Have you ever been to a grand opening ceremony? You see all the C-suite executives on stage, smiling for the cameras, while the construction workers—the ones who actually did the work—stand in the background.
At first glance, this might seem unfair. The monied people take all the credit, while the laborers remain unseen. But perhaps there’s more to it.
In this week’s Torah portion, we find a similar episode in the construction of the Mishkan, the holy Tabernacle. When the Jewish people finished building and assembling this house of G-d, Moses blessed them, saying, “May it be G-d’s will that His presence dwell in the Mishkan, and that the work of our hands be pleasing to Him.”
The Torah describes how, although the people built every component of the Mishkan, they turned to Moses to assemble it. Why? If they had the skill to construct it, why couldn’t they complete the final step themselves?
An even deeper question arises: Why did Moses include himself in the blessing? Was he, like the executives at a grand opening, trying to take credit for the work of others?
Here we uncover a powerful double lesson: As Jews, we need a Moses, and a true leader desires to be part of the people.
The Jewish nation didn’t involve Moses because they needed his help to complete the Mishkan—they wanted him to be part of it. They didn’t see Moses as a leader only in times of struggle; they turned to him in moments of joy as well.
Moses understood that being a spiritual leader doesn’t mean staying distant, detached, or above the people. He couldn’t simply give instructions and remain on the sidelines. A true leader gets involved—hands-on, side by side with the people.
From Moses, we learn an essential leadership principle: Don’t stand on the stage like a sage—be a guide from the side. Encourage, uplift, and empower others to reach their full potential.
Shabbat Shalom!