Sometimes less is more. What isn't stated can be just as powerful (or perhaps even MORE powerful) than what is stated. As we learn this week about the building of the Tabernacle in the desert, a close reading of the text actually teaches us not just about the construction itself, but how the people related to God. Too often
we get caught up in the physical issues, where even in synagogue we emphasize the prayer books, the wearing of special garb, the food at the Kiddush, and the temperature in the building. But what about relating to God? If we can read between the lines, listen to the silence, and take a step outside ourselves, it is amazing to see what (or Who) we can find waiting for us there. 
Of all the items being constructed for the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), a particularly fascinating item is the Ark of the Covenant. It's basically a box, but it contains the Ten Commandments, as well as the broken shards of the first set of tablets broken by Moses. So what do we do with this thing? What is its significance, and how was it included in ancient Israelite worship? A wonderful Biblical scholar, Nahum Sarna, writes about understanding the Ark in its historical context. He describes how most Ancient Near Eastern cultures kept important covenants "at the feet of the deity in a temple." There are many examples of pacts between kings being placed "before" gods and goddesses, and the Ten Commandments are essentially our contract with God.
One question this raises, however, is how the Ark relates to God. Sure, we place important documents in it, but what is the Ark to God? And Sarna informs us, surprisingly, that the Ark itself is meant to serve as God's footstool! He quotes King David himself, in the First Book of Chronicles, 28:2, saying, "Hear me, my brothers, my people! I wanted to build a resting-place for
the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God." And indeed, in ancient times, the image of either mortal kings or gods sitting on thrones was ubiquitous, and apparently the accompanying footstool was a crucial element to make the picture complete. Who knew a footstool could carry so much weight? (Ha, ha!)
Well, if the Mishkan is our version of a throne room, it is missing one crucial element: the throne! The Ark is the footstool, but where is the throne, and with it, the god whose supposed to sit there?? Here's what I think is going on: Building a Divine footstool in the middle of a room meant to serve as a throne room, but with no throne, drives home the critical message of the Israelite religion - God is invisible. All the other elements are in place, even down to the indispensable Footstool; yet we must never forget that God is in heaven, God is also everywhere, and most importantly, God is not like any other king we have experienced or can imagine.
What amazes me is the fact that this is not stated. How can the Bible give us building blueprints - frankly boring us silly with the minutia of the construction project - and then "forget" to tell us what this means for how we relate to God? The answer is that it isn't forgotten, it's a challenge. When you walk into synagogue, we emphasize your
head covering, your tallit, your prayer book, and the other details of the service; that is our version of the construction project. Now it's up to you. Take a seat, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about how you yourself might connect with the God of the Universe. It might sound strange, perhaps daunting, overwhelming, or just inaccessible, but that is how our service is constructed. Each of us is invited to speak to the Divine, and each of us has the opportunity to build on our personal relationship to God. But don't stress over it. After all, it's not like God is sitting in the room waiting for you to speak. All we've got is the footstool!
Photos in this blog post:
1. Image courtesy of Congregation Ohev Shalom
2. CC image courtesy of fireflythegreat on Flickr
4. CC image courtesy of archer10 (Dennis) on Flickr
5. Image courtesy of Congregation Ohev Shalom
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