This week's Torah reading, Parashat Teruma, contains G-d's command and promise, "Make for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell among them".
The Sanctuary is a place where His presence is openly visible. No concealment.
Interestingly enough in the verse it is written that G-d says, ".....I will dwell among them." in the plural form. Meaning, I will dwell within each and every individual man or woman!
When G-d caused His presence to dwell in the midst of our people as a whole, He also invested Himself within the midst of every individual. Every person's heart became a sanctuary in microcosm.
The Sanctuary accompanied the Jewish people in their journey through the desert. Wherever they camped, G-d's presence accompanied them.
Similarly this applies with regards to every person as he goes through his journeys in life and to our people as a whole as they journey through time. G'd's presence accompanies us. As we proceed from one setting to another, His presence journeys with us.
The windows in the Temple were slanted outward. The Rabbis explain that was so that the Temple's light would radiate outwards, influencing the world outside.
The same is with the G-dly light that is present within each and everyone of us. The intent in making a person "a sanctuary in microcosm" is so that we should share and shine the light outwards and influence our environment.
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