Midot Hayom: Day 19: Hod in Tiferet
How do we know that the world depends on the service of God? As long as the service in the Beit Hamikdash is ongoing, the world is blessed, and the rains come down in season. But when the service in the Beit Hamikdash is not performed, the world is not blessed, and the rains do not come down in season. Said Israel to the Holy One, Blessed is He, “Master of the universe, why did You do this to us? God answered, “You looked for much, but behold, it is little, because My House is ruined, while you run, each to his own house.” (Haggai 1:9) But if you involve yourself in the service of the Beit Hamikdash, I will bless you as in the beginning. Avot of Rabbi Nathan 4:4
The people had an opportunity to rebuild God’s home, yet they were too busy making money to work on the Beit Hamikdash. God’s Home is a reflection of heaven on earth. It represents the balance between the upper and lower worlds. As long as God’s house, His Glory, lay in ruins, the balance was disturbed, and the glory of the earth, its produce, was not blessed from heaven.
It is our responsibility to nurture the Glory of God and His service, in order to maintain the proper balance between heaven and earth. Our responsibility, on this day of the Omer, is to nurture the Glory of God in every aspect of His service. Everything we do as part of His service must reflect His Glory. We must perform the Mitzvot, we must recite our prayers and study His Torah with a sense of Glory. We must beautify our service. We must pray with a sense that what we are doing is glorious and beautiful. We must study Torah with an appreciation of the magnificence of its richness. We must perform our Mitzvot with a deep sense that each Mitzvah is a glorious opportunity.