(ח) וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
Rabbi S. R. Hirsch (Shemot 25:8)
The וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם of our verse extends far beyond the mere presence of God in the Temple, but that it means the proximity of God in our midst, showing itself in accordance with the covenant, in the whole happiness and prosperity of our private and national life under His protection and blessing. But also that this blessing and protecting Shechina- proximity of God - is not brought about by mere correct erection and up keeping of the Sanctuary, but can also be won by consecrating and giving up our whole private and public lives to carrying out the Divine Torah.
Zohar HaNiglah (Shemot 25:8)
Rebbi Elazars says: 'Why have I come and there is no one...' ' Why did i come..."—How dear are the Jewish people before God, that in every place where they dwell [synagogues, beis midrash], God is found among them, since he doesn't remove his love for them....
Every Beit Knesset in the world is called "Mikdash"...And the Shechina comes early to the Beit Knesset. Praisworthy is the man who is from the first ten in the Beit Knesset, since they complete what they complete, since they are made holy by the Shechina....
It is necessary to find ten at one time in the Beit Knesset, and they should not come in one by one, so that they don't delay completing the limbs of the merkavah [Ed. note: another translation of this could be "assembling the parts of the divine chariot". But what it might be meaning is assembling the ways to channel from the lower realms to the higher realism via prayer].
For God created Man in one moment, and affixed each limb at once.... Since the limbs of man were all completed at the same time, each limb properly. In the same fashion, so that the Shechina will arrive early in the Beit Knesset, it is necessary to find there ten as if they were one unit, and to complete what is completed, and afterwards to Tikun Hakol [fix, rectification] And on what is dependent the Tikun Hakol? As it says, ברב עם הדרת מלך [God's glory is with great numbers]. And the people who come afterwards are Tikun HaGuf.
And when the Shechina comes early, and the people aren't coming as one properly, God calls out, "why did I come and not find anyone [אין אישׁ]. What is אין אישׁ? That the limbs and body are not completed. And when the guf [body] isn't complete - אין אישׁ, and that is why it says אין אישׁ simply. And see: When the moment that the guf is complete below [here on earth], a heavenly holiness comes and inhabits that guf, and it makes down here, like up there, for real. Therefor, everyone needs to be cautious, not to open their mouths to speak [during prayers] because Israel is standing in a heavenly [higher] completeness, and made holy by a heavenly holiness. Praiseworthy is their portion.