Yoma Daf 21
Miracles in the Mikdash are the focus of Yoma 21. The miracles are characterized as: public, private, miraculous items and miracles that repeat themselves.
Among the Mikdash miracles discussed in Yoma Daf 21 there are three which relate to spiritual space affecting physical space.
The first miracle demonstrates the expansion of space. During the holidays Am Yisrael would be עוֹמְדִים צְפוּפִים, וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים רְווֹחִים. It was so crowded in the Mikdash that people were pressed tightly together and seemed to be floating. Yet when they bowed and said vidui – the room or area expanded and there was enough room for everyone to bow such that a person did not hear the vidui of his neighbors.
The second miracle is space displacement in both the courtyard as well as the Kodesh. The floor of the Mikdash would swallow up broken clay pots (that had absorbed sacrificial blood) where they were dropped, the crop and feathers from bird sacrifices, ashes from the inner altar, and the ashes from the menorah.
The third miracle takes place in the Kodesh Kodashim where the Aron doesn’t take up any physical space. Rashi points out that the Kodesh Kodashim was 20 amah x 20 amah and there was 10 amah on each side of the Aron. And not to forget as Rabbenai states in the name of Shmuel that Shlomo Hamelech’s kruvim stood at either side of the Aron with their wing span of 20 Amah.
As we move through the Mikdash from the more public spaces inwards to the courtyard, Kodesh and Kodesh Kodashim the spiritual space becomes ever more present subsumming that of the physical space.
As we move towards Yom Yerushalayim, let’s note that a touch of this spiritual space radiated out to all of Jerusalem where as we saw on the daf – no one complained to his friend there isn’t enough room for me to stay over in Jerusalem.
It is also on my mind that this daf was learned around the world the Sunday following the tragedy in Meron when we as a nation were saying over and over again
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
Another name for Hashem is space – It is Hashem who created the world by creating space for the world and for all of us in it and it is Hashem who in our times of pain comes to fill this space and comfort the mourners of Israel.
B’bracha – Susan
Teachers: Susan Suna and Dena Rock
