כשם שבראתי העולם וגופך כן אתה עושה את המשכן. ומנין שכן הוא, את מוצא במשכן שהיו הקרשים קבועים בהאדנים. ובגוף הצלעות קבועות בחוליות. ובעולם כן ההרים קבועים ביסודי הארץ. במשכן היו הקרשים מצופי זהב, ובגוף הצלעות מצופות בשר וגידין נמתחין ומעמידין האדם. בעולם אילנות ועשבים נמתחין בארץ. במשכן היו היריעות מכסות את מעלה שלו ומכסות את שני צדדיו. ובגוף עור של אדם מכסה אבריו וצלעותיו משני צדדיו. ובעולם השמים מכסים את הארץ משני צדדיה. במשכן היה הפרכת מבדיל בין הקדש ובין קה״ק. ובגוף זרעפת הגוף [מבדלת] בין הלב ובין הבטן, ובעולם הרקיע שהוא מבדיל בין המים העליונים למים התחתונים שנא׳...
Bereshit Rabbati
In the manner I [God] created the world and your body so shall you make the Tabernacle. Whence is this demonstrated? You find that the beams in the Tabernacle were set in sockets, the ribs in the body are set with vertebrae and mountains of the world are set in the earth’s foundations. In the Tabernacle the beams were covered in gold, in the body the ribs are covered with flesh and sinews which are taut and support the body and in the world trees and vegetation are spread throughout. In the Tabernacle the tapestries (יריעות) covered from above and the two sides, skin of the body covers the limbs and both sides of the ribs and the heaven covers both of earth’s sides. In the Tabernacle the partition (פרכת) divided between between the Sanctuary and Holy of Holies, the liver diaphragm separates the heart and the stomach and the sky separates between the waters above and the waters below.
(ה) פָּתַח וְאָמַר (שמותכו) וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן תַּעֲשֶׂה עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת וְגוֹ', הָא הָכָא רָזָא (קל''ט ע''ב) דְּיִחוּדָא, דְּהָא תִּקּוּנָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא מִכַּמָּה דַּרְגִּין אִיהוּ, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ וְהָיָה הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶחָד. לְאִתְחֲזָאָה דְּכָל שַׁיְיפִין דְּגוּפָא, כֻּלְּהוּ רָזָא דְּגוּפָא חַד. בְּבַר נָשׁ אִית בֵּיהּ כַּמָה שַׁיְיפִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, אִלֵּין פְּנִימָאִין לְגוֹ, וְאִלֵּין בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא לְבַר, וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן גּוּפָא חֲדָא, וְאִקְרֵי בַּר נָשׁ חַד, בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא. אוּף הָכִי מַשְׁכְּנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁיְיפִין כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְכַד אִתְחַבְּרוּ כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב וְהָיָה הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶחָד. (נ''א כגוונא דאדם)
(ו) פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כֹּלָּא שַׁיְיפִין וְאֵבָרִין, בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרִין כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחַד, כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְקָן לְרָזָא חַד. רָזָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, דְּאִיהוּ אֵבָרִין וְשַׁיְיפִין, כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין לְרָזָא דְּאָדָם, כְּגַוְונָא דְּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהָא פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, דְּכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא, אִינּוּן חַד, רָזָא דְּאָדָם. מַאן דְּגָרַע אֲפִילּוּ פִּקּוּדָא חֲדָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּאִלּוּ גָּרַע דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁיְיפִין וְאֵבָרִין בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, וּבְגִין כַּךְ כֹּלָּא סַלְּקָא בְּרָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא. וְעַל דָּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן גּוֹי אֶחָד, דִּכְתִּיב, (יחזקאל לה) וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם. וּכְתִיב (שמואל ב ז) מִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'.
[Rabbi Yossi] opened saying, "Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains... " (Ex 26:1). Here is the mystery of union. The perfection of the Tabernacle is made of numerous levels, as it is written, "That the Tabernacle shall be one" (Ibid. 6), in order to show that all the limbs of the body of the Tabernacle are the secret of one body.
In a person there are many limbs, some higher and some lower ones, some are internal and others are visible externally, but they are all called 'one body.' And the person is considered 'one person, with one unity.' So it is with the tabernacle that all the limbs are similar to the above, and when they are all connected as one, it is written, "that the Tabernacle shall be one."
The precepts of the Torah are all parts and limbs in a supernal secret, and when they all connect and become one, they all amount to be one secret. The secret of the Tabernacle is that it is limbs and organs that all amount to the secret of the human, like the precepts of the Torah because the precepts of the Torah are all in the secret of the human, male and female. When they join together, they are one in the secret of the human. Someone who diminishes even one precept in the Torah, it is as though they have diminished the image of the Faith, for all the limbs are together in the secret of the human. Therefore, everything amounts to the secret of unity.
Therefore, the children of Israel are all one nation, for it is written about them, "But you My flock, the flock of My pasture, are human (lit. 'one man')" (Ezekiel 34:31) and "And what one nation in the earth is like Your people [a single nation on the earth]" (II Samuel 7:23).
"Both the human body and the mishkan are complex structures composed of many parts. But when they are properly constructed, a unity prevails, and in that unity emerges a higher and more sublime dimension of reality: the human spirit and the presence of God...
"And thus, for the Zohar, the mishkan, the human being and the Torah all manifest "the mystery of unity". In this mystery, different disparate parts join together into a living whole. And in that whole is manifest a higher, spiritual, dimension of reality."
-Dr Shaiya Rothberg, the Conservative Yeshiva
RABBI ALISON ADLER, the Jewish Journal Feb 2020
There are two rabbinic traditions about the Mishkan that I find fascinating. In one, it is described as a microcosm of the universe, with various parts corresponding to the world around us. In another reading, the Mishkan is likened to the human body. Here are few of many parallels, translated in “Letters of Maimonides,” by Leon D. Stitskin.
• The Holy Ark, the innermost part, alludes to the human heart, which is the innermost part of the body. The Ark was the main part of the Mishkan because it contained the Tablets of the Covenant. So, too, is the human heart the main part of the body. It is the source of one’s life, knowledge, and understanding.
• The menorah in the Mishkan alludes to the human mind. Just as the menorah gives forth light, so the intellect enlightens the entire body.
• The incense altar alludes to the sense of smell.
• The sacrificial altar alludes to the intestines, which digest the food that enters the body.
• The goats’ wool hangings allude to the skin that covers the human body.
It is suggested here that just as the sanctuary structure resembles a human body, so the human body is a sanctuary, and therefore should be treated and respected as such. Furthermore, we are each miraculously complex, with an intricate network of parts working together for us to be able to breath, walk, eat, and basically live. We don’t need to look as far as the heavens and the stars to experience awe because we are miraculous!
Just as the Divine Presence filled the Mishkan, we too are dwelling places of the Divine in the world. Our souls, our Divine sparks, animate these amazing forms so that we can make choices to live with purpose, curiosity, and compassion.