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Physical Holiness

Is prayer spiritual or physical?

As we begin our t'fillah elective in the maker space we want to ask the question, what is physical about our prayers? From the objects we use, to our motions, to the space we pray in, there is A LOT that is physical about our prayers!

Use this AI chatbot to brainstorm answers to the question: What is physical in our prayers?

We will then chat as a group before moving through some of the sources below.

(כא) אֵ֣לֶּה פְקוּדֵ֤י הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן הָעֵדֻ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר פֻּקַּ֖ד עַל־פִּ֣י מֹשֶׁ֑ה עֲבֹדַת֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (כב) וּבְצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֑ה עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (כג) וְאִתּ֗וֹ אׇהֳלִיאָ֞ב בֶּן־אֲחִיסָמָ֛ךְ לְמַטֵּה־דָ֖ן חָרָ֣שׁ וְחֹשֵׁ֑ב וְרֹקֵ֗ם בַּתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙ וּבָֽאַרְגָּמָ֔ן וּבְתוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וּבַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃ {ס} (כד) כׇּל־הַזָּהָ֗ב הֶֽעָשׂוּי֙ לַמְּלָאכָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל מְלֶ֣אכֶת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וַיְהִ֣י ׀ זְהַ֣ב הַתְּנוּפָ֗ה תֵּ֤שַׁע וְעֶשְׂרִים֙ כִּכָּ֔ר וּשְׁבַ֨ע מֵא֧וֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים שֶׁ֖קֶל בְּשֶׁ֥קֶל הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃
(21) These are the records of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Pact, which were drawn up at Moses’ bidding—the work of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. (22) Now Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, had made all that יהוה had commanded Moses; (23) at his side was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, carver and designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and in fine linen. (24) All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary—the elevation offering of gold—came to 29 talents*talents A talent here equals 3,000 shekels. and 730 shekels by the sanctuary weight.
(א) ובצלאל בן אורי וגו' עשה את כל אשר צוה ה' את משה. אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֶת מֹשֶׁה, אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר לוֹ רַבּוֹ, הִסְכִּימָה דַּעְתּוֹ לְמַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר לְמֹשֶׁה בְּסִינַי, כִּי מֹשֶׁה צִוָּה לִבְצַלְאֵל לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּחִלָּה כֵּלִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִשְׁכָּן, אָמַר לוֹ בְּצַלְאֵל מִנְהַג עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּחִלָּה בַּיִת וְאַחַר כָּךְ מֵשִׂים כֵּלִים בְּתוֹכוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ כָּךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּי הקב"ה. אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה בְּצֵל אֵל הָיִיתָ, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי כָּךְ צִוָּה לִי הקב"ה, וְכֵן עָשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ עָשָׂה הַכֵּלִים:
(1) ובצלאל בן אורי וגו׳ עשה את כל אשר צוה ה' את משה AND BEZALEEL THE SON OF URI etc. MADE ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED MOSES — It is not stated here: אשר צֻוָּה (Bezaleel made all that he had been commanded), but “[Bezaleel made] all that the Lord commanded Moses” — even regarding such things which his teacher (Moses) did not tell him, his own opinion was in agreement with what had been told to Moses on Sinai (Jerusalem Talmud Peah 1:1; Bereishit Rabbah 1:14). [For Moses bade Bezaleel to make the vessels first and the Tabernacle afterwards but Bezaleel said to him: “Surely, it is the way of the world (the usual way) first to build a house and then to place the household utensils in it!” He (Moses) replied to him: “So, indeed, did I hear from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He”. Moses further said to him: (בצלאל), you must have been sitting in the shadow of God (בצל אל), for certainly did thus God command me!” And consequently Bezaleel made the Tabernacle first and afterwards he made the vessels (cf. Berakhot 55a).

This is a lot of gold! According to https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/pages/TalentConverter, it is 2,169.20 lbs of gold. Or, on 3/12/24 an amount of gold worth $69,414,400.

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(ו) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם פּוֹקֵֽחַ עִוְרִים:

(ז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַלְבִּישׁ עֲרֻמִּים:

(ח) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים:

(ט) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם זוֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים:

(י) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם רוֹקַע הָאָֽרֶץ עַל הַמָּֽיִם:

(יא) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה לִי כָּל־צָרְכִּי:

(יב) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמֵּכִין מִצְעֲדֵי גָֽבֶר:

(יג) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אוֹזֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְבוּרָה:

(יד) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם עוֹטֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִפְאָרָה:

(טו) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַנּוֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּֽחַ:

(טז) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּעֲבִיר שֵׁנָה מֵעֵינָי וּתְנוּמָה מֵעַפְעַפָּי:

...

(6) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who gives sight to the blind.

(7) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who clothes the naked.

(8) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who releases the imprisoned.

(9) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who straightens the bent.

(10) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who spreads the earth above the waters.

(11) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who provided me with all my needs.

(12) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who prepares the steps of man.

(13) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who girds Israel with might.

(14) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who crowns Israel with glory.

(15) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who gives strength to the weary.

(16) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids.

בְּזֹ֛את יָבֹ֥א אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ בְּפַ֧ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֛ר לְחַטָּ֖את וְאַ֥יִל לְעֹלָֽה׃
Only on the Day of Atonement may Aaron enter into the Holy of Holies with the following: To offer a bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering.
The Holy of Holies in the Second Temple was an empty chamber. There was no ark or curtain or cherub (Bavli Yoma 21b). There was just the power of the place itself: the foundation stone of the world and the pulsing heart of the universe. Deep in the innermost chamber during the ancient rituals of Yom Kippur, the Holy One sits alone and longs for human blessing.
Dr. Ruth Calderon / Yishmael, My Son, Bless Me in A Bride for One Night

MICHAEL KUPIETZKY

THE JERUSALEM TZEDAKA BOX

$89,820