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Special to The Jewish News

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his week's sedra
focuses on the nature
of leadership. Moses is
beset by the murmuring and
the rebellion of the people in
the wilderness. They are
dissatisfied, for they
remember not the torment of
the slave camps, but rather
the fleshpots and creature
comforts of Egypt. Discourag-
ed and disheartened, Moses is
instructed by God to select
leaders — men who will share
the burden of responsibility
for the welfare of the people.
Designated as zekainim or
"elders," they were people of
reverence and knowledge and
upon them did rest "the spirit
of the Lord." In this brief
passage is intimated the
essential qualities of
leadership.
Seventy were chosen. Why
were they selected? What
qualifications did they
possess? The Jewish tradition
offers an instructive legend
about their background.
When the Hebrew people liv-
ed in Egypt, Egyptian task-
masters were placed over the
Israelite labor camps and
Hebrew officers were ap-
pointed. The taskmasters
demanded the daily quota of
bricks. When the quota was
not met, the Egyptians
started punishing the slaves.
The Hebrew officers then
came forward and said: "We
are to blame; it is we who
deserve the punishment and
not the people because we did
not encourage the slaves to
work hard enough."
The Hebrew officers then
accepted the lash of the task-
master's whip and bore the
pain of the people. Years later,
when Moses was to choose
those who were to share with
him in the eminence of
leadership, he turned to that
group who had demonstrated
their compassion for the
needs of others, their concern
for the travail of those they
represented.
This, therefore, marks the
test of a good leader. Does he
have love for those on whose
behalf he speaks? Is he able
to articulate the needs and
yearnings of those whom he
represents?
The Bible said about these
70 that "the spirit of the Lord
came upon them" and that
they prophesied. The text sug-

Irwin Groner is senior rabbi
at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek.

gests that the prophetic spirit
is an indispensable element
of great leadership because
true leaders summon us to
the highest call of conscience
and morality; they show us
the promise of the future;
they enable us to see hope
and promise in the midst of
difficulty and struggle. How
desperately we need such
leaders today. We need the
kind of leadership that has a
vision of love and unity, that
brings progress by reconciling
different groups in our socie-
ty, and not by seeking to ex-
ploit hate and fear and
thereby achieving power.
We need this kind of leader-
ship in the family, in the

e

Behaalotekha:

Numbers 8:1-12:16,
Zachariah 2:14-4:7.

classroom and in the ex-
ecutive office because the
nature of our society is chang-
ing. A generation or two ago,
families were ruled by
parents as absolute despots;
the educator had complete
authority over his students;
and the owner had unques-
tioned power over his
employees. But all this has
changed because children
seek to have a share in the
decisions that families make;
students want to participate
in the process of education;
and employees seek to add
their views to management in
the conduct of business. No
longer do leaders have the
capacity to coerce others. We
need to lead by persuasion
and by personal example. We
need to lead by creating a .=
shared consensus and a com-
mon understanding devel-
oped by effective communica-
tion. We need to project that
vision, sincerity and commit-
ment which will win the sup-
port of those whom we seek to
influence. Our concern should
inspire trust; our wisdom
should inspire confidence; our
faithfulness should inspire
loyalty.
This was the achievement
of the "elders of Ancient
Israel" who present a mean- 0
ingful challenge to our
generation.

C

❑

A pious fool is he who sees a
child struggling in water
and says, "I'll take off my
tefillin and then save the
child."
Jerusalem Talmud: Sota, 3:4

