Spiritual Tools-Terumah-Torah Study as a Mishkan

It is well known that the Patriarchs themselves constituted the Divine Chariot (Bereishit Rabbah 47:6), for throughout their lives they never, not even for a moment, abstained from binding their mind and soul to the Lord of the universe, with total self surrender to His blessed Unity (Likkutei Amarim, Chapter 23). So for all the prophets after them, each according to the level of his soul and his perception. However, the rank of Moses our teacher surpassed them all, for concerning him it was said, “The Divine Presence speaks out of Moses’ throat (Zohar, Volume III:232a).”

On Mount Sinai the Children of Israel experienced something similar to this union, but they could not endure it, as the Rabbis said: “At each Divine Utterance their souls took flight (Shabbat 88b),” which is an indication of the annihilation of their existence. Therefore God commanded at once that there be made for Him in a Sanctuary, containing the Holy of Holies, so that there might dwell therein His Divine Presence, which is the revelation of His blessed Unity.

However, since the Temple was destroyed, God has no other sanctuary or habitation for His blessed Unity save the “Four cubits of the Halacha (Berachot 8a),” which is His Will and Wisdom as embodied in the laws which have been set out for us. Therefore, after reflecting deeply on the subject of self nullification, according to his capacity, one should reflect deeply as follows:

“My mind is the root of my soul are too limited to constitute a Chariot and an abode for His blessed Unity in perfect truth, since my mind cannot at all conceive and apprehend Him in any manner or degree of perception in the world, not even an iota of the perception of the patriarchs and the prophets. This being the case, I shall make for Him a Tabernacle and habitation by engaging in the study of Torah, as my time permits, at appointed times by day and by night in accordance with the law which was given to each individual as specified in the laws of the study of Torah.” (Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, chapter 34)