The Holy Temple

Ezekiel said: "Master of the World, 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?

"The study of the Torah's [design of the Holy Temple] can be equated to its construction. Go tell them to study the form of the Temple. As a reward for their study and their occupation with it, I will consider it as if they actually built it."

Implicit in the wording used in this passage is that the study of the laws of the Holy Temple, has ramifications that extend far beyond the ordinary sphere of intellectual activity. Rather, through this study, a person fulfills his obligation to build the Temple.