RAMBAM FOR THE 3 WEEKS

Building Through Study The Rambam introduces every one of the fourteen books of the Mishneh Torah with a verse from the Prophets or the Sacred Writings. For Sefer Avodah, “the Book of Divine Service,” which contains a description of the Beis HaMikdash and the sacrifices offered there, he employs the verse:1 “Seek out the welfare of Jerusalem, those who love you shall prosper.” Most of the other verses the Rambam chooses merely indi­cate a point of connection to the subject under discussion. The selection of this verse, by contrast, is intrinsically related to the purpose of studying the laws that follow. For it implies that there is an obligation to “Seek out the welfare of Jerusalem,” to concern oneself with the structure and functions of the Beis HaMikdash although we are, at present, incapable of actually building it.2 To explain: One of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah is the commandment to build a Sanctuary,3 and the fulfillment of this commandment is incumbent upon every Jewish man and woman.4 The desired manner of fulfilling this commandment is to participate in the actual construction of the Beis HaMikdash. Nevertheless, in an era when this is not possible, G‑d has offered us an alternative. To cite an example from history: G‑d revealed the details of the structure of the Beis HaMikdash of the Era of the Redemp­tion to the prophet Yechezkel, and told him:5 “Tell the people of Israel of the House... and measure the design.” Our Sages relate:6 Yechezkel replied to Him: “Master of the Earth, why are You telling me to go and tell Israel the form of the House... They are now in exile in the land of our ene­mies. Is there anything they can do [about it]? Let them be until they return from the exile. Then, I will go and inform them.” G‑d answered: “Should the construction of My House be ignored because My children are in exile?” G‑d declared: “The study of the Torah’s [design of the Beis HaMikdash] can be equated to its [actual] construc­tion. Go, tell them to study the form of the Beis HaMik­dash. As a reward for their study and their occupation with it, I will consider it as if they actually built the Beis HaMikdash.”