BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! THAT'S THE WAY TO START!

In this week’s parsha, Vayikra, the Mishkan has been completed and Hashem calls Moshe to meet Him. Moshe however, was hesitant and did not want to cross into the shechina- divine presence- of Hashem. From the entire Exodus story, Moshe has developed such an intimate relationship with Hashem, so why was he now being so distant and refusing to enter the Mishkan?  Time and again, we see this same ‘refusing’ attitude in Moshe.

1.     When Hashem asked Moshe to take the Jews out of Egypt, he refused, saying that there must be someone greater to fulfill the task.

2.     When Hashem told Moshe that he would transmit the 10 plagues upon the Egyptians, he only carried them out after Hashem deliberately commanded to go to Pharaoh.

3.     When Bnai Israel was at the Red Sea waiting for a miracle to assist them, Moshe did not want to be chosen for splitting the sea; however, Hashem immediately commanded him to split the sea because Hashem assigned the task to him.

4.     Before Moshe received the Torah, he waited at the bottom of Mount Sinai until Hashem summoned him to go up.

Although the crowds of Jews standing besides the Mishkan were righteous men, Hashem specifically called upon Moshe to enter the Mishkan alongside Him, because Hashem was giving Moshe a special honor. However, Moshe assumed that since Aaron was chosen to be the high priest of the Mishkan, Aaron should be called upon to enter, rather than Moshe. However, Hashem continuously told him that He has commanded Moshe for this task for a reason. Many times we think that the challenges and tasks Hashem brings our way are too out of our reach and that we are not worthy of accomplishing them. However, we must recognize that is was Hashem who gave us our unique challenges and tasks for the purpose of us fulfilling them, and not any one else.