Friday, October 11, 2013
Is the Beit Hamikdash Hevel???
Shlomo built the Beit Hamikdash. Not only was the building so beautiful, it's the only man made structure that we can consider to be absolutely perfect. There were non-stop miracles happening their everyday. From the bread on the shulchan staying fresh all week, to the smoke that went straight up to shemayim. How could you say this isn't something significant that changes the world? He built a building where you could feel G-ds presence. When he finished the building, the Kohanim couldn't even do their work, because the ruach of Hashem was so strong. The Beit Hamikdash, unlike the elements of nature, is not a cycle that accomplishes nothing. Hashem comes down from Shemayim to dwell in it. It connects man to Shamayim (Hashem). If Kohelet built a building so beautiful, that brings people an instant connection to Hashem, how can he say ALL of man's work is hevel?
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I agree with this completely, Yehudit. It seems like Shlomo is just being selfish when he says Hakol Hevel. I interrupted it in the way that he knew it was very nice, but the reason he said it was Hakol Hevel because he could not use it. You made me realize that it could also be that he just does not think it is perfect. Either way, if Shlomo is so wise, why cant he just realize that the creation was so beautiful and worth so much?
ReplyDeleteYehudit, I liked how you connected Shlomo's past with his "present" self (or the self we're learning about). It seems that in the midst of all of his complaining he forgot about the great things he had done that made a huge impact. I think it has something to do with the fact that we have yet to hear from a more spiritual side of Shlomo. Once he focuses on the religious aspects of the purpose of life, he might find more meaning and realize that the things he had done were not Hevel.
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