Chazal tell us that Moshe Rabbeinu did not go into the Ohel Moed until invited to by Hashem Himself. In fact, had he gone in without an invitation, it would be lacking in common sense to the point that we would say about Moshe that “a carcass of an animal is better than an astute individual who does not use his brain!” (Vayikra Rabba 1:15)

Many explanations have been given for the above ma’amar chazal. Moshe Rabbeinu worked very hard to build the mishkan, the place of the Divine Presence. Obviously, the purpose was for Klal Yisroel to serve Hashem there. Being that that was the case, it is understood intuitively that Moshe should go into the mishkan and begin the avoda—for this is the purpose for which he built it. Yet he felt that no one could go in without an invitation. Chazal say that everyone should understand this to the point that even a carcass is better than a person who does not understand it! Yet it seems to me that many of us would probably have understood that our job was to walk in without an invitation. What is the piece of understanding that we are lacking, which causes us to think this way?

At this time, when Klal Yisrael is in turmoil, there are those who quote the gemora in brochos which teaches us to be careful to say a brocho. Dovid Hamelech stopped the plague by instituting the requirement to say 100 brochos each day. The gemora says that one who eats without a brocho is stealing, for until the brocho is said, the food belongs to Hashem and only after that are we permitted to partake of it. It seems to me that we all understood that Hashem does not need any food – he only lets it grow so that we could partake of it. So why must we ask permission from Hashem for the food that obviously is for us?

Similarly, on the sixth day of creation, only after Adam HaRishon prayed to Hashem for rain, did the ground bring forth its produce. Both of these ideas come to teach us that we must acknowledge our place in our service.

I once saw an article in a secular publication about the famous Dunkin-Hines cake mixes, which was advertised “You can make the cake from scratch.” This publication questioned and said “to make a cake from scratch you must first create a universe.” The thought being, that you have to give credit for what was set up for you, before you came into the picture. Hashem gave us the ability to work, produce food, and bring it to the table. If we don’t recognize that all of that is with the grace of Hashem, we are missing an understanding of our place in the world. Many times – and especially at these times – some people may think “I daven, so I deserve to be answered!” Yet, I have seen people who have sick relatives and they still can’t gather the presence of mind to pray that they should be healed. Those who have the ability, not only physically but also emotionally, must thank Hashem that they have the ability to beseech him.

Many of us have lost the opportunity to daven in shul, and we await that day that we can return to shul to daven. I am sure when that day comes – may it be very soon – we will appreciate the merit of davening in a shul. As we daven at this time, we should appreciate the little that we can do (which is only with Hashem’s help), and try to accept upon ourselves to act with a little more reverence, realizing that davening in shul is not a given. Perhaps davening during a pressing situation, when we have no social interaction with the others present, should inspire a kabalah to take upon ourselves continued proper conduct when we speedily return to our own beis haknesses. And all of us—those with the privilege of davening in the shul and those who currently cannot—should always appreciate that Hashem is allowing us to enter.