This week’s Middat HaShavuah, taken from this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Tetzaveh, instructs us to wear special items to help create holiness.
Parshah: תְּצַוֶּה
Key Verse: וְעָשִׂיתָ בִגְדֵי-קֹדֶשׁ
שמות כח:ב
Middah: Wear special items to help create holiness
Parshat Tetzaveh is unique in that it is the only Torah portion from the time we are introduced to Moshe at the beginning of Sefer Shemot until the end of Sefer D’varim that Moshe’s name is not mentioned even once! There is a lot to unpack from this fact. One takeaway is that this Torah portion focuses on Aaron and his sons, and the importance of the Cohanim and their duties and responsibilities. Perhaps the reason that Moshe’s name isn’t mentioned shows us yet again Moshe’s humility. He wished for the attention for this one Torah portion to shift away from himself to his brother Aaron and his sons.
Why is being humble an important virtue?
Being humble promotes personal growth and allows individuals to acknowledge their limitations and areas for improvement. Being humble also helps us strengthen our relationship with others by fostering empathy, understanding, and respect in relationships. Being humble encourages collaborating effectively with others, as it helps us listen, compromise, and work towards common goals, rather than prioritizing our own ego or agenda. This promotes teamwork and collective achievement. Being humble helps facilitate leadership. Leaders who demonstrate humility are approachable, authentic, and relatable, which inspires trust and loyalty among their team members. They are also more likely to admit mistakes, seek feedback, and empower others, leading to greater team cohesion and success. Finally, being humble fosters gratitude by encouraging individuals to appreciate the contributions of others and recognize the role of external factors in their success.
Let’s draw inspiration from our Torah portion this week, reflecting on the significance of humility exemplified by Moshe. Just as the sacred garments worn by Aaron and his sons were designed to cultivate holiness, embracing humility can also guide us towards nurturing holiness in our own lives.
Shabbat Shalom U’Mevorach,
Moreh Alan
