In order for God to reveal Himself in the Temple, there must be an awakening of Israel from below.
The place where God reveals Himself is the place where all eyes are raised to Him, a kind of beacon for religious devotion.
God’s revelation in the Temple does not happen automatically; it requires an awakening of the will, a certain element of longing.
When such collective will does not exist – whether this is intentional or the result of some constraint – the portal remains closed.
The act of building a house for God may seem illogical at first.
After all, “the whole world is full of His glory”!
What is the point of establishing a physical place and instructing God to remain there?
The truth is that while God is present everywhere, not every place contains a portal of revelation the likes of which we described above.
In order for an earthly Temple to fulfill its purpose, our hearts must be open to it.
When our hearts are not open to it, even the Temple cannot help us interact with God.
Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz