God’s Voice Stops Here

In the first pasuk of Parshat Vayikra, we read how Hashem called Moshe from the Ohel Moed. Rashi quotes a Midrash how God’s voice could only be heard within the Mishkan. This was not because the Divine Voice was weak; rather it was because Hashem chose for the voice to only be heard within the confines of the Tabernacle:

This teaches us that the [Divine] voice stopped and did not project itself beyond the Tent [of Meeting]. One might think that this was because the voice was low. Scripture therefore says, “[And when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting, he heard] the voice” (Num. 7:89). What is the meaning of “the voice” [with the definite article]? It is the voice referred to in Psalms (29:4-5): “The voice of the Lord is in strength; the voice of the Lord is in beauty. The voice of the Lord breaks cedars.” If so, why does it say, “[and the Lord spoke to him] from the Tent of Meeting”? [To inform us] that the [Divine] voice stopped.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein asked: if God wanted the Divine Voice to only be heard within the Mishkan, then why was it a “strong” voice? Rabbi Feinstein answers that the Divine voice is strong to teach us that the word of God is in fact accessible to anyone interested in hearing it. The fact that it could only be heard within the confines of the Mishkan teaches us that in order to connect with God and His Word, we must put ourselves in situations that are conducive to that experience. That is why the Divine Voice was loud in the Mishkan, but undiscernible outside of the Tabernacle. We have a choice whether to be within earshot of Hashem’s voice.  It’s loud enough and it’s accessible. It is up to us and our free will whether we choose to hear.

Our synagogue is a Mikdash Me’at, a miniature Tabernacle. There are many ways to hear the Divine voice within our physical shul campus, as well as through the reach of the people and programs associated with our shul. All it takes to benefit from the voice of our shul is to make the choice to be a part of what we have to offer. If you choose to remain outside of the shul sphere of influence it becomes much harder to access those benefits. The most important decision is when we choose to take that step into the Mishkan/ our shul. As the verse in Tehillim states:

 פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַֽׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק אָֽבֹא־בָ֜֗ם א֘וֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ:

זֶֽה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה צַ֜דִּיקִ֗ים יָ֘בֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ:

“Open for me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter them and thank God. This is the Lord's gate; the righteous will enter therein.” Even if they are open, each of us needs to make the righteous choice to take that all important first step through the gates.