Torah Portion
Welcome ho
Moses Finds Strength
By Trusting In Others
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Ever protective of his mentor,
Joshua recommends that Moses stop
them, lest they undermine his leader-
ship. Joshua seems to believe that
prophecy should be confined to the
specified holy site and preserved for
the designated few, rather than be
shared by the commoners.
n this week's parsha (Torah por-
However, a wiser, more mature
tion), the Israelites are settling
into their wilderness routine, and
Moses replies, "Are you upset on my
account? Would that all the Lord's
life is not as dramatic as before.
people were prophets, that the Lord
The memory of Egyptian slavery has
put His spirit upon them!" Moses
blurred, the wonder of Sinai has worn
then leads the elders back to the
off, and the miracle of manna has
camp, no longer separated
become a monotonous routine, boring
from the people by the
the palate and leaving our
cloak of authority.
ancestors longing for the fish
Despite the mistakes of
of the Nile. We hear the grum-
the past, Moses finally learns
bling and groaning of the
that he need not do it all
weary travelers as they bemoan
himself. He learns to listen
their fate and plague Moses
to his advisors and to share
with demands.
the power with which he
Finally, Moses cannot stand
was entrusted. No longer
their incessant whining any
threatened by other voices,
longer. He breaks down,
throws himself upon God's
RABBI MARLA Moses learns to depend
upon the 70 elders, and
mercy and begs to be relieved
J. FEL DMAN
eventually comes to terms
of the burden of leadership.
Specia 1 to the
with passing the mantle of
This confession marks a
Jewish News
leadership to his young dis-
significant turning point in the
ciple Joshua.
life of Moses as leader and a
Had Moses not learned to share
prophet. He finally admits he cannot do
the burdens of leadership, our ances-
it all alone. The moment is foreshad-
tors would have remained lost in the
owed in the Book of Exodus when his
wilderness with none to guide them
father-in-law, Jethro, sees Moses acting
after his death. By delegating authori-
as sole judge and arbiter for the Israelite
ty, Moses created space for new leaders
people and recommends that he estab-
to emerge, assuring the survival of his
lish a hierarchy of judges to help him.
people and.the continuation of their
Moses apparently did not share leader-
ship or relinquish control easily.
journey to the Promised Land.
_The lessons of leadership are some-
Sound like anyone you know? How
times difficult to accept. We must learn
many of us believe that if you want it
to step back and make room for others.
done right, do it yourself? How many
We must admit our own failures and
of us are reluctant to delegate, afraid
accept that we are not indispensable.
that things will fall apart if we are not
And we must learn to trust our fellow
in control?
travelers to share our burdens. Having
In response to his plea, God
learned these lessons, Moses was indeed
instructs Moses to select 70 elders
a great leader and role model for us. ❑
from among the Israelites to share
leadership responsibilities with him.
Not only would they help lead the
people, but like Moses, they would be
endowed with the gift of divine
What do you think would have
prophecy.
happened to Moses had he not
The elders are told to leave the camp
broken down and admitted he
and gather at the Tent of Meeting to
needed assistance? If you find
receive this divine gift. As they begin to
yourself overburdened and unable
experience the ecstasy of prophecy, they
to cope, what can you do to dele-
are interrupted by a message that two
gate more to others? The 70 elders
of the elders had remained behind and
took on a great deal of responsi-
were offering prophecy amongst the
bility in sharing leadership with
people in the camp.
Moses. Is there something you can
do
to share the burden of leader-
is
the
assistant
Rabbi Marla Feldman
ship with communal leaders?
director of the Jewish Community Council
Shabbat Behalotecha:
Numbers 8:1-12:16•
Zachriah
of Metropolitan Detroit and executive
director of the Michigan Board of Rabbis.
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