rabbijaffe

Parshat V’zot Ha’bracha is clearly one of the saddest parshas in the entire Torah. Not just because it’s the last one, and we’re sad to finish so great a creation. But it is in this parsha that the greatest leader the world has ever known, Moshe Rabbeinu, our teacher Moses, passes away into the next world.

There have been a lot of great leaders throughout world history, but it seems to me Moshe did one thing which put himself far ahead of so many.

To see why he was a great leader is fairly easy.

There are stories of him sticking up for Jews when oppressed by Egyptians, Jews harmed by other Jews, and non-Jews abused by other non-Jews. He stands up for what’s right indiscriminately.

According to the Midrash his kindness extends beyond people to include animals. He was chosen as the leader of the Jewish people at precisely the moment when he showed compassion for a thirsty sheep! So when we speak of his indiscriminate righteousness, it really extends quite far.

Not to mention the fact that he fearlessly and consistently stood up for his people. God told Moshe after the Jews sinned with the golden calf that He was fed up with these people. He was going to get rid of them, and replace them with a whole new people for Moshe. Instead of Moshe saying “Yes, Boss”, he poignantly and passionately stuck his neck out and defended his brethren.

He truly was a tremendous individual, and a tremendous leader.

But there’s so much more.

As many of us know, after Moshe died, the leadership of the Jewish people fell into the hands of Yehoshua bin Nun (Joshua), who was an absolutely fantastic leader as well.

Nevertheless, the Talmud (Bava Batra 75a) described Moshe as being like the sun, and Yehoshua as being like the moon. There are countless interpretations of these words, but I have my own novel one I would like to share.

It’s true both leaders were exceptional, and both successfully led the Jewish people their entire lives.

But only Moshe had a Yehoshua.

What I mean is, Moshe’s influence was able to outlive him, and shine on even after he was no longer alive, thanks to successfully training a worthy disciple.

In the case of Yehoshua, he led splendidly his whole life. But when he left the world, his impact went with him. What ensued was an over 400 year period of destruction and anarchy. (Recorded in the book of Shoftim/Judges)

I believe Moshe was referred to as the sun because not only did he give off his own radiance, but that light shined off the moon (Yehoshua) as well.

But Yehoshua had no light of his own.   

Moshe understood that true leadership looks deep into the future, and a truly strong and memorable leadership will outlast the leader.

This is probably why we are told in Pirkei Avot (Chapters of our Fathers 1:1) right at the very beginning that we should “develop many disciples”. Only through the current leader’s strategic planning of leadership preparation and transfer is an impact likely to remain strong postmortem.

This is why Pashat V’zot Ha’bracha is so sad. History has shown us that whereas we have many great leaders, we have had very few who prepared for their own departure from this world (or even from their particular position!).

Moshe was unique.

The greatest leader the Jewish people has ever known.

Shabbat Shalom! 

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