Towards the end of this week’s parsha the pasuk says ‘I will arrange meetings with klal Yisroel, and it will be sanctified by My glory.’ (29:43)

Previously, when the Torah used the expression V’nod’ti, it was usually reserved for telling us that Hashem’s presence was reserved strictly for Moshe, as the pasuk says ‘I will arrange My meetings with you there, and I will speak with you from atop the ark cover from between the two cherubim that are upon the Ark of the Testimony, all that I will command you unto the children of Israel. (25; 22) However, here it seems that it is for all of bnei Yisroel. Ohr Hachaim HaKadosh wonders what pshat why in this instance Hashem told us He would meet with bnei Yisroel. What does this mean that Hashem will arrange a meeting place for klal Yisroel?

We can answer that if you take a look at the end of the pasuk it says ‘vnikdash bichvodei’, which means ‘it will be sanctified in my honor.’ Rashi comments and says ‘Do not read it to mean My glory but rather with my honories. He hinted to him [Moshe] about the death of Aaron’s sons on the day it [the Mishkan] was erected. This is what Moshe [meant when he] said, “This is what Hashem spoke, saying, ‘With those close to Me I will be sanctified’” Now where did He speak? “And it will be sanctified by My glory.” (29; 43)

Ohr Hachaim HaKadosh comments that the beginning of the pasuk means that my presence will be frequent in the eyes of bnei Yisroel. Perhaps they will become used to the fact that my Shechina is constantly amongst them. Anytime a person gets used to an item or their surroundings they no longer have the same respect towards it. Since bnei Yisroel would be exposed to my presence so often, I am going to have to do something drastic. I’m going to have to take the life of two of my precious children to show my other children that this place must be treated so carefully and respected that you can’t get used to it like one gets used to mundane items. He wanted to instill a fear as to not to get too comfortable; Hashem had to set a tone. How did He do that? He took away two precious servants on the day the Mishkan was constructed. He wanted to ensure that we wouldn’t lose chashivus for the Mishkan. Now, when we read the pasuk it’s read to mean: ‘being I will always be there and bnei Yisroel will become accustomed to my presence, I will become holy through the deaths of Nadav and Avihu.’

When one gets too comfortable it leads to no good. Just because something is common it doesn’t mean to suddenly lose respect towards it. Don’t get used to it and take it for granted. Not a Rov; not a shul; not a spouse; not a child. Hashem prevented us from getting too comfortable to engrain in us the severity of what can happen if we do. How much more so do we have to be careful and refrain from doing so?

By establishing the proper decorum we can try to prevent ourselves from getting ‘used to’ things. We need to constantly look for the positive and appreciate everything that was done; we must never assume and never expect anything. Although it requires effort we must strive to appreciate everything right in front of our eyes, every single day.

May we all be zoche.

HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS