In Parashat Shemini, we read about the dramatic events that happened on the eighth and final day of the inauguration of the Mishkan. This was a special day, when Aharon and his sons worked as kohanim for the first time. Hashem commanded that special sacrifices be offered, and afterward, a fire came down from heaven signifying the arrival of the Shechinah (divine presence).
At the beginning of the parashah, Moshe gives instructions for what needed to be done that day. What’s surprising is that he gives these instructions not only to Aharon and his sons, but also to the זקנים – the elders of the nation. The pasuk says: ויהי ביום השמיני קרא משה לאהרון ולבניו ולזקני ישראל – “On the eighth day, Moshe called to Aharon and his sons, and to the elders of Israel…”
The reason why this is surprising is because as we read through the story, we don’t see these elders doing anything. They were not involved at all. So why did Moshe need to single them out? Why did he invite them together with Aharon and his sons when he gave his instructions, if they played no special role?
The Midrash makes a comment on this pasuk, about the importance of זקנים, of wise, experienced leaders. It says that זקנים are for the Jewish People what wings are for birds. Just like a bird cannot fly without wings, so too, we cannot do what we need to do without our elders, our Rabbis.
Beneh Yisrael had just built a Mishkan, and Hashem was coming to reside among them. They were now about to “fly” – to rise to great spiritual heights. But in order to do this, they needed their זקנים, their elders. We cannot achieve religiously without the guidance of our Rabbis.
The building of the Mishkan was intended, at least in part, to atone for חטא העגל – the sin of the golden calf. A number of commentators explain that Beneh Yisrael actually had good intentions when they made the calf. They did not worship an idol; they worshipped Hashem using the golden calf as a medium. Their sin was that they did this on their own, without getting advice. They forced Aharon to make a statue for them, instead of asking him for advice what to do after Moshe did not come back from the mountaintop when they thought he would. To atone for that mistake, they made the Mishkan, in the manner taught to them by Moshe. Rather than acting on their own, they followed their leader’s instructions. And so when the Mishkan was inaugurated, the זקנים had to be there – to show them the importance of consulting with wise, experienced leaders before embarking on something new.
Later in the parashah, we read of the tragic mistake made by two of Aharon’s sons – Nadav and Avihu – on that day. Nadav and Avihu decided on their own to bring ketoret (incense). They thought this is what the moment called for. They were wrong, and they were killed by a fire. Their intentions were sincere, but they failed to consult with the elders, with the knowledgeable leaders, and so they ended up making a tragic mistake.
Just because we have sincere intentions, this does not mean we’re doing the right thing. We need to have the patience and the humility to get advice, to ask people who have more knowledge and experience than us. It’s natural to feel excited about our own ideas and rush to go through with them. But if we don’t ask for advice, we can end up making bad mistakes.
This is especially true when it comes to religion. We need to ask questions. Before deciding on our own what the Torah wants of us, we should consult with those who have dedicated many years of their lives to learning, who know better than we do what the Torah wants.
By humbly getting advice instead of rushing to do whatever we think is right, we will, like our ancestors in the desert, be worthy of having the Shechinah reside among us.