In the Talmud Megillah 10b, Chazal relate that the Aron Ha’kodesh was not included in the measurements of the Bais HaMikdash. Due to its spiritual nature, it did not occupy any physical space. The Kodshei Ha’kodoshim measured twenty amos by twenty amos. The Aron had twenty amos of space on each side of it. Now, where did the Aron stand? This proves that the Aron miraculously took up no space. One would think that if such a miracle was done for the Aron which was solely a repository for the Torah and the Luchos, then the Torah and Luchos which are on a higher plane of spiritual sanctity, would certainly have such a miracle performed for “them.” Yet, as Chazal say in the Talmud Bava Basra 14a, the Torah and the Luchos filled the Aron to capacity. Why was the miracle performed for the Aron and not for the Torah and the Luchos?
Horav Moshe Feinstein, z.l., derives from here an important lesson. Each Jew is to make himself like the Aron Ha’kodesh – filled to capacity with Torah. Thus, if he does not maximize his capacity for studying Torah, he will leave a void, an empty space within his personal aron which should have been replete with Torah. On the other hand, once he has studied Torah to his capacity, he must leave over room outside of himself, never attributing self-importance to himself. In other words, while internally he is filled, externally he does not take up any space in the world. In his humility, he should realize that his essence is entirely spiritual, having no connection to the dimension of the physical world.
