In the next stage of the Avodah, the Kohanim would arrange the pyres on top of the Mizbeach, including the large pyre for the sacrifices and the smaller pyre for the incense. In addition, 2 blocks of wood would be placed on the main fire each morning, referred to as the Shnei Gizrei Eitzim.
Our sages tell us that fireball would fall from Heaven onto the altar to consume the Korbanos. Nonetheless, it was still a Mitzvah to place wood on the Mizbeach each day, to fuel the fire in a natural way, through earthly, human effort. The same is true in maintaining the love that the Neshama has for Hashem. Love is like a fire. The flames of passion burn with intensity. But if not maintained, the flames eventually die down and the fire will go out. Our relationship with Hashem has ‘fireball’ moments. We become inspired on the Yomim Tovim and Yomim Noraim. We may experience a personal awakening from Above where we feel connected and Hashem draws us close, through little or no effort of our own. This love comes to us as a gift from Heaven. But to keep our love burning, we can’t rely only on these fireball moments to do the trick. Hashem wants us to feeding the fire on a daily basis through our own earthly efforts. We do this in study and prayer, by using our own minds and hearts to meditate on Hashem’s greatness and try to connect to Him and sense His presence. The earthly fire, fuelled by the wood each day was the magnet that elicited the fireball from Heaven. When we try to cultivate and develop our love for Hashem through our own efforts, the fire from below, Hashem will respond with a powerful revelation of His presence within our lives with His fire from above.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
All posts
Read today's Beis Hamikash Thought Archives
July 2023
|