Constant Connection

“And they shall build for me a Sanctuary and I will dwell within them.” The Sages explain: “within them” – within the heart of every single Jew.

How does the main function of the Temple, the sacrificial service, make man’s heart ready to receive G-d?

The blood and fat of the sacrifice represent the preoccupations and pleasures of man’s heart. The awareness of what his sacrifice represents sensitizes him to refocus and dedicate his entire being towards G-d.

The animal sacrifice, brought on the Outer Altar, represents man’s devotion through G-dly pursuits which, even on the outside, are holy. The incense sacrifice, brought on the Inner Altar, represents man’s constant connection to G-d in all areas of life, even in that which appears mundane.