
.

Here we have 5 verses that are very descriptive - as is typical of this parsha - telling us about two cherubim - cherubs - that are to sit on top of the ark. They are to be made of gold; they are to have their wings outspread and pointed upward, and they are to be facing each other, each one on an end of the ark cover.

Cheruvim… cherubs… what are these creatures? Many commentators down the ages have explored what these cherubim are or could represent. Rashi, our preeminent Medieaval commentator, suggests that the cherubs have the faces of children. Carrying forward this theme, the Zohar, our fundamental book of Kabbalah - mystical Judaism - also from the middle ages - talks about the voices of children, as they study Torah, sustaining the world - and connects this to the presence of the two golden Cherubs on the ark cover, with their child-like faces as Rashi opined. This suggests that studying Torah makes a space for God to dwell among us.

Let’s look in particular at Chapter 25 Verse 22:

שמות כ״ה:כ״ב

(כב) וְנוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵדֻ֑ת אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֲצַוֶּ֛ה אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}

Exodus 25:22

(22) There I will meet with you, and I will impart to you—from above the cover, from between the two cherubim that are on top of the Ark of the Pact—all that I will command you concerning the Israelite people.

I will arrange My meetings with you there, and I will speak with you from atop the ark cover from between the two cherubim that are upon the Ark of the Testimony, all that I will command you unto the children of Israel.
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כב וְנֽוֹעַדְתִּ֣י לְךָ֘ שָׁם֒ וְדִבַּרְתִּ֨י אִתְּךָ֜ מֵעַ֣ל הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת מִבֵּין֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־אֲר֣וֹן הָֽעֵדֻ֑ת אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֲצַוֶּ֛ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

Acacia wood is highly sought after for its exceptional durability,, water resistance, and striking aesthetic, featuring rich colors and unique grain patterns. It is a dense, eco-friendly, and fast-growing hardwood, making it a sustainable choice for high-traffic furniture, kitchenware, and outdoor applications

Rabbi Anita Josefa Barzman MD Founder, micro-mishkan.net