Thursday, February 3, 2011

Ohel Moed

The Mishkan is also called Ohel Moed, the place where HaShem communicates with Moshe (BaMidbar 7:89):

ובבא משה אל אהל מועד לדבר אתו וישמע את הקול מדבר אליו מעל הכפרת אשר על ארן העדת מבין שני הכרבים וידבר אליו

The Mishkan was, as it were, a portable Har Sinai, to be taken along Israel's journeys. In Eretz Yierael, the Mishkan became the Mikdash. The final location of the Mikdash is in Yerushalayim. It rested on the place from where the Shechina does not depart. Learn the importance of location: Even Moshe needed to enter the Ohel Moed.