Higher Levels on Mount Moriah; Ascending Plateaus of Holiness
In Hilchos Beis HaBechirah, the Rambam
writes:1
The [Beis Ha]Mikdash was not built on a level plane,
but rather on the incline of the mountain. A person who entered the eastern
gate of the Mount [of the] Beis [HaMikdash] would proceed until the end
of the surrounding rampart on one level. He would ascend from the surrounding
rampart to the Woman’s Courtyard with twelve steps, each step being half a cubit
high, and half a cubit wide....
He would ascend from [the Women’s Courtyard] to the Courtyard
of the Israelites... with fifteen steps.... He would ascend from it to the
Priestly Courtyard with one step, a cubit high. Above [that step] was a platform
of three steps, each a half-cubit in height....
From [the Courtyard], he would ascend to the Entrance Hall
[of the Sanctuary] with twelve steps.... The Entrance Hall and the Sanctuary
were on the same plane.
The commentaries2 note that these ascents correspond to different
levels of holiness within the Beis HaMikdash. As the Rambam writes
in the following chapter:3
The Women’s Courtyard is holier than the surrounding
rampart.... The Courtyard of the Israelites is holier than the Women’s
Courtyard.... The Priestly Courtyard is holier than [the Courtyard of the
Israelites....] The Sanctuary is holier than [the portion of the Courtyard]
between the altar and the Entrance Hall.
As one ascended to higher levels of holiness within the
Beis HaMikdash, one made an actual physical ascent. The four points at which
a person was required to climb steps, represented four different planes of
holiness.4
A Reflection of the Spiritual Within the Material Context of
Our Existence
The Rambam’s wording — “was not..., but rather” —
appears to indicate that building the Beis HaMikdash in this manner was
not merely a structural necessity because of the situation of the building on
Mount Moriah, but rather, a halachic requirement. The construction of the
Beis HaMikdash on different levels, reflecting the different planes of
holiness, was part of the Divine vision granted to King David which served as
the source for the plans for the structure of the complex.
What is the rationale for such a concept? The selection of Mount Moriah as
“the place which G‑d your L‑rd shall choose,”5 changed the nature of that site for all time. The actual
physical place became holy. Therefore, the varying levels of height within that
place mirrored the different spiritual levels associated with it.6
The distinction between these different levels of holiness
and their connection to their actual physical site is reflected by the fact that
these distinctions remain for all time, even after the Beis HaMikdash has
been destroyed. Thus the Rambam states7 that it is permitted to partake of
sacrifices of the most holy order (ohase hase) on the site of the Courtyard of
the Beis HaMikdash, even though the structure is destroyed and the
courtyard is not set aside by a divider. This indicates that, not only does the
sanctity of the Beis HaMikdash as a whole remain in the present era — all
the particular distinctions associated with the different levels of holiness
also continue to prevail.
A Totally Unique
Plane of Holiness
This concept, however, prompts a question: Why wasn’t the Holy of Holies
higher than the Sanctuary? The Holy of Holies represented the ultimate peak of
sanctity within the world, the place where G‑d’s presence was manifest in a
revealed manner. Why wasn’t this dimension also reflected within the actual
structure of the Beis HaMikdash?
Within this question itself, however, lies the key to its
resolution. The sanctity of the Holy of Holies was on a totally different plane
from the other portions of the Beis HaMikdash. The differences between
the other levels of holiness were relative, and a comparison could be made
between one level and another. Hence, these differences were able to be
expressed by a difference in height. The Holy of Holies, by contrast, could not
be compared to any of the other portions of the Beis HaMikdash. The
manifestation of the Divine Presence placed it in a category of its own.
Indeed, this distinction was so unique that it could not be expressed in
physical terms.8
These concepts have parallels in our divine service. A
person must realize that his spiritual development requires continual growth.
As a person ascends to a higher level of holiness, he must also elevate himself
as a person.9
Ultimately, however, a person must realize that the highest
levels of spiritual fulfillment cannot be attained by virtue of one’s own
achievements. It is only through nullifying one’s self entirely that one becomes
a resting place for the Divine Presence and a vehicle for the expression of His
will.
May the above concepts soon be expressed in actual physical
terms, with the coming of the Redemption and the rebuilding of the Beis
HaMikdash. And then, “we will ascend, appear, and bow down before
You;”10 may this
take place in the immediate future.
Adapted from Likkutei Sichos Vol. XXIX, Parshas
Re’eh
