Imagine, for a moment, being in his sandals, standing in the very presence of God. It's a question that has captivated Jewish scholars and storytellers for centuries. The Legends of the Jews, that incredible compilation of rabbinic lore assembled by Louis Ginzberg, offers a glimpse into just such a mystical encounter.
According to this tradition, after receiving the Torah, Moses pleaded with God. He didn't ask for power or glory. He asked for something far more profound: "Permit me to speak to Thy Messiah before I die." Think about that for a moment. To speak to the Messiah before death... what a powerful desire!
God, in His infinite wisdom, granted Moses this request. But there was a condition. "Come," God said, "I shall teach thee My great name, that the flames of the Shekinah not consume thee." The Shekinah (שְׁכִינָה) refers to the divine presence, the radiant glory of God. The name God was to impart was so potent, so filled with divine energy, that it could be dangerous if not handled with the utmost reverence.
Now, picture this scene. Moses, imbued with the secret, approaches the Messiah, David's son, and Aaron. They immediately recognized that Moses had been taught the great name. In a moment of profound respect, they greeted him with the words: "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord." A beautiful moment of recognition and blessing.
Moses, overwhelmed by what he was witnessing, then exclaimed, "God told me that Israel was to erect a Temple to Him upon earth, and I now see Him build His own Temple, and that, too, in heaven!" He realized that the earthly Temple was just a reflection of something far grander, a divine archetype existing in the celestial realms.
The Messiah responded, offering a profound insight. "Thy father Jacob saw the Temple that will be erected on earth, and also the Temple that God rears with His own hand in heaven, and he clearly understood that it was the Temple God constructed with His own hand in heaven as house of jewels, of pearls, and of the light of the Shekinah, that was to be preserved for Israel to all eternity, to the end of all generations." It's a breathtaking image, isn't it? A Temple built of light and jewels, a celestial sanctuary meant to endure forever.
The Messiah continues, elaborating on Jacob's vision. "This was in the night when Jacob slept upon a stone, and in his dream beheld one Jerusalem upon earth, and another in heaven. God then said to Jacob, 'My son Jacob, to-day I stand above thee as in the future thy children will stand before Me.'" According to this legend, Jacob's famous dream wasn't just about angels ascending and descending a ladder. It was about seeing the two Jerusalems, the earthly and the heavenly, side by side.
Jacob, upon seeing these two cities, understood something crucial. "The Jerusalem on earth is nothing, this is not the house that will be preserved for my children in all generations, but in truth that other house of God, that He builds with His own hands." The earthly Jerusalem is important, yes, but it is the heavenly Jerusalem, the divine Temple, that holds the true promise of eternity.
But the Messiah offers a final, reassuring thought. "But if thou sayest that God with His own hands builds Himself a Temple in heaven, know then that with His hands also He will build the Temple upon earth." The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, often speaks of the interconnectedness of the earthly and heavenly realms. The Messiah's words echo this idea. The divine blueprint exists, and God will ensure its manifestation here on earth.
So, what does this all mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that even in the midst of our earthly concerns, we should never lose sight of the divine, the eternal, the heavenly Jerusalem that exists within us and above us. Perhaps the story encourages us to seek out those moments of connection, those glimpses of the Shekinah, that remind us of the grander, more beautiful reality that surrounds us. Can we, like Moses, strive to see beyond the veil?