Musar su Salmi 45:14

We need to clarify that the significance of מקום, place, is something that pertains to all matters pertaining to קדושות, sacred matters. Here, in the instance of the holiness of the Sabbath, limitations have been put in place as to the transfer both of objects to a different domain regardless of distance and of the human being to a different domain beyond certain boundaries. The views of the different Rabbis on the subject are all דברי אלוקים חיים, reflect genuine Torah viewpoints. When we observe the holiness of the Temple, a distinction has been made between service that is performed inside the Sanctuary and service performed on the copper altar outside the Sanctuary itself. [the majority of all service. Ed.] The Torah (Leviticus 21,12) says of the High Priest: ומן המקדש אל יצא, "he must not leave the Sanctuary." When discussing the sanctity of the place where one studies Torah, our sages say that whoever has reserved a specific place for himself for the study of Torah will overcome his enemies (Berachot 7). The same applies to someone who prays in the same place regularly. The sites in which holy tasks are performed are surrounded by קליפות, wicked people or influences. These influences form a barrier between our sins and our ability to approach G–d. Reserving specific places, seats, etc., is a method adopted by G–d's holy people, Israel, to internalise holiness so that it is not perceived externally. We know that the real "honour" of the king's daughter is פנימה, within the confines of her house (Psalms 45,14).

We have stated earlier that G–d's name appears in connection with the Sanctuary both as the Ineffable four-lettered Name, and in the form of the name א-ד-נ-י. Perhaps this concept is also reflected in the fact that there were four garments made of gold, and four garments made of white linen. The white garments symbolised the Ineffable Name, the mystical dimension of the attribute of Mercy, whereas the four golden garments represented the mystical dimension of the name א-ד-נ-י. We find the expression ממשבצות זהב לבושה, "her dress embroidered with golden mountings" in Psalms 45,14. The Psalmist uses the name א-ד-נ-י for the name of G–d in that chapter.

I have already given a reason for the importance and nature of the incense offering earlier. Rekanati comments on this as follows: "Incense is an allusion to the attribute of Justice, as we know from Deut. 33,10: ישימו קטורה באפיך וכליל על מזבחך, 'They place incense (on the Golden Altar) when You are angry, and total offferings on Your (copper) Altar.' Aaron did this and succeeded in arresting the plague that was consuming the lives of the Israelites (Numbers 17,12-14). We know from Psalms 45,14 that Aaron offered that incense on the Golden Altar: ממשבצות זהב לבושה. To assure the effectiveness of such an offering of incense he had to concentrate on the Ineffable Name while doing so, wishing the incense to become ריח ניחוח, a fragrance pleasing to G–d. We also have a tradition based on Proverbs 27,9: "Oil and incense gladdens the heart." This is because the incense offering as a rule, does not represent an effort to achieve forgiveness for some sin committed, but is an expression of man trying to place a crown on the head of its rightful owner, G–d in this instance. It is an attempt to insure that G–d relates to us in a constantly happy frame of mind. The emanation מלכות is regarded as the heart, לב, of heaven. The Torah writes in Exodus 30,8: "When Aaron lights up the lamps he shall burn it, an incense offering before the Lord." It is interesting that the offering up of the incense offering is made dependent on the performance of the lighting-up ceremony of the candlestick. This is in order to achieve the mystical union with the emanations representing the בנין. We have pointed out in our commentary on פרשת תרומה that the candlestick with its seven lamps symbolised the process of creation, or בנין. At the same time it symbolised the original light which illuminated the universe during the first seven days of its existence, as I demonstrated when I described how everything in connection with the construction of the Tabernacle was a re-enactment of the work of creation. Aaron was the rehabilitation of Adam. All existence is bound up with this תקון, rehabilitation. The incense offering is the clearest indication that the rehabilitation has indeed been completed. The lighting of the candlestick symbolises that the rehabilitation will endure, i.e. that the universe will endure, that the seven days of creation have been found justified.