Guardians of Kedushah

akivalane@gmail.com

Oct 8, 2023

 

·        Adam and Chava were in Gan Eden where everything was perfect.

·        All their needs were taken care of, and they had no worries.

·        Then they sinned, and they were banished from Gan Eden.

·        Hashem set up angels called Cruvim on the Eastern side of Gan Eden to keep Adam and
Chava from returning.

 

·        The Cruvim are mentioned in only one other place in the Chumash.

·        The Cruvim are also over the Aron Kodesh in the Kedosh Kedoshim in the Mishkan and the Bais Hamikdosh.

·        The Aron Kodesh is in the center of the Kedosh Kedoshim, and contain 3 forms of the Torah -  the luchos, the broken luchos, and a torah scroll.

 

·        Interestingly, the entrance to the Bais Hamikdosh and the Kedosh Kedoshim was also from the East, just like the entrance to Gan Eden was from the East.

·        That is why the Western Wall – that was on the Western side of Har Habayis - is on the same side of Har Habayis as the Kedosh Kedoshim, while the entrance to Har Habayis and the Bais Hamikdosh was from the East.

 

·        The first Perek of Mishnayos Kelim says that there are 10 levels of Kedushah in terms of Macom, place. 

·        The first level of Kedushah it mentions is all of Eretz Yisroel.  Then the Mishnah works its way up to the 10th and highest level, and that is the Kedosh Kedoshim – the holy of holies inside the Bais Hamikdosh.

·        We see that the Cruvim guard Gan Eden, and are on the Aron Kodesh in the holiest place in the world, in the Kedosh Kedoshim.

·        The implication is that the Cruvim guard places that have the highest level of Kedushah, of holiness.

 

·        Therefore, there are 3 things that are being compared to each other in terms of their having the highest level of Kedushah.

·        Gan Eden, the Kedosh Kedoshim, and the Torah.

·        The Cruvim are on top of the Aron Kodesh that contains three forms of the Torah – the Luchos, the broken Luchos, and a Torah scroll.

·        This suggests that when we learn Torah, we are connecting to this highest level of Kedushah, and it’s like entering the Kedosh Kedoshim and Gan Eden.

 

·        The Cruvim are guardians of Kedushah.

·        They stand guard in Gan Eden and in the Kedosh Kedoshim.

·        They stand guard over the Aron Kodesh that contains the Torah.

 

·        There is a fourth thing that we as Jews experience that also has this intense level of Kedushah, similar to Gan Eden, the Kedosh Kedoshim, and the Torah -  and that is Shabbos.

·        Beyah 16a describes how the Jewish people were introduced to Shabbos after the first week in the Midbar.

·        Here – in Beyah 16a - the Marshah says here that Shabbos is like Gan Eden before Adam and Chava sinned.

·        The Marshah says that one of the reasons that Melachah is prohibited on Shabbos, is that there was no Melachah in Gan Eden before the Chet.

·        Melachah is just not appropriate for Gan Eden, or Shabbos, and is prohibited.

 

·        Therefore, as the sun is setting on Friday afternoon and we are about to enter Shabbos, it is as though we are entering the Bais Hamikdosh from the East, going into the Kedosh Kedoshim, to a world infused with the holiness of the Torah, that is like Gan Eden before the Chet.

·        And we spend the next 25 hours in that intensely Holy place.

 

·        At the start of Shabbos, as we pass through the entrance to Gan Eden – and enter the Kedosh Kedoshim in the Bais Hamikdosh – the holiest place in the world – you would think that we might see the Cruvim that are standing guard – on top of the Aron Kodesh, and at the entrance to Gan Eden. 

·        I would suggest that we do see the Cruvim – and that is who we sing Sholem Alechim to.

·        After singing Sholem Alechim to them, and we pass into Gan Eden, into the Kedodosh Kedoshim, into the Torah inside the Aron Kodesh – and we go fully into the Mocom Kodesh of Shabbos – what do we say to the Cruvim?

·        Then we say goodbye to them – Tasi-t’chem Sholom – thank you for standing guard, we are going further into the heart of the Kedushah of Shabbos, of Gan Eden, the Torah, and the Kedosh Kedoshim.

 

·        The next day, when Shabbos is ending, we prepare to leave this intensely spiritual place.

·        As we exit the Mishkan and Bais Hamikdosh, we find ourselves in the entry room of the Haichel.

·        There were three things in the entry room of the Haichel – The Shulchan, the Menorah, and the spices of the Ketoras.

·        And sure enough, we find these three objects in front of us during Havdalah.

·        The wine is on the Shulchan.

·        The light is coming from the Havdalah candle, similar to the way light came from the Menorah.

·        And we smell the spices that is reminiscent of the Ketoras.

 

·        So next Friday afternoon, as we get ready to prepare for Shabbos, let’s remember this analogy of the Cruvim guarding places of Kedushah.

·        We are entering the holiest place in the world – infused with the Kedushah of Shabbos, the Kedosh Kedoshim, the Torah, and Gan Eden.

·        As we enter Gan Eden, we sing Sholem Alechem to the Cruvim that are standing guard there.

·        We are entering a place infused with the Kedusha of the Torah.

·        In fact, every time we learn Torah, we are also entering this Macom of Kedushah.

·        Then on Shabbos we spend 25 hours in this Macom and Zman of Kedushah, of Shabbos.

·        Then when we leave, we pass through the entry room of the Bais Hamikdosh, that has the Shulchan, the Menorah, and Ketoras.

·        Then we make Havdallah, leaving this place and zman of intense Kedushah – of Shabbos, Torah, the Kodesh Kedoshim of the Bais Hamikdosh, and Gan Eden.