A famous Italian Renaissance writer
once wrote the power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. When
leaders, leaders of business, leaders of congregations, and leaders of nations
fall out of touch with Amchah, with the people, those leaders become vulnerable
to losing their grip on power. When leaders start to actually think that they
are bigger than the group, then the leader will eventually lose control of the
group. Every leader, from Presidents and Prime Ministers to Priests and Rabbis,
leaders must always remain aware of the very tricky tightrope upon which
careers are balanced. Leader must remember for whom they work, what they
represent, and to whom they are answerable. When leaders fail to remember these
things, then leaders become arrogant and out of touch. Like all leaders both
historical and fictional, this arrogance or hubris generally leads to their
downfall. We saw it with King Saul, Macbeth, and we see it in the boardroom of AIG
and some in Toronto think that we see it in the Toronto Mayor’s office.
In this week’s Parsha, Va’eira, we
read of the importance of leadership while avoiding arrogance. We read of
leaders remaining in touch with Amchah
(the people), even when Amchah doesn’t
listen and fails to cooperate. We read of the terrible results when leadership
becomes arrogant, out of touch, and without a sense of limits. We learn that
seven times Moshe and Aharon went before Pharaoh and asked that B’nai Yisroel
be freed in order to serve God in the wilderness. Seven times Pharaoh’s heart
hardens and he refuses. The Parsha begins with G-d telling Moshe of the
covenant, and that although he revealed himself to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov;
he did so with a different name (Ex. 6:3). Therefore, we can surmise that Moshe
had a very different type of revelation and relationship with G-d than our
forefathers.
This different relationship manifests
itself in the conversation that transpires in Ex.6:10-13. “Then the Lord spoke to Moshe saying: Go and tell Pharaoh King of Egypt
to let B’nai Yisroel out of his land. But Moshe spoke before the Lord saying:
Look, B’nai Yisroel have not heeded me; how then will Pharaoh heed me, seeing I
am of uncircumcised lips? So the Lord spoke to Moshe and Aharon and commanded
them to B’nai Yisroel and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the children of Israel
out of Egypt.” God never spoke this way to any of the Avot (Avraham
Yitzchak and Yaakov). Nor did they speak to God like Moshe. While there are
many ways to understand God’s response to a dejected Moshe, certainly one way
is within the context of leadership. God essentially tells Moshe to get back
out there with his brother and do what needs to be done. God also tells Moshe,
that both he and Aharon must first go to their constituency even before
confronting Pharaoh. Why go to B’nai Yisroel? They don’t listen and they don’t
pay attention. Besides, the authority that Moshe and Aharon must confront is
Pharaoh, not B’nai Yisroel. Moshe and Aharon must remain in touch with the people,
even if that means increased frustration and diminished efficiency in achieving
the ultimate goal. Moshe and Aharon cannot lose touch with the people or the
people lose touch with the covenant and even with God.
God implicitly tells Moshe that humility
is required for leadership. Rambam re-iterates this in a specific ruling: “It is forbidden for a person to lord it over
the community in a domineering manner but he must exercise his authority with
humility and reverence; it is likewise forbidden to treat the people with
disrespect even if they are ignorant… Though they may be ordinary common folk,
they are the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov…. He [the leader] should
rather bear patiently the cumbrance of the community and their burden…Look at
Moshe…God gave them a charge to Israel which our tradition takes to mean
that Moshe and Aharon accepted the yoke
of leadership of the people on the understanding that they will curse and stone
them.”
This first step in humble leadership is acknowledgment
of limitations. Hence, we read Ani
Adonai, “I am the Lord”, seven
times in the Parsha. Moshe and Aharon should never forget that. While it may be
humbling for the leader to admit that there is still a greater being, it is
even more humbling for any leader to admit that he/she must also be answerable
to Amchah. Moshe and Aharon learn
this lesson. Pharaoh does not. For many leaders it is often the most difficult
lesson to remember. Leadership must answer to both God and to Amchah.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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