MAKING THE GRADE

Rambam - Hilchot Beit Habechirah 7:23b The Laws of God's Chosen House After reaching the Tenth Stages of Holiness designed to enhance our reverence and awe for Hashem's "Chosen Home," we took it up into the next level. Then it became apparent that the highly restricted access to the space higher than the Holy of Holies wasn't indicative of a higher holiness after all! We now return to the lower level inside the Sanctuary proper, but this time it's for reparative purposes. Although this entry is purely technical, some restrictions still apply. We now focus on Qualifying Craftspeople; who best "Makes the Grade," is it going to be Priest Perfect, at least a Member of the Tribe, or will we have to settle for a Commoner? Regardless of the result, clearly, limitations loosened doesn't equal restrictions rescinded. After all, we are dealing with a space that's sacred in its own right!