Hosting The Divine Presence
  Selections from classical Torah sources which express the special relationship between the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael HOSTING THE DIVINE PRESENCE The most sacred part of the Beit Hamikdash was located in the portion of Eretz Israel belonging to the Tribe of Binyamin (Mesechta Yoma 12a). Why, ask our Sages (Mechilta Yitro 4:18), did Binyamin merit to be the host of the Divine Presence? Because only he, of all the sons of Yaakov, was born in Eretz Israel. When his fellow Jews challenged Mordechai on his endangering their security by refusing to bow to Haman, he responded that it was below his dignity to bow to any mortal, even one as politically powerful as Haman, because of the royal status he enjoyed as the descendant of Binyamin who was born in Eretz Israel. (Midrash Rabbah Esther 7:8) |
Written by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
HTML Production: Eli Ballon
HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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