Greatness Together With Humility
By: Rav Sharon Yust Ram Kolel Rabanut
Parshat Pekudei concludes the parshiot of the Mishkan, and it describes how it was actually assembled.
After all of Am Israel participated in the giving of the Terumah for the Mishkan and the work of creating all of its components, the great moment came and all the parts were assembled.
We would have expected that here as well the erection of the Mishkan would be performed by the nation, but the Torah tells us:
And it was, on the first month of the second year, on the first of the month, the Mishkan was erected. And Moshe set up the Mishkan and he placed its sockets and he put in its boards and he placed its bars and he stood its columns up. And he spread the tent over the Mishkan and put the covering of the tent on it from above as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he put the Testimony into the ark, and he put the poles on the ark and he put the kapporet on the ark from above. And he brought the ark into the Mishkan and he put the screening curtain and it screened on the ark of the Testimony as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he put the table in the Tent of Meeting on the north side, outside of the curtain. And he laid upon it the arrangement of bread before HaShem, as HaShem commanded Moshe.
And he put the Menorah in the tent of meeting across from the table on the south side of the Mishkan. And he lit the lamps before HaShem as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he put the golden altar in the Tent of Meeting before the screen. And he burned upon it the incense of the spices as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he placed the screen for the entrance of the Mishkan. And he put the altar of the burnt sacrifices at the entrance of the Mishkan the Tent of Meeting and he placed upon it the olah and the mincha as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he put the laver between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and he put in it water for laving. And from it Moshe and Aharon and his sons will wash their hands and feet. When they enter the Tent of Meeting and when they approach the altar they will wash as HaShem commanded Moshe. And he erected the courtyard around the Mishkan and the altar and he affixed the curtain of the gate of the courtyard, and Moshe completed the work.
Moshe Rabbenu alone sets up the Mishkan.
And the question arises: why is Moshe Rabbenu specifically the one who builds the Mishkan by himself?
The Gemara in Nedarim 38a relates: Rabbi Yochanan said: HaShem does not allow His Shechinah to dwell except upon he who is mighty, wealthy, wise and humble. And Moshe possessed all of these (qualities). Mighty, as is written: and he spread the tent over the Mishkan. And Mar said: Moshe Rabbenu spread it, as it says: each board was ten amot in length etc.
And in the Gemara in Shabbat 91a: As Mar said: the Shechinah does not dwell except upon he who is mighty, wealthy and tall (in height).
Chazal say that the Shechinah dwelled specifically upon Moshe Rabbenu, and it is logical that this is the reason that he is the one who was commanded to carry out the construction of the Mishkan.
However, we need to understand: why are the characteristics of might, wealth, wisdom, and according to one version height as well, necessary for the dwelling of the Shechinah?
The Maharsha on Masechet Nedarim explains that since these characteristics are "the great qualities in the eyes of men" therefore it is fitting that a prophet, who is the emissary of HaShem, should possess them.
And perhaps we can add that the quality of humility comes to teach us an important principle.
Presumably, one who is neither wise nor rich, and strength is also not one of his defining qualities – it is easy for him to be humble, since, by virtue of what can he glorify himself?
And the converse is true: exactly the one who possesses all of these great qualities, when he is able to conquer the yetzer of conceit and cling to the trait of humility, the Shechinah will dwell upon him.
Similarly, the Zohar says (Bereshis 122): Meritorious is he who diminishes himself in this world, thus he will be great in Olam HaBa. And thus said Rav, Rosh HaYeshiva: One who is small (humble), in actuality he is great, and one who is great (who aggrandizes himself), is really small.
And indeed, Moshe Rabbenu, by virtue of his great humility, is concerned about the good of Am Israel, as the Gemara says in Nedarim:
Rabbi Yossi the son of Rabbi Chanina said: The Torah was given only to Moshe and his offspring, as it says: k'tov lecha (write for you), p'sol lecha (carve for you). Just as p'solatan (the remnant material) is for you, so the writing is for you. Moshe acted with tovat ayin benevolence) and gave it to Am Israel, and it is written regarding him: Tov ayin yevorach – the benevolent will be blessed (Mishlei 22:9).
May we all merit to devote ourselves to developing the quality of humility, and to be generous towards all, and by virtue of this, to merit that the Shechinah will dwell upon us and to see Ariel – the Temple – built speedily and in our days.
Shiur ID: 9634
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