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This week's parsha, Parshat Tetzaveh, is the only parsha that doesn't include Moshe's name since Moshe was introduced in the Torah. This raises the obvious question, why isn't his name mentioned, and what can we learn from it? There are several opinions:

The Vilna Gaon suggests that since this parsha is read during the week that the seventh of Adar falls, the date of Moshe's death, his name is not mentioned in the Torah to remind us of the loss of the greatest leader in Jewish history.

The Ba’al HaTurim suggests that this is the result of Moshe asking G-d to forgive Bnei Yisrael, and if not, "blot me out of the book you have written" (32:32). While G-d did forgive the Jewish people, there is the idea that "the curse of a sage comes true, even if it is conditional" (Makkot 11).  Thus, G-d obliterated Moshe's name from this week's Parsha.

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks has another approach. He suggests that by leaving out Moshe's name, we are able to focus solely on the achievements of his brother, Aharon, the first Kohen Gadol. In Judaism there are two forms of religious leaders: the prophet and the priest and they have very different roles. While the prophet is a person who speaks with dramatic flair and challenges the king’s and civil court’s authority, the priest is a much quieter figure, who serves in the sanctuary rather than in the spotlight of the people. Both are essential to the Jewish nation, though Moshe is usually the center of attention in the Torah, having intimate conversations with G-d and carrying out His decrees.

Therefore, in this week's Parsha, we leave out Moshe in order to more fully appreciate his brother, Aharon, who dealt with the mundane, day-to-day tasks of what needed to be done in the temple. Rabbi Sacks puts it beautifully: "In Tetzaveh for once it is Aharon who holds center stage, undiminished by the presence of his brother. For whereas Moshe lit the fire in the souls of the Jewish people, Aharon tended to the flame and turned it into ‘an eternal light.’” Let us take this week to appreciate those people (thanks mom and dad) who tend to OUR flames, who always take care of our day-to-day needs, and ensure that our lives are as comfortable and enjoyable as can be.