Shemos

Sefer Shemos transitions us to a new era for the Jewish nation. Having lost the power and prestige of Yosef as minister to the Pharaoh and their status as first class citizens, the Jewish people are now enslaved and forced to do hard labor. Hashem hears the cry of the people and sets the wheel of salvation in motion by appearing to Moshe from a burning bush that is not consumed by the flames. Upon seeing this phenomenon, Moshe moves closer to the bush to investigate why the bush doesn't burn. Hashem then warns him, אל תקרב הלם של נעליך מעל
רגליך כי המקום אשר אתה עומד עליו אדמת קדש הוא . Do not come close to here; remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground.

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik asks why Hashem tells Moshe not to come closer? The whole purpose of the phenomenon was to stimulate Moshe’s curiosity to see what's going on. Although Moshe wants to get closer to the bush, Hashem says don't come close; why shouldn't Moshe come too close? He answers that there are two reasons for Moshe’s interest in the bush up close; the first is to gain inspiration from the awesome sight, to admire the beauty and feel a sense of commitment to the people and their destiny. The second reason involves understanding the rationale; why did the Jews have to come down to Mitzraim to be so oppressed and suffer so much?

Hashem therefore instructs Moshe that if you want to see the beauty and grandeur, then come as close as you want for the closer you get the more inspired you will be. However, if you’re trying to understand the rationale of Jewish history, then אל תקרב הלם , don't come too close, for that will always remain a mystery which no human will ever understand. So של נעליך take off your shoes, your normal everyday stance, your routine process of understanding and analyzing. For המקום אשר אתה עומד עליו אדמת קדש הוא
the ground is holy, the destiny of the Jewish people is a mystery. Even though life may seem like a paradox, put your trust in me and don't try to understand that which you can't.

How do we gain the inspiration to become more dedicated even though we don't fully understand? The Chafetz Chaim says that a person needs to continuously raise his level of ruchnius. One can't stay the same, for if one is not going up, he is going down. Conversely, one can't jump ahead of oneself either. He should go up one rung at a time like going up a ladder. One has to be prepared to start at the lowest rung and work one’s self up one rung at a time. This is something that every person can do. One shouldn’t say, “I would have been able to do much more if only I was in that other person’s shoes or if I were in a different place.”

The Torah is saying here של נעליו , take off your shoes! Even if you go barefoot, if you’re on your own, you can start from where you are and move one small step at a time. כי המקום אשר אתה עומד עליו , for the place where you are standing, the level that you are on right now, אדמת קדש הוא , you have the power to make that ground holy. Don't wait for another time. You don't need to be in anyone else's shoes. However you are right now, you have the power to make the ground you’re standing on holy! By realizing and understanding that no matter where we stand, we can take this opportunity to make the very ground we stand on holy just by resolving to start were we are and go up slowly one step at a time. By doing so, we will be strengthening our dedication and complete trust in Hashem!