Here Beside Him Stands A Man, A Soldier By The Looks Of Him (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - Lady With the Fan)

While we were on vacation, had an opportunity to be holding our son’s hand while walking in New York City.  As we were walking and talking we headed into a kosher restaurant. He saw an elderly man in a suit, a black hat, salt and pepper beard walk in just ahead of us. Our son looked up at me and said, “Abba, look at the Rabbi.” Now our son knows that I am a Rabbi. When asked what I do, he happily and readily tells them that I am a Rabbi. However on that particular day, I was wearing blue jeans, a fleece, winter boots, winter coat and a baseball cap. So when our son told me to look at the “Rabbi” walking in ahead of us; I felt compelled to ask, “How do you know that the man in the suit, black hat, and beard is a Rabbi?” I knew the answer but I wanted him to say it. “Abba, of course he is a Rabbi, look at him, he looks like a Rabbi.” I just looked at our son and then reminded him that I am a Rabbi. “Yes I know that you are a Rabbi, but you don’t look like a Rabbi!”

            In this week’s Parshah, Shmot, we encounter a man who is born a Jew, but he grows up in the Pharaoh’s palace. He is a totally assimilated Jew. Pharaoh’s daughter gives him an Egyptian name, “Moshe” (Ex 2:10). After fleeing Egypt, this well-bred, noble Egyptian, is befriended by a non-Jewish (Midian) priest, and marries his non-Jewish daughter (Ex 2:21). While shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks (Ex. 3:1), he experiences a revelation. Through an insignificant thorn bush that burns, he sees an angel and then God (Ex.3:1-3). God tells Moshe of the covenant and that he has been hired to lead B’nai Yisroel out of Egypt. Moshe humbly explains that he is the wrong person for the job. Mi Anochi Ki Eileich El Paroh - Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh…” (Ex.3:11). He doesn’t believe he has enough credibility to lead.  V’Hein Lo  YaAminu