Searching for Sanctity in the Wrong Places | Rabbi Shmuel Goldin | February 17th 2026

that we don't often notice in the text. It's a pattern that speaks to a fundamental principle of our tradition and that is where kadusha can be found. Where is kadusha? What is what is sanctified and what does sanctity mean? We're going to begin begin with a mystery which is appropriate because it's mystery concerning the the basic line of this week's para the fundamental foundation the mikdash vishant they shall create for me a mikdash a holy place and I will dwell within them now most of the people focus on the problem that emerges from the first half of the sentence to the second it doesn't seem to match right they'll create for me this mikdash I should should have said it out well within it right so the answer according to many within kazal is that no god isn't living in the mikdash he's in our hearts he is in the camp if we build this mikdash he will be there but there's another question that's raised by the or he says this is the only and this is the mystery this This is the only place in the Torah where the Torah refers to this particular edifice, the Mishkan, as a mikdash. Every other time it's mentioned in the Torah, it's mentioned it's called the Mishka or the or the the I'm trying to think of the word I'm thinking now. Uh oh. Right. So, but it nowhere is nowhere is it called Mikdash other than here. He gives one answer that I'm going to share with you and then the second we'll leave for the end of the class and see if you can figure it out. The first one is very simple. He says this is not a temporal commandment. It's a continuing commandment and that is to build the mikdash that is appropriate for the desert and then to build the mikdash when you get into Israel arisan to build it on harabay and fulfilling that building that building is fulfilling this particular commandment of the mikdash and that's why it's called a mikdash instead of a mishk answers he gives another answer that I think strikes to the core of our tradition and we're going to come back to that at the very end. Let's first look, we're talking about kadusha. Let's first look at the first place the concept of kadusha appears in the world according to the Torah without looking at the sheets. When when does kadusha first appear? >> Shabbat. >> Shabbat. Correct. Which means that when God creates Shabbat, he also creates kadusha. In other words, sanctity is created simultaneously with this creation of Shabbat. And what are the lessons that we learn from the creation of kusha and Shabbat? Certain lessons concerning sanctity. Number one, kadusha means to be separate, to be distinct. You cannot have kadusha unless you have something to compare it with. And that's why waits until the end of creation to create Shabbat because he has to have something in place that Shabbat can be uh can be measured against. And therefore there's a kadusha that first lesson of kadusha is that kadusha is dealing with separateness from an existing whole. The other aspect of kadusha is that this kadusha is unique and unique. Sorry. >> Which kadusha? >> The kadusha of Shabbat. God created kaduca of Shabbat. And we're going to come back to how it's unique as we move on. Let's take a look for the the next section. Changing the rules. Now, here I'm I'm going to point to something that I that that came to me a number of years ago. I haven't seen it in any of the commentaries, so I must be wrong. But nonetheless, I think the lesson really fits in with what we're going to be learning today. And that is in the creation of the world on two days, there is an omission that's very glaring. On the second day of creation, take a look. Let there be a firmament and let it separate between heaven and earth. God separates the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth. Okay. In other words, what does he say? He says very clearly he creates the shayim. What's missing? Kim Kito every other every as a rule every other day has that phrase within it. So the the commentaries the classical commentaries make point to the next day and there on the third day is twice. So they say what's happening here is God begins his creation of separation on the second day. He doesn't finish it, right? He doesn't finish it and he finishes it only on the third day which is why you have the first kto and then he creates what he's supposed wants to create on the third day in addition and that's the next keto. Now this is a very interesting learning because what is it teaching us go if God wanted to finish what he wanted to do? What do you mean he left it unfinished? You should finish it, right? What would perhaps it's a lesson again? Everything we learn in the Torah is a lesson about our own lives and our own behavior. That there will be times in our lives where we will have finished tasks and there will be li times in our lives where the task will be continual and it won't be finished. It'll be something that we'll have to parenting for example which eventually mores morphs into grandparent. Grandparenting those responsibilities don't disappear. It's a continuing responsibility. So perhaps a barbar was saying I want to weave into creation this concept of unfinished business. But let's take a look the other place where where kimtove is omitted. And here here you have to really read the text very carefully to see it. This is on the sixth day the last full day of creation