Have you ever stopped to think about the different phases or stages of your life? There was the youthful phase, when you felt you could do anything and be anybody (and everybody). There was the mature phase, when you settled down and became "responsible". And then there was the wise phase (we don't like to say the "older" phase). This is the stage of sound thinking, and even giving advice and guidance to others. These three phases are referred to as the first, second, and third "floors" of Noah's ark.

In the Mishkan there were also three phases, or compartments. The first was the outer courtyard where they sacrificed the limbs of the animals. This corresponds to a person's deeds, which we do with our limbs.

The second area of the Mishkan was the "kodesh", which housed the Menorah and the Shulchan - the table and the copper incense altar. This section represents three things:

Menorah - spirituality and learning
Table - physical sustenance
Incense Altar - Personality - your personal "incense"

The third section of a person's "being" is the "Kodesh Hakadoshim" - Holy of Holies - which contained the ark and the aseres hadibros (the Ten Commandments). This refers to a person's intellect, and the highest use of his intellect, which is his emunah - faith in Hashem.

A person must strive to dedicate his deeds (his courtyard), his thoughts and feelings (menorah, table and incense), and his intellect and faith (his Holy Ark) to a higher purpose - to Hashem. This is not an easy task. It is a lifelong pursuit that is sometimes made more difficult by tests of faith. That is why the Midrash Tanchumah says that on each of the seven days preceding the dedication of the Mishkan, Moses dismantled and rebuilt it - twice daily, morning and evening - representing both good times and hard times. Each day Moshe took apart the Mishkan - he examined his own spiritual being, his deeds, feelings, and intellect - and then rebuilt it. He analysed and evaluated these three parts of himself, and rededicated them toward the goal - service of his Creator.

Each time we analyse ourselves - which means our personal "mikdash me'at" or mini sanctuary - we must do a double check to see if we are on track. When we daven at three intervals during the day (morning, afternoon and evening), we must "dismantle" and analyse our own deeds, feelings and thoughts, and come to appreciate our good points - and admit our weaknesses so that we can repair them. This is how we can "keep a finger on our own pulse" and monitor our own growth in our service of Hashem. Chazak, Chazak, V'netzchazek!