When things don’t work out in your home, whose fault is it usually?  What about when things aren’t going well at your job?  

In this week’s Torah portion, Pekudei, the Israelites put all their money, all of their labour, and all of their energy into building the Mishkan.  A structure that would act as a dwelling place for G-d in this world, so to speak.  But near the end of the Torah portion, there was a major problem.  The Yalkut (on Shemos 40:34) says that a cloud came over the Tent of Meeting and G-d’s Presence did not actually enter the Mishkan…

All that work.  All that time.  After everyone had followed the instructions to the letter.  How must the people have felt when G-d didn’t actually bring His Holiness down to them.  You can imagine, if something like that happened today, how quickly the fingers might start flying and the blame game begin.  

The Yalkut brings down an amazing medrash though.  He says that Aharon immediately took credit for the failure.  He assumed that he, as Cohen Gadol, had messed something up in the offerings.  The people rejected that though.  They said that it must be their fault instead.  That G-d had still not forgiven them for the Golden Calf, and that was what was causing the problem.  Then Moses stood up and said that, no, as the leader, it must be his fault that G-d’s presence was not coming down to them.

Not one of them pointed a finger in blame.  Not one of them took the opportunity to criticize their fellow.  They each took responsibility themselves for the failure.  

And when G-d saw that, He brought His presence into the Mishkan.

It’s no small thing to take ownership of failures.  Especially when you can see clearly the failings of others and rationally explain how they are really the ones at fault.  And yet… if you can take those opportunities to look inward at what you can improve in yourself instead of playing the blame game, you may be surprised at how much more effective you are at achieving your goals in the long run.  

Because G-d’s presence dwells with those who are willing to take responsibility.

Good Shabbos,

Rabbi A and the JET Team