Should synagogues be a "little sanctuary" (Miqdash Me`at) as argued by traditional Qaraites?

[Zvi]

Zvi <zvi.tor...@gmail.com> Oct 19 07:06AM -0700 ^


~ Blessed be YHWH forevermore ~


The pasuq (verse) in which this expression figures states (translated
pretty faithfully):


17 therefore say: Thus says My Lord YHWH: I will even gather you from
the peoples, and assemble you, out of the countries, where you have
been scattered; and I will give you, the land of Israel. (Yehezqel/
Ezekiel 11)


Comment: It appears that the Peshat (straightforward or simple
meaning) doesn't justify this traditional Qaraite interpretation. Am I
the only member with this opinion? Please chime in on this.


-Zvi

[Yaaqov Ben Yisrael]

Shalom Zvi,

 

 The pasuq above the one you quoted states:

 

לָכֵ֣ן אֱמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ כִּ֤י הִרְחַקְתִּים֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם וְכִ֥י הֲפִֽיצֹותִ֖ים בָּאֲרָצֹ֑ות וָאֱהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ לְמִקְדָּ֣שׁ מְעַ֔ט בָּאֲרָצֹ֖ות אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ שָֽׁם׃

Therefore say, "So my Lord YHWH said, 'Though I have banished them among the nations, and though I have scattered them among the lands; even so I shall be a small sanctuary for them, among the nation where they have gone.'"

 

It is YHWH who says He will be as a small sanctuary for them in the Lands they are banished to and scattered among. How can anyone make YHWH a literal sanctuary? He is everywhere; if we take the understanding that when we pray we are standing before the presence of YHWH, then in those times and in those places He is our little sanctuary. This could be what is intended by Hoshea's statement:   

קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כָּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֹן֙ וְקַח־טֹ֔וב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃

Our words in the above could imply our prayers which will thus be considered the bulls of our lips. This is spoken of Israel, who was scattered among the nations and thus banished from the Chosen Place and thus offering the real sacrificial offerings, etc.

 

 A beith kenisah is a place of gathering: prayer and reading Torah is the main reason for such a building. If YHWH would be a little sanctuary to us individually, then I see no reason why He would not be so even more collectively.   

אָ֧ז נִדְבְּר֛וּ יִרְאֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁ֤ב יְהוָה֙ וַיִּשְׁמָ֔ע וַ֠יִּכָּתֵב סֵ֣פֶר זִכָּרֹ֤ון לְפָנָיו֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖י שְׁמֹֽו׃

וְהָ֣יוּ לִ֗י אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות לַיֹּ֕ום אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֣ה סְגֻלָּ֑ה וְחָמַלְתִּ֣י עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יַחְמֹ֣ל אִ֔ישׁ עַל־בְּנֹ֖ו הָעֹבֵ֥ד אֹתֹֽו׃

וְשַׁבְתֶּם֙ וּרְאִיתֶ֔ם בֵּ֥ין צַדִּ֖יק לְרָשָׁ֑ע בֵּ֚ין עֹבֵ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֔ים לַאֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א עֲבָדֹֽו׃

Yaaqov ben Yisrael

[Kphiyr]

Shalom Haverim,

I understand that we should treat shuls with respect, but to pretend they are little temples seems odd to me. Any place outside of Israel that Jews choose to gather to worship YHWH is a good, but the place is of little importance. This is only my limited opinion though.

Also, I don't believe YHWH is everywhere, but I do believe He can watch anyone at any place. To me, He is outside of His creation.

Kphiyr

[Tirtzah bat Yisra'el]

Shabat shalom Kphiyr:

 

Would tend to agree with you as far as the distinction you set forth.  Since it is only a gathering place and not the actual Temple with the Ark of the Covenant and the place He chose to place His Name there, I believe we could enter it even in an unclean state.  Given that we don't have the animal blood sacrifice and the kohenim to sprinkle the blood of cleansing on us when that is called for, we all remain in an unclean state until such time as His Temple is restored and His Kohenim, in my opinion.

 

Tirtzah

Kphiyr

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May YHWH continually increase our understanding of His Torah
Tirtzah

[Kphiyr]

Shavu'a Tov Tirtzah.

I concur with that. :)

Hope you're doing well.

Kphiyr

On Saturday, August 24, 2013 7:48:43 AM UTC-7, Tirtzah bat Yisra'el wrote:

Shabat shalom Kphiyr:

 

Would tend to agree with you as far as the distinction you set forth.  Since it is only a gathering place and not the actual Temple with the Ark of the Covenant and the place He chose to place His Name there, I believe we could enter it even in an unclean state.  Given that we don't have the animal blood sacrifice and the kohenim to sprinkle the blood of cleansing on us when that is called for, we all remain in an unclean state until such time as His Temple is restored and His Kohenim, in my opinion.

 

Tirtzah

On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 11:41 PM, Kphiyr <Kph...@kphiyr.com> wrote:

Shalom Haverim,

I understand that we should treat shuls with respect, but to pretend they are little temples seems odd to me. Any place outside of Israel that Jews choose to gather to worship YHWH is a good, but the place is of little importance. This is only my limited opinion though.

Also, I don't believe YHWH is everywhere, but I do believe He can watch anyone at any place. To me, He is outside of His creation.

Kphiyr

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