Tetzaveh: The Aron's Hidden Place: Finding Divine Presence in Times of Destruction
Liluei Nishmas Ita bas Chanoch Aharon Bistritzky
In this week's Parsha, the Torah continues its detailed account of the construction of the Mishkan and the priestly garments worn by the Kohanim during their service. While discussing the laws concerning the Beis HaMikdash, the Rambam shares a fascinating historical insight that, at first glance, seems unnecessary to include.
The Rambam tells us that the Aron was placed in the Kodesh HaKodashim – the innermost sanctum of the Beis HaMikdash – upon a special stone. However, King Shlomo, who built the First Beis HaMikdash, foresaw its eventual destruction and created elaborate, twisted tunnels beneath the Temple Mount. These tunnels were designed specifically to house the Aron when destruction would come.
Later, King Yoshiyahu, despite ruling during a relatively prosperous period for the Jewish people, acted with similar foresight. Anticipating the Beis HaMikdash's eventual destruction, he commanded his servants to place the Aron in these underground chambers. As a result, when the Second Beis HaMikdash was built, the Aron did not return to its original, visible position.
The Rambam concludes this historical account by drawing a parallel: just as the Choshen (breastplate) worn by the Kohen Gadol returned in the Second Beis HaMikdash period but without its prophetic powers, so too the Aron was present but not in its original, visible location.
Several questions arise from this account:
Why does the Rambam, whose work is primarily legal rather than historical, include these details?
Why specifically mention that King Yoshiyahu placed the Aron in these chambers?
What is the significance of comparing the hidden Aron to the breastplate that returned but lost its prophetic function?
The explanation offers a profound insight relevant to our lives today. The Rambam addresses a fundamental question: The Aron represents the essence of the entire Beis HaMikdash – the vessel through which Hashem reveals His presence. How, then, could there be a Second Beis HaMikdash lacking the Aron? Wouldn't this absence negate its very status as a Beis HaMikdash?
The Rambam reveals that the Aron wasn't actually missing from the Second Beis HaMikdash – it was there, just not visible. King Shlomo, the original builder, created not one but two designated places for the Aron: one above ground for times of glory and another below ground for times of destruction. When the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, and the Aron was moved from its visible location to the underground chambers, it wasn't displaced to a random hiding spot – it was moved to its alternate, equally sacred location.
This is why King Yoshiyahu's actions are significant. Even during a time of prosperity, he placed the Aron in its underground chamber, demonstrating that this location was not merely a hiding place but a legitimate, alternative sacred space.
Thus, during the Second Beis HaMikdash period, the Aron remained in its proper place – just not the visible one. This parallels the breastplate worn by the Kohen, which was physically present but without its spiritual radiance.
This teaching contains powerful insights for our personal journeys:
Hashem builds us up with strength and blessings, making our lives successful and upright. Yet sometimes, the edifices of our lives come crashing down through tragedy, mistakes, or failed ambitions. In these moments, it may feel as though God has forsaken us.
The Rambam's teaching reminds us that the same God who builds us up also knows that challenges will come and has prepared a "second space" for us – a place deep within where the Divine presence can reside even during times of destruction. Just as Hashem is attentive when blessing us with success, He remains equally present when watching over us during hardship, ensuring we have a foundation from which to rebuild.
If the Aron had only one legitimate location – above ground in the visible Beis HaMikdash – then complete destruction would have been possible. However, because Hashem created an alternative sacred space below, continuity was guaranteed. The Beis HaMikdash's essence was never truly destroyed because while the above-ground structure fell, the below-ground sanctuary remained intact.
This teaches us that Hashem gives us not only comfort during tragedy but also a space from which we can find new strength and rebuild. What we construct through our own human efforts may fall, but from the deeper, divinely prepared space within us, we can build more lasting structures – ultimately leading to the Third Beis HaMikdash, which will stand forever.
Adapted from “Life Talks on the Parsha”