Purpose?

To make a dwelling place for G-d in the lowest world (that’s our world) is the reason for which He created the universe.

A dwelling place means a place where you can be yourself, let your hair down.

The first requirement for a divine home is to accept G-d as He is: infinite or finite, kind or stern, forgiving or punishing, caring or distant, demanding or indifferent. He can be whatever He chooses to be and I’m comfortable with that. Worshipping other gods would mean making conditions for G-d: I can see G-d as a saviour when I need saving; I see G-d as punishing when my enemy needs ‘killin’; He is the G-d of fertility when I need to be fertile. So I’m believing in one G-d, but only in bite size pieces as I feel the need. But to allow G-s to be whatever He wishes?! That’s too scary, too humbling. That’s not a ‘home’. We are treating G-d like a guest or visitor or worse.

So the first thing is – let G-d tell you what He is, what He wants, what He needs from you. He does this in Torah.

The second requirement is ‘light’. A home must be illuminated. Brightly. ‘Light’ here refers to relationship. Example: a marriage essentially involves a husband and wife living together. In the olden days it was, “I have a son, you have a daughter. Fine. They will be married.” What else do you need? And that would be a marriage. In point of fact it would constitute a sacred institution, inviolable. But the two people must also relate to each other, ‘know’ each other. Otherwise it will not be a complete home.

That is the light of the home that G-d desires: where He is Himself and we know Him, take pleasure in Him, love and fear Him, serve Him.