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Towards the end of this week's Parashah, Parashat Pekudei, the Torah states “וְלֹא־יָכֹ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לָבוֹא֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד’’  “And Moshe was not able to enter the Ohel Moed” (Shemot 40:35). Why is Moshe Rabbeinu, the leader of Klal Yisrael, unable to enter the Mishkan that he just completed building? Furthermore, in the first words of Sefer VaYikra, Moshe is called to the Ohel Moed (VaYikra 1:1), essentially undoing this command! 

In his Sefer Sichot L’Sefer Shemot, Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl explains that this formulation of the Pesukim is coming to teach Bnei Yisrael the Middah of Yirat Hashem. After coming off the high of everyone contributing to the building of the Mishkan, it is easy to overlook the Yirat Hashem that is required alongside Ahavat Hashem. If even Moshe Rabbeinu, the man who had recently received the Luchot, was forbidden to enter the Mishkan because of the possibility that he might overlook the Yirat hashem required, Kal VaChomer Bnei Yisrael, who would be more likely overlook the Yirat Hashem needed to enter the Mishkan, would be forbidden to enter the Mishkan. Rav Nebenzahl qualifies his statement by looking towards the Chanukat HaMishkan in Parashat Shemini. Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon HaKohen, lacked the Yirah needed to serve Hashem and let their Ahavah take over by giving an extra Ketoret which inevitably leads to their untimely deaths.

The Rambam has a famous idea called the Golden Mean. He explains that one must be balanced in every Middah, not working too much and not learning enough Torah, while also not working too little and being unable to support your family. The idea of balancing Ahavah and Yirah certainly applies here as well. Someone who acts completely out of Ahavah, like Nadav and Avihu, will end up ignoring the rules set out by Hashem. However, if one lacks Ahavah he will perform Mitzvot robotically without any love for his Creator. Both possibilities are too extreme. It is only by balancing the proper amount of Ahavah with the proper amount of Yirah that one can achieve true Avodat Hashem

Moshe receives this command to not enter the Mishkan to teach Bnei Yisrael this incredible message. While it is easy to get caught up in Avahat Hashem, which is certainly not a bad thing, one has to remember that Yirat Hashem applies as well. Being an Eved Hashem means recognizing that there are rules that have to be followed. Nadav and Avihu acted out of their desire to come closer to Hashem but ignored the fact that the rules He had set out forbade their actions. This also explains why Hashem reverses the command at the start of VaYikra and tells Moshe to enter the Mishkan. Now that this message has been given Klal Yisrael understands the balance of Ahavah and Yirah that is needed to serve Hashem. Shabbat Shalom.