In the 1920’s the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris. The French newspapers reported that after the painting was stolen, multitudes of people came to view the spot where the stolen painting had been. In fact more people came to see the vacant spot than had come to see the painting.
     In the physical world, we become accustomed to unchanging stimuli as our senses become dulled and insensitive from our initial reaction. When one jumps into a pool the water may be freezing but after a few moments he adjusts to it. So too when one enters a room he may smell a pungent odor but after a few minutes he forgets about it. Psychologists refer to this as Sensory Adaptation. [When one looks at a single point for an extended amount of time it will not fade from sight simply because ones eyes are always moving, quivering just enough to guarantee that the retinal image continually changes. But sight is an exception.] In the mental and psychological world this phenomena is also true. In life, we often take for granted people and commodities that are dear to us. We grow accustomed to friends, family, health, comforts, etc., and often do not truly appreciate them until they are gone.
     In the eloquent words of Rabbi Yosher Ber Soloveitchik zt’l, (June 1966) "Qualitative time-awareness reduces in effect, to interspersing the text of chronology with values and creativity. These values appear in their true perspective when the stream of time undulates them away to the shores of yesterday. From the vantage point of the present, we first evaluate the significance of the past. When we are no longer at one with our values, we first begin to appreciate, evaluate, and even worship them. It is through this effect of contrast that we first arrive at qualitative time-consciousness, a multi-dimensional continuum of past, present, and future. It is through contrast that time must have a stop and qualitative time a renewed impetus. And so it is with persons or values. When they have disappeared from the stage of the present, they take on a new and profound significance in contrast with the changed scene. Then the hills become smaller and the mountains larger, as time and perspective recede."
     Moshe Rabbeinu was the greatest leader Klal Yisroel ever had. He carried the difficult nation as a mother bears the aggravations and pains of her young child. The Torah was practically transmitted to Klal Yisroel via Moshe. From the beginning of Chumas Shemos when the Torah first introduces Moshe, his name is mentioned in every single parsha, except one: Parshas Tetzaveh. Chazal explain that after the sin of the Golden Calf when G-d wanted to eradicate Klal Yisroel and rebuild the nation from Moshe himself, Moshe declared to G-d (32:32), "And now, if You would but bear their sin! but if not, erase me now from the book that You have written." Although G-d indeed forgave Klal Yisroel, the word of a true righteous individual has a tremendous effect, and always comes to fruition on some level. Therefore Moshe’s name is not mentioned in this one Torah portion. One reason that it was specifically Parshas Tetzaveh that was designated as the parsha to omit the name of Moshe is that Moshe’s yahrtzeit (anniversary of the date of his death), i.e. 7 Adar, almost universally comes out during the week that Parshas Tetzaveh is read. To signify how much Moshe meant and means to us as the prototype of leadership, we do not mention him. Therefore, in a way, Parshas Tetzaveh grants us the ability to reflect on the vast greatness of Moshe that we take for granted each week when his name is mentioned.
     What was the greatness of Moshe? Why did he merit speaking to G-d face-to-face with complete clarity, as did no other prophet in history? At the funeral of the venerable Chofetz Chaim, his beloved disciple Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman zt’l hy’d related the following insight: When the Torah describes the death of Moshe it states very plainly, (Devorim 34:5) "Vayamas shom Moshe eved Hashem b’eretz Moav al pi Hashem- And Moshe, the servant of G-d, died there, in the land of Moav, by the mouth of Hashem." Couldn’t the Torah describe Moshe with any loftier titles? This pasuk is, in essence, the Torah’s eulogy of Moshe and yet all it says is that he was a ‘servant of G-d’. What is the greatness of such a title? The Medrash Tanchuma (Parshas Lech Lecha, 8) relates a story about an elderly and wealthy businessman who worked overseas while his son sat and learned in one of the great Yeshivos in Yerushalayim. Over time the man grew ill and realized his death was imminent and he would not have a chance to contact his son before his passing. He summoned the slave that always accompanied him and wrote out a document bequeathing all of his possessions to his slave except for any one thing that his son chose to keep. He told the slave to deliver the document to his son and all the remaining possessions would become legally his. A few days later the man passed away and the servant made his way to Yerushalyim. When he finally found the son he presented him with the document with the unmistakable handwriting of his late father. The son burst into tears. How could his beloved father do this to him? How could he give away all of his possessions to the lowly slave and leave him almost nothing? Brokenhearted, the son showed the document to his Rebbe and asked him what he should choose as his one single inheritance from his father. The Rebbe thought for a moment and then jumped up, "My child, your father was an absolute genius. Your father knew that if he commanded his slave to bring all his possessions to you, he would never do it. He would run off with everything leaving you destitute. Therefore your father thought of an ingenious idea. He told the slave you would only get one thing and this would ensure that the slave would bring you the document so he could get everything else legally and never have to worry about you coming after him. Quick, go into the local court and declare that you have one thing to claim, i.e. the slave himself." A servant, by definition, is one who owns nothing in life. He is completely subservient to his master and all he possesses belongs to his master and all he has is merely to serve his master. To become a true ‘Eved Hashem,’ one must dedicate every fiber of his being to G-d. Any talent he has, any prestige he is granted, and any money he makes must be completely dedicated to the service of G-d. Hashem gives everyone the talents and abilities to fulfill his designated goal in life. The challenge of life is to recognize these talents and to utilize them to reach greater levels of spirituality and closeness to G-d. "Such a person," explained Rav Elchonon, "was the venerable Chofetz Chaim. He was a gifted orator, so he preached parables to explain timeless lessons about Torah and mitzvos. He was able to write clearly and present ideas well so he produced volumes upon volumes of scholarly works on halachah and Jewish thought. He was able to influence others so he became a leader for his people. He wrote for Torah, he spoke for Torah, he was a leader for Torah, and his every movement was for the advancement of Torah." That is the meaning of a true Eved Hashem and therefore there is no more admirable eulogy that could be said about Moshe than those two words, "Eved Hashem". Those words simply mean his every breath was only to further the glory of the Divine Name.
     In her first appearance as Queen of the Netherlands, Wilhelmina Helene Pauline Maria, stood on the balcony of her palace in Amsterdam and stared with a small child’s wonder at her cheering subjects. "Mama," she asked, "do all these people belong to me?" "No, my child," replied the Queen-Regent, "it is you who belong to all these people."
     That was the essence of Moshe. He felt that his responsibility was to be completely dedicated to Klal Yisroel. This is one of the great lessons we reflect on when we feel the omission of Moshe’s name in Parshas Tetzaveh. We are reminded why he was our greatest leader ever. He was the epitome of an "Eved Hashem"; he loved and lived for his nation, sought the good of his nation, and only breathed for the benefit of his nation.
     As our Sheva Berachos come to a close and we begin our married life, may we never lose the feelings we currently have for each other and always appreciate and be completely dedicated to one another throughout our lives.