Terumah: Accessible Restriction: The Ark's Paradox

 By Josh Appel

Parshas Terumah introduces us to what the Ramban considers the ultimate goal of Sefer Shemos: the Mishkan. At the heart of the Mishkan lies the Ark of the Covenant, the Aron HaKodesh.

What's intriguing is the subtle yet profound paradox surrounding the Aron. Traditionally, we perceive the Aron as the epitome of holiness. It resides in the Holy of Holies, accessible only once a year by the high priest in his most sacred state. In the annals of Neviim, particularly during the era of David, we witness calamity and death befalling those who show disrespect to the Aron. It stands as the most concentrated vessel of Hashra'as HaShechina in our world. From this perspective, the Aron appears as a vessel of strict restriction.

However, the Aron also housed the Torah given to Moshe at Sinai. In fact, the presence of the Luchos enhanced the sanctity of the Aron. Our sages teach, and the Rambam codifies this in Perek Gimmel of Hilchos Talmud Torah, that the Aron symbolizes the crown of Torah. While kingship and priesthood are determined by lineage, the crown of Torah is “Munach L’Kol,” available to all. “All who wish to grasp it may come and take it.”

The question arises: How can these two seemingly contradictory realities coexist? How can the Aron be both the most restricted and exalted physical entity in our world and, simultaneously, a symbol of the democratic potential of Torah study?

A similar phenomenon unfolds during the event of Kabalas HaTorah. At Har Sinai, each member of Klal Yisrael personally heard the voice of Hashem: “You have seen that from the heavens I have spoken with you.” Yet, only one person, not only approached but ascended the mountain, while the rest of the nation was repeatedly warned to keep their distance. Why, during the moment of our national and individual covenant, when Hashem established a personal bond with us, were we instructed to remain at a distance?

I believe the answer is crucial for understanding our relationship with the Torah, the word of Hashem. Although the Torah is accessible to all, and though God speaks to each of us, we cannot approach the Torah with our preconceived notions. We cannot ascend Har Sinai to seize the Torah; rather, Har Sinai comes to us. We must prepare ourselves properly to receive it. The Torah is not reserved solely for the geniuses and the saintly, yet it is not something to be grasped casually. Rav Hirsch’s interpretation of the question posed to us in the heavens—whether we established our lives according to the Torah's will or adjusted the Torah to fit the trends of the day—highlights this point. When we recognize that the Torah is not merely a book but something sacred, reserved for the innermost sanctum, then we can indeed “grasp it and take it.”