before Shabbat. And turns and he says, "Let let the earth bring forth all living animals and and creeping things on the earth. God created the the animals of the land according to their kind and elim." Okay. So you have in the middle of the day after the creation of the animals, what do you have? You have Hashem. Now, by the way, I should should point out the phrase is problematic also, too, isn't it? What do you mean? God saw it was good. >> And why build something? If I build something, I'm going to look at it and say, "Oh, that's good." But God knows what he's going to create, and he can't isn't going to create something bad. So what? So the Ramban says very beautifully that every time the Torah says, God is moving from the act of a creator to the act of a sustainer. In other words, when you get to disappear, but he continues. He's not creating that entity anymore. And what he's doing is he's creating he's sustaining that which he has created that reached that point. The Ramman goes on to say and this is very significant that that sustaining is essential for our existence. And if God stops sustaining for a moment, the world rever reverts back to Jehovah. Right? And that is one of the ways to explain Rascal I think says it one of the ways to explain the concept of God saying it'll be a period of hester pony time of hiding my face. point according to this point of view where God is pulling back and saying, "Okay, I'm going to let things just happen because it's gotten to the point where where I've got to I've got to let it let it happen." This these are very difficult concepts, right? But we we know what it's like. And it also marks for us that there is a darkness in every every person and everything in life. There's a darkness. The reason the darkness is important is we're fighting against it, right? We we want to we we have urges. We have temptations. We'll get to that in a little bit. So, so everything God we have to sustain. God is a sustainer. That's so it says it right after the creation of the animals. But then the day goes on, who's what's created next? Man. And does it say by the creation of man? It does not. It says, "Right, meaning all right, I've finished creation and I've got to the point of to me for the world." But there's no specific to me for the creation of man. Why? >> The answer is it's that the verdict is out. When it comes to man, h have we reached the level of keto? It's it's up to us. God will help us. God will sustain us, but we've got to be the ones to get there. Now, this is the the point that I want to say. It occurred to me many years ago that there is a connection between the two places in creation where Kito is omitted. When God separates heaven and earth perhaps that's a separation which is not to he really the world should be infused with kadusha heaven and earth symbolically should be connected who is then charged with their connection us so in other words we this is where the first hint I think of what what's going to be the the chorus we're going to come back to over and over again today is kadusha is not in God's hands alone. Kadusha according to Yahadus is created by us when we work in conjunction when we work in partnership with and the Kazala said something very beautiful say that man is the only creature that is created the only creature was created from the upper and the lower spheres All right. He's he's on the one hand he's a form in he's dust of the earth. On the other hand breathes a soul into us. What I think are saying and many many say this is we as people are a creatures in conflict. We on the one hand we're part of the animal kingdom. We have urges. We have uh think aspects of ourselves that that are primitive. On the other hand, we write poetry. We we uh paint paintings. We build cities. We do we do all sorts of things that that comes from the upper sphere. And what is our task? And this point places places Judaism at a point at a pl in a place where very no where other religions don't go. Other religions will say most of them in order to achieve sanctity what do you have to do? You have to retreat from the world. You have to back up right? You have to separate yourself. Take vows of poverty. Take vows of chastity. whatever it may be you because the world is tainted and you no what do we say you've got to connect this world to heaven you've got to inject into this world and when you do that you are fulfilling your obligation then it becomes so perhaps symbolically the separation between heaven and earth is not kto because it really should be connected and man is going to the end. One comment. Yeah. >> How do you understand that talking is only there at the end? What about all the other terms? They're just talking. >> Okay. Very good. So why does it say at the end? So the numerous commentaries talk about it. Probably the most the most uh basic I think may say this. I'm not sure who else. What to me represents is the sum is greater than the parts. Right? Man is be this is beautiful. