Parshas Teruma

This is the rough draft due to unseen circumstances I don't have a chance to polish it up sorry.

The Aron was made of a wooden box that was gold plated. The Rishonim ask, “Why was the holiest of vessels in the Mishkan not made of pure gold?” The Chizkuni answers that it was made of wood for wood is lighter and Hashem had mercy on the ones that had to carry it so he had it made of wood and gold. The Baal Zekainim M’baal Tosfes asks - We know that the Aron miraculously carried the ones that carried it, so what difference did it make how heavy it was if no one actually did any physical carrying of it? He answers that the miracle of the Aron carrying itself wasn’t a constant miracle, but rather an occurrence that happened when the need arose. He asks, if so why was Uzah- in Shmuel B 6;6- punished when he tried to save the Aron from falling? Was he supposed to expect the miracle to suddenly come about?
R’ Dovid Orlofsky said a beautiful answer. Hashem has no problem running the world on his own - he doesn’t need us to do anything for the world to go on. But he gave us a zechus to help out and make us feel like we are actually holding up the world. We have to realize that our efforts are basically useless for we can be replaced by Hashem himself and the world will still run as it’s supposed to. All the energy and hishtadlus we do to keep the world spinning is an honor that He lets us do something for him. Hashem had no problem making the Aron float on its own, for that was its natural tendency. He only applied the miracle when the need arose in order that the ones carrying it should be honored with the privilege of carrying this holy vessel. That is why it had to be made of a lighter material in order to make it easier to be carried. Uzah was supposed to realize that its impossible for the Aron Hakodesh to actually fall to the ground- it can carry itself when needed. Hashem laid down rules and no matter how much we think we have to save the world we must obey the halacha. He had no right to go against halacha in order to save Hashem’s holy vessel from disgrace. We must do all that we can to help the world- but we must know that it’s a privilege and an honor that was given to us.

A huge Happy 25th Birthday to Y.Y.H.