Parshat Pinchas
Num. 25:10-30:1
In this week’s portion, Pinchas, God guides Moses as he appoints a successor to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, since Moses himself will not enter the Land. We read that “Moses spoke to the Eternal, saying, ‘Let the Eternal, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint a leader for the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the Eternal’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.’” (Numbers 27:15-17) God then singles out Joshua for this appointment because he was “an inspired leader.” (Numbers 27:18)
Why Joshua? What are the qualities that cause God to describe him as an “inspired leader”? Midrash comes up with a couple of answers to this question. The first states that Joshua was “a man who would have the capacity to stand up to the spirit of each and every one”. (Sifra Zuta, Pinchas 16) This seems to me an admirable quality, and one rarely found in contemporary society. Especially in light of the current elections, it makes me wonder how many modern-day leaders are courageous enough to stand up to those who disagree with them? How many politicians stand up for a principle in which they believe, even if that means alienating some voters? How many leaders in our own Jewish communities do we admire because they do not give in to dissenters?
In another midrashic passage the rabbis describe a dialogue between God and Moses in which Moses requests that God appoint a leader “who will put up with each and every man according to his particular disposition.” (Yalkut, Pinchas 776) It can be quite difficult to deal with challenging personalities especially when we are not in a position of leadership over them. It can be very trying to put up with diverse personalities, but it is an even greater challenge to deal with everyone in one’s care according to his or her disposition. How many leaders do we know who are skilled in this regard? And how often do we single out this quality as a characteristic that we admire? Ultimately, Joshua is God’s answer to this qualification.
Joshua had a tremendous and daunting task before him. We know that God singled him out because he was a special individual who had the courage to fill this role. We live in an era when it is often difficult to find leaders we admire. It is even a greater challenge to recognize those individuals whose leadership is truly inspired. This leadership may take the form of standing up to others on the basis of principle or of being able to deal well with people according to their dispositions. Even though it was God who appointed Joshua, ultimately, it was the fact that the people accepted him that made him their true leader. In all aspects of our lives we must be very careful to consider what kind of leaders we choose to accept. Further, we must empower individuals like Joshua to be our next inspired leaders.
Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Leigh Korn
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