5786/2026
At the beginning of Parashat Terumah, Hashem commands Moshe to make the Mishkan: ”V’Asu Li Mikdash V’Shachanti BiTocham” “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”(Shemot 25:8). The question is not found by looking deep into the text, but simply grammatically. Why does it say “I may dwell among them”, as opposed to “I may dwell in it”? After all, the Mishkan is a building. Why emphasize “among them”?
Ramban explains that the Mishkan was a continuation of Har Sinai. At Har Sinai, Hashem's presence was revealed openly and in a holy manner, but it could not last forever. The Mishkan helped restore and perpetuate the Kedushah of Har Sinai, with Hashem openly having a place in Bnei Yisrael's lives once more. The revelation moved from Har Sinai to the people, showing why it says “among them”.
But why does Hashem need a house? The Seforno explains that the Mishkan was not for Hashem, but for us. We often need a physical reminder of Hashem's presence, reminding us that He is present in this physical world. The goal of the Mishkan was never the building. Rather, the goal was for Bnei Yisrael to strengthen their connection with Hashem. This is highlighted by the Kli Yakar, who points out that before mentioning the walls and structure of the Mishkan, it describes the Aron. He explains that this is the core of the Mishkan. Not the Mishkan itself, but the Shechinah inside, which truly gives it meaning.
The Mishkan was portable, traveling with Bnei Yisrael in the desert, not being tied to any one location. Its holiness was not tied to one spot, constantly traveling along with it. When the Torah says “I may dwell among them”, it teaches each of us to become our own Mishkan. We can and should embrace Hashem's presence in the physical world, and build the Torah in ourselves, then build everything else around it. In sum, the point of the Mishkan is not to make a building for Hashem, but it is to make space for Him inside ourselves and truly connect with Him.