Parasha Pinchas
SAN DIEGO — There’s a Jewish maxim, “Every generation receives the leader it deserves.” Parasha Pinchas seems to provide a foundation for this old adage. The parasha distinguishes between the leadership of Moses, who in today’s language would be described as a wise, dauntless, self-aware, “we” not “me,” conscious leader, and Joshua, of whom the Talmud, in Baba Batra 75A, says, “The Elders of that generation said: The countenance of Moses was like that of the sun; the countenance of Joshua like that of the moon. Alas, for such shame!”
But was Joshua truly not as bright as the “sun”? Was the “shame” Joshua’s or was it of the Elders, who may not have given Joshua the chance to lead, who had difficulty accepting a new leader, who were unable to make room for a different type of leader without continually comparing to the leader they knew and loved? Hashem placed Joshua in the position of leadership and as the saying goes, “Man thinks and God winks.” He knows the leader a given generation needs.
At that time, He knew the ability to connect and communicate with the Israelites was essential, a skill Joshua brought. There’s a great deal to learn from this and apply to contemporary times.
Imagine leaders who bring their full selves, with full awareness, to their positions. Moses demonstrates this for all future leaders. When Moses learned he was not going to enter the Promised land, he pivoted away from despairing, from anger and envy, and immediately focused on identifying a successor. Moses’ first reaction was, “…Let the Lord, the God of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,” (Numbers 27:16-17). Rashi teaches us, “To make known the virtue of the righteous, when they pass from this world, they put aside their own needs and concern themselves with the needs of the community.”
Moses understood that it was time to look forward and transcend his own ego. We learn in the Midrash that Moses thought his son, Gershom, would be a proper successor. But Moses was able to let go of that and instead demonstrated his devotion to Hashem, and eagerly provided for what Hashem directed, naming Joshua as his successor. Rashi teaches that Moses’ devotion to the needs of the community before his own needs is a fundamental feature of the righteous.
This parasha teaches us a timely lesson about the value of placing the welfare of others above our own personal interests. From growing a shul to a school to a worthwhile community venture to a country, genuinely leading with love of the greater whole rather than one’s self-regard is vital.
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Michael Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly d’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family worship. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com