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. But what's really beautiful is how it all fits in. What's really beautiful is a cycle of life. It's a cycle of nature. Variode. All right. Now, >> yes, I'm sorry. >> Before when you said that creation, God created and then God sustained and es those. So over the years many many times I heard that people said God created and every minute every second God is recreating which is different than >> okay so my my answer to you would be the following. >> Okay. Uh my answer to you would be the following. Yes. We believe that God constantly works in our lives. But creation which this is what this is talking about has to be sustained at the level it was created. He's not creating a new world. He's not creating new animals. He's not create he is creating he's allowing us to create. He's created the world and he will sustain the world. Will he create spirituality? ually create create other things perhaps but in terms of the world he is sustaining >> so not recreating every minute >> no no no at least not according to this interpretation he's not recreating the world he is sustaining the world okay now let's take a look at how this pattern that we're talking about about kadusha emerges in the Torah in a very v variety of different ways let's take a look at a failed all right last comment Then I during the flood that Hashem will create the world in baptism. >> Okay, we're going to talk about that. All right, very good. Now we're coming to the first failure actually the second failure and fail. It's a whole another story but Noah's failure and we're going to look at at it very interesting. Take a look at to to answer your question. >> What was the question? The question was uh did God recreate the world after the flood? Okay. So if you take a look at a very interesting passage that introduces the flood, the world this I'll translate it the way it's usually translated. The world became corrupt before God. It was filled with violent theft and we've spoken about the theft. What kind it was? Another another discussion. Behold, God sees the world and behold it is corruptimasur etc etc. The word what word keeps repeating and that's how over and over again except according to traditional explanations it changes meaning right in other words when it takes is used to describe man's actions it means corrupt when it's used to describe God's response it's to destroy says no you You're missing the point. It is means the same thing throughout. God saw the world and it was on a path towards selfdestruction. Because man had destroyed all of morality and all of appropriateness under the sun. God looked at the world and he says, "This world is bound is bent on a on a path that will lead to its own destruction." And therefore, what I'm going to do is I'm going to destroy this world because that and it it puts the blame and it takes away the question, why does God because the answer is God's not destroying the world, but with Noah, what is he doing? is saving the world. That's what that's the explanation here. In other words, the world would not have existed had God not created the flood and created Noah and and had this take place. But Noah has to has to fulfill a tough kid at this point, right? No has to be this the what man is supposed to be, the creator, the bringing together of heaven and earth. We're going to see a very interesting some nuances in the text that show where he fails. Take a look when God commands in the third page. Take a look at the middle of the page. Take a look at when God commands Noah to go into the table. He says, "God says you should come into this ark. What is you and your sons and your sons and your wives sons? Right? You right. What's >> what's happening here? What's >> you are separating the men from the women, right? Why are you doing that? Hazal will say when the world is being destroyed, you shouldn't be engaging in creating another human being. You shouldn't be in engaged in the the the lustfilled sex life that you can live according to Jewish law. So what do you have? You have go into the table. You go in separately. When God commands Noah to go out of the table, what happens? Take a look next. Sorry. Right. Where is it? Right. No. Okay. And Noah obeys. The second one is Noah separates the ways to then God commands him to come out of the table. And what does it say? The separation disappears. When he tells him to come out of the he says, "Okay, new world, new situation. I want you to be involved in creation. I want you to be involved in give having your wives give birth. I want to see a population in the world. Create a world that's connected to heaven. Be creative." What does Noah do? Take a look at it. It's amazing, isn't it? What the the nuance within the text that has volumes. No, where is it? The end of that paragraph at the bottom of page three. >> They he he cannot he cannot come together. And if you go on, you see that this leads to to to various to to to real tragedy. If you take a look at on page four when who is blessing Noah after the flood and telling him don't worry there's not going to be another flood. How does he start? This is your job. Your job is to create a new world. And he ends that paragraph. Go fill the world. Do your job. Noah doesn't. What does the Torah tell us about Noah? No. This I I never saw this before. In the preparation, I saw this. All right. So I this always seemed a little um strange to me. What does it mean by yel Noah is? So one answer is he became a farmer. He he planted. The other answer is he was a is he did not what >> instead of >> inadik or or in states instead of a a man who's bringing the earth and heaven together as a sadik he remains in now why why what h why does Noah what and Noah then plants a vineyard gets drunk what's the telling me about him why is that happening what What' you say? Why does he