The Mishkan is a microcosm of the universe. In Kedushah, we quote the angels in prasing Hashem, stating “Kadosh kadosh kadosh Hashem Tsvakot mlo chol haaretz kvodo.” From the angels’ perspective, Hashem’s extreme holiness results in the whole of the universe filling up with his glory. We also say this praise several times daily, quoting the angels. Yet we do not succeed in stating this hymn on our own inspiration. As people, we are capable of looking around and not always being aware of Hashem’s imminent presence. We need a limited spot of holiness, a mikdash, to which we can direct our focus and experience Hashem’s presence within. We need a holy space where we sense Hashem’s residence. So we are given a mishkan, and upon its completion, at the end of the parshah, we are informed “uchvod Hashem malei et hamishkan.” We see Hashem’s glory specifically there.

Even Moshe Rabeinu, closer to Hashem than any other human being, is unable to enter the mishkan when flowing with Hashem’s glory. Even he experiences Hashem’s presence there as specific to that limited holy space. Forever more we will pray anywhere, but we will face the mikdash where ever we are, in recognition of its uniqueness. The effort to build the mishkan is the human attempt to imitate Hashem’s universal creation. Just as Hashem’s making of the universe was to provide a place for the expression of his glory, so too we build the mishkan to make a space for the expression of Hashem’s glory. The 39 mlachot with which we build the mishkan are excellent representatives of the mlachot with which Hashem created the world, for both were made to contain God’s presence here. This is also the goal of the temple which will ultimately be built on its mount in Jerusalem.