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The Torah Temimah (ad loc.) refers to a commentary called Ein Eliyahu, who says that the image of a child hints at the idea that Hashem treated Bnei Yisrael as a child at that time. As a young nation, they were bound to make "immature" mistakes. Therefore, Hashem considered their national age when deciding how harshly to react to their flawed behavior.
The Torah Temimah rejects this explanation on the grounds that the same keruvim were used in the Beit Hamikdash. At that time, hundreds of years later, Bnei Yisrael was already a mature nation, long settled in its land. He prefers the idea that emanates from the gemara in Yoma (54a) that the kohanim would display the keruvim to those who came for the regalim. They would see the forms of the keruvim embracing each other like a young couple, representing Hashem’s love for Bnei Yisrael. The youthful appearance of the figures represents the appeal that a sweet, "baby" look has on those who see it.
Both of these ideas (and others) do not seem to take one important factor into account. Although they have nice explanations of the youth of the keruv that represented Bnei Yisrael, what sense is there for the one that represented Hashem to look so young? (The commentators on the gemara in Yoma dispute whether the two keruvim were identical or whether one was a male figure and the other female. However, I did not see any claim that one looked older than the other.)
The lesson may be a profound, if somewhat dangerous one, if misunderstood. Certainly, Hashem, the Divine and Perfect, is inapproachable to us on an absolute level. "Man cannot see Me and live" (Shemot 33:20). "He is an all-consuming fire" (Devarim 4:24). However, in the Mishkan, Hashem highlighted the elements of His Being that could interface with Bnei Yisrael, ka’veyachol, on our level. Eliyahu Rabba (24) explains that we can follow in Hashem’s footsteps by learning from some of his characteristics. Our parasha teaches us how one accomplishes that and goes about the process of imitatio dei. The meeting place of the two keruvim was the ark that contained the luchot habrit (tablets of the covenant), representing the Torah. The Torah emanates from Hashem and is the representation of His Will, as it finds expression in the physical world. Bnei Yisrael, by accepting, studying and fulfilling the Torah, connect themselves to it as their spiritual lifeline. By being connected to the Torah, we are connected to the "youthful face" of Hashem, those element of His Being that He is able to share with us.
The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein Behind the Commandment
The Wisdom of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (11) - Truma
Rabbis in Midrash
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D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
