At the beginning of this week's Parsha we are told that when we get to Eretz Yisrael, we can't just bring Korbanos wherever we want. We must bring them to the Beis HaMikdash or Mishkan [besides certain Korbanos which are permitted on a Bama - see Rashi].
כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכׇּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָּֽׁמָּה׃
וַהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם שָׁ֗מָּה עֹלֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵת֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֑ם וְנִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וְנִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקַרְכֶ֖ם וְצֹאנְכֶֽם׃
לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּן כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֧חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֛ים פֹּ֖ה הַיּ֑וֹם אִ֖ישׁ כׇּל־הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽיו:
וְהָיָ֣ה הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֥ם בּוֹ֙ לְשַׁכֵּ֤ן שְׁמוֹ֙ שָׁ֔ם שָׁ֣מָּה תָבִ֔יאוּ אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י מְצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֑ם עוֹלֹתֵיכֶ֣ם וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֗ם מַעְשְׂרֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וּתְרֻמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֔ם וְכֹל֙ מִבְחַ֣ר נִדְרֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּדְּר֖וּ לַיהֹוָֽה׃
What an INCREDIBLE idea!! We are used to the fact that we can't do whatever we want in the physical world. If a man sees a beautiful woman, he might want to get to "know" her better [in the "ואדם ידע את חוה אשתו" sense] but he knows that she is forbidden to him, so he desists. If he sees a delicious piece of food that he wants to eat, he knows that if the food is not his or not kosher or he is before davening etc. he may not eat it.
But in the spiritual רוחני world a person might think that if he/she feels religious ecstasy then he can serve G-d as he sees fit. The pasuk tells us NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! You want to bring a Korban? There is the proper time and place. It can't be a world where everyone does "כל הישר בעיניו"- as he sees fit. Hashem makes the rules. Not us. If we serve Him as WE see fit then we are essentially serving OURSELVES. We have a term for that in Lashon Hakodesh: עבודה זרה.
This is already expressed at Har Sinai. When Hashem gave us the Torah, He said "Don't get too close to the mountain". WHY NOT??? We want to be close to You? GREAT!!! But HIS way - not ours. Keep your distance.
This applies today in many areas. One is the whole going to Har Habayis fad. One of the 613 mitzvos it is certainly not. But it IS PLAYING with the fire of חיוב כרת and against the psak of many many great Rabbonim [including, if there is anyone left who follows them, the רבנות הראשות לישראל].
This applies to women's participation in davening. Women want aliyos? AMAZING. But is that part of Halacha? Is that how Chazal instructed us to get closer to Hashem [I am well aware of the fact that many of these women view Chazal as sexist רח"ל מהאי דעתא and don't really care what they say - which is odd b/c it is the same Chazal who teach us to have aliyos to the Torah. They insist on learning Gemara when they complain that the Gemara discriminates against women. Strange].
ואין כאן מקום להאריך יותר ישמע חכם ויוסף לקח.
