When Hashem instructs Moshe to build the Sanctuary in which His Shekhina (Divine Presence) will dwell, the Torah describes many components that are both functional and beautiful. Yet among all the materials, structures, and vessels, the two Cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant stand out as utterly unique. Their presence feels different from the rest of the Mishkan, almost jarring, as if they belong to another emotional dimension entirely.

Understanding what they were and why they held such a central position is essential to grasping the deeper meaning of the Mishkan. In fact, it is possible to argue that they reveal the core of our relationship with Hashem: a bond based on deep emotion and love, standing in contrast to, and alongside, the daily rituals that often subsume us.

To set the scene, only five chapters before Parshat Terumah, Hashem commands:

“אלוהי כסף ואלוהי זהב לא תעשו לכם” “With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold.”

“אלוהי כסף ואלוהי זהב לא תעשו לכם”

“With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold.”

Yet now, in the very same set of instructions for the Mishkan, Hashem commands the creation of two golden figures to sit atop the holiest object in existence. This contrast draws us in immediately. It seems almost at odds with the previous command, walking a very fine line.

While much of the Mishkan is described in practical and architectural terms, the heart of the Sanctuary is portrayed in five lyrical verses:

…Make two cherubim of gold… one at each end of the cover… with wings spread upward… facing one another… and from between the two cherubim I will speak with........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)