fail? >> What? Sorry. >> Post-traumatic stress syndrome. Well, he cannot. Very good. He cannot surmount the spectre of a destroyed world. He cannot get past it. Yes. >> Mrs. Noah, >> I'm sorry to Mrs. Noah. >> We She doesn't see. We've got to remember the Torah doesn't tell us is not a history book and therefore certain people will appear and not be filled out in the text. The answer is God speaking to Noah and making him the doer at this point and their job will be to follow him. What >> was going to follow with his daughter? I mean where was >> what do you mean with his daughters? He winds up sleeping with his daughter. >> No, that's not Noah. That's Lo. That's Lo. Another story later on. What happens here is he gets drunk. He lies apparently uncovered in the tent. One of his sons makes fun of it. Whatever. There's a whole But what's happening? He can't he can it you know what it does for me as someone who is the child of parents who were born in the states. I stand in awe of the people we call survivors because they had the strength to see a destroyed world and to rebuild. And that is that is really something. And we that the debt that we owe to that generation for their strength and for their courage is a debt that we should be aware of and we should think of often. Okay. So Noah fails then we go. So what what does God do? God says okay but and what Noah by the way gives birth or his wife gives birth to Ben Noak. Right? In other words, like the people of the world are called Ben Noah. The the go the people we will refer to as the goim. They're beno. And that's why and what do we say there? We're the only tradition to my knowledge that has a rule for the others for the non-Jews. And you look at it, you say, "Well, that's kind of paternal, isn't it? what we're going to tell you what your law is, but it's not from our perspective. What we're saying is you don't have to be Jewish to be righteous, right? You don't have to be Jewish to be righteous. And the concept of is a very critical when God God gives the Torah he says beam kohanim the kadosh be a kingdom of priests and a separate nation separate nation kadosh but a kingdom of priests a priest has to serve somebody right the cohain serves the community who do we who do we who are We khan into >> the world, right? We have to be an orim. And we're going to hit that real hard later on. Yes. >> Does that have anything to do with >> the ten commandments? Okay. No. In other words, Noah. >> In fact, the rabbis derive the mit Noah from the paragraphs after the flood. what God is talking to Noah that that indicates that that's what they they h have to keep to be considered moral to be considered Ben Noah. And by the way, there are people today who call themselves Ben Noah. I I had one of them come and speak to my class at Yeshiva University years ago. It was fascinating. Basically, he was he said, "I'm doing my job. I I don't have to become like you." Right? and and and the answer was no you don't just do your job you be and by and I've said all right let's take questions at the end because it's um and I would also say just like I say the survivors are someone that I hold I would like to sit in the seat an olo of those non-Jews who had the courage during the show uh to help Jews, to save Jews, because you were putting yourself at risk, you were putting your children at risk, you were putting your wife at you were it I don't know. I I really don't know if I would have had that knock on the door in the middle of the night in Nazi Germany or in Vienna or wherever it may be, would we have had the courage to do what they did? Something to think about. All right, now let's go on. We're going to Abraham and what we're going to see in Abraham this pattern of kaduca this concept of not living only on the earth but bringing earth and heaven together and making a difference. What's the first thing God says to to know to right leave the home of your father. There's a lot to talk about in terms of the order, but what we generally see that as a commandment of separation, right? We generally see that as separate yourself from the home of your father. Separate yourself from all that it entails and become what you can become. But the rabbis say that embedded in is a contrasting commandment. Take a look at the second paragraph. Take a look at the bottom of the page. The bottom of the paragraph that's underlined. Say the rabbis aam at this point is compared to a jar of perfume, something aromatic. If it sits in a corner, no one benefits. If you carry it around the room, then it serves a purpose. Go from place to place and your name will increase will be great in the world. Meaning that what does this do? This takes and it tells us that simultaneously it is a responsibility to be a part we say that separation and a part of at the same time and that's the gtov that avaram says at the end of his life when he says I I realize that this is what I have to do. So what is again what what what are we seeing? We're seeing the idea of immersion in the world, playing a role in the world, not separating yourself. That's not sanctity. Sanctity is what? Bringing kadusha into the world. Let's take a look at the next page. Oh, that actually Let's finish with Araham. Abraham at the bottom of the page. This is towards the end of Aram's life when he's sending Elezar back to find a wife for and he describes two ways. He says, I am going to make you swear in the name