It is clear from the Book of Psalms that King David was very passionate in his love for Hashem. He always spoke of his desire to dwell in the House of G-d.

It was David who expressed his dissatisfaction that a proper home was not built for Hashem, as His primary dwelling place on earth.

The Mishkan was a temporary dwelling in the sense that it was meant to be transported in the desert. It was taken apart and reassembled.

Even the Mishkan in Shilo, that lasted 369 years, only had permanent walls, but not a permanent roof.

David recognized that there already existed, a Beit Hamikdash in the Heavens. There needed to be a Beit Hamikdash on earth. He purchased the threshing floor of Arnon Hayevusi, that became the permanent location of our holy Temple.

He even drew up plans and had a clear vision of how he envisioned proper honor to Hashem would be done. It was remarkable that David realized it was necessary for Hashem to have a primary dwelling place on earth.

Despite his disappointment in learning that he could not build the Temple, because of all the wars that he fought, he found great comfort in knowing that his son, Shlomo, would build a magnificent structure.

This building would be a place for the entire world to visit. They would all be elevated by the sanctity that emanated from this place.

The Jews would visit the Temple three times a year. They might arrive tired and weary, but they would leave rejuvenated, after praying and offering sacrifices on the holiest place on earth.

Many of our holiest rabbis would weep daily, as they understood what the Temple meant for the Jewish people. While we wait for the building of the Third Temple, we must realize that there is something majorly lacking in Jewish life. We must develop David’s passion of longing to dwell in the House of Hashem.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)