of God in heaven, of God in heaven and God of earth. And when he talks about his leaving the home of his father when occurred, what does he say? Hashem elashim the god of heaven who da da da. Why does he make that switch? So hazal say the difference again the switch is from elim. It's when I left when I left my father's home it was elimin. And now it's say the rabbis is recognizing that he has fulfilled his responsibility. He's brought God into the world and therefore when I first began says Abraham he was only allocate it's kind of a little hut but but it but it's a recognition of what he what he was meant to do and what he has done which is he's brought God into the world. He's no longer a loay. He's now a loay bloke har. Let's go on. Turn to the next page. And again, we're going to re rework what is a very I'm not talking into the mic. What's the matter? What? Oh, all right. I'll say it at the end. Um, I'm going to we're going to rework a very familiar scene in a way that fits in with the pattern that we're we're discussing. Moshe is encounters God for the first time, right? And what is he encounters him at the net at the burning bush and what is God's opening line? Take a look. He says, "Don't come near this place. Take off your shoes because this is holy ground and that is this is this is where the Torah will be given." Right? So, but if that the classical explanation leaves something to this the first thing God would say to him and I'm making an introdu we're making our introductions we're we're you expect him to say Moshe do you know who you are do you know what's about to happen do you know what you're about to do you know where you lead that take over your shoes so along comes Rash foil hers and I may have told this to you before and he turns it around. And I'm going to take it one step further. So if I often say whatever you like is his and whatever you don't like is mine. It's interwoven. Say say the says don't look for me in burning bushes. made a love because the place where you stand is holy. In other words, not that this is holy ground. A place where you stand, Moshe, where will sanctity be found? Sanctity will be found in your life and in the lives of those you lead. And that's why don't look for me in burning bushes. And this very same message emerges if this is sort of hinted at according to the to to hir. It's emerges in full force when we get to Hari. All right. And again, let's take a look at a familiar very familiar uh scene. Ben Israel was standing at the bottom of Arseni. Moshe goes up and down. What creates that scene? What creates that scene is one commandment byes. And if you take a look, it's at the bottom of the page. I'm going to move a little faster because I'm going to run out of time. I want you to create a around a boundary around the mountain. Anyone who crosses it, anyone who who dares to come near when when I'm telling him to stay distant at this point is going to die. and and you are to carry out that that that sentence and you wonder why is aeshbu creating distance at the moment of closest contact with man if this is a moment where he's revealing himself to his nation let us all come up the mountain let us all so you have a variety of possibilities one is of course that we scazal say would have been too much for us we couldn't do it only Moshe could do it there are those who say that It's to create the balance between distance and familiarity in our relationship to to our kadesh. On the one hand, we say kadosh kadosh kadosh holy holy holy which means separate separate separate. What's the end of the puzz? He is distant from us. We don't understand him. We can't comprehend him. And yet we can feel him and see him right here. And this concept of balancing distance and familiarity with is actually mirrored in some critical human relationships. One particular parents and ch parents and children. How are we supposed to relate to children as parents? The answer is we're supposed to have a balance between distance and familiarity. I when I grew up my friends who called their parents by their first name was jarring it was jarring and then when I became a rabbi I wanted to be rabbi I said well my congregants call can call me and someone said no you can't do that there has to be there's there is a balance here and it has and it mirrors cavia in a small way the balance and that's why there are two sets of commandments when it comes to our parents. In the ten commandments, it says honor your father and your mother and when it says and later on in in paras you should hold your mother and your father in fear or awe. And those two commandments very different commandment of cavo. Does anyone know how how that ends up being what that that is? >> It's different. >> Yeah. Well, that the different order the rabbis say is because you tend to honor >> your mother before your father. And you tend to fear your father before your mother. So what we're going to put the one that's less feared or less honored first. But what what what what else is there? What's there is when it comes to yera when it comes to yera they the the rules are very clear you're not supposed to sit in your parents seat you're not supposed to call by the first name that's yera what's cavote practically does anyone know how how kazal interpret that mitzvah >> speaking make sure that they're fed grow >> you should care for them when they need your care that's right you should care for them. You should make sure that they are cared for when they need your care and and that is you know whatever it whatever it takes whatever it takes and it's interesting because Kazal what's what do you think the first question Kazal askked about that it's typical who pays for it right who who are you allowed to use your parents' money in in fulfilling that commandment or do you have to use your own and the answer is you can use your parents' If it runs out, then you have to use your own because you still have the commandment. But on a practical level, concretely, that's what it that's what it is. So, all right. Uh there's one other place where we're, like I said, we're running out of time. There's one other place where we see this, and that's in the sanctification of Erat Israel. When did Eer Israel become holy? So you would think when God said to Abraham, right? No. The rabbis point to two particular points in history where the land becomes holy. The first is the conquest of the land under Joshua. When we enter the land, right? So what is already what's it saying? It's saying the land isn't holy without us, right? We are the ones who sanctify the land. So you got that concept of kadusha emerging as something man does, not just God. There is a second there is a second time when it it receives kadusha. And when is that? When Ezra and those who return from the Babylonian exile, right, come back and storm. And by the way, how many people came back? >> Very, very few. >> Very few. Most of the people were very happy in Babylon, right? It's like I I the quote I told you the other day, like something told my wife, why do I have to make aliyah? I have Burough Park. Um, you know, in other words, yeah, wherever I am, I am. That's it. The second kaduca, by the way, is more powerful than the first. The kaduca under under Yahushua according to most most authorities the low. Basically, it it was a temporary sanctification and and it dissipated when we were off the land. When we were when we were when the 10 tribes were exiled and then when we were exiled, the kaduca left except for one aspect of it and that is Jerusalem stayed sanctified. But the sanctification that takes place when Ezra and come back that sanctification according to the Rambam and many it created lasting sanctification and I think that one read that's sort of strange isn't it wouldn't you think the conquest of the land by a nation would be more powerful than a a dribble of of of Israelites coming back or Jews coming back and yet no I think what what I think what what's being said is there's a fundamental difference between those two one was God initiated and one was man initiated and man that which is man initiated is more powerful than that which God initiates because again the sanctification of our of our land is is in our hands I'll take comments in just a moment So to sum up basically what we've said is that the to understand the concept of kadusha is to understand that our job is to unite heaven and earth to be involved in the world and to serve as as as models. And now we'll return to the riddle with which I began. Mikdash Vish the first the why is it Mikdash and not Vishan says the when would you think it would be mikdash after right after God appears or God's presence comes when is it sanctified says the from the moment they create it. It's already sanctified. And again, underscoring our role in sanctifying God's name, we're going to come go to a close by turning to the very last page. Every day we say over and over again, You should love God. How do you love God? I I I still don't understand that. But Kazal have one interpretation of among the many which is very powerful. You shall love the Lord your God. The name of heaven should be beloved because of you. If you are learned and you are dealing with men honestly and morally, what will people say? People will say, "Ashring, fortunate are these people. They're wonderful people. They're they're they're they're moral. They're what we would hope for from a godly people." And goes on the paragraph to say, "If you learn and become expert in that learning and you don't deal properly with those around you, then what's going to what will they say? cursing are those people. Right? In other words, you have to mirror that loving God according to this interpretation is bringing God into the world as we've said serving as the vehicle for Kadusha. And I'll close with just one very very quick scene. This there's a there's a TV show I think it's called Jerry Kimmel or something. What? Anyway, they did a they did an experiment. This was powerful. It's a it's a beautiful video. They did an experiment. They had someone dress up as uh Spongebob, whatever, you know, when a costume and lie down in the middle of the sidewalk in New York to see how people would react. And they show that over a period of time, everybody just pays no attention or some walk over, some walk, some walk around, most walk around, some actually step over him. Nobody says a thing until two young men with kipot stop and say, "Can we help you?" >> And that and that was the keshashem. And at that point he gets up and he starts singing Havana and starts dancing with him in the street. All right. But the point being who were the ones to to do the right thing? There you go. And unfortunately it's not always the case but that's what it that is the kushashem that we're meant to create. Okay. Thank you all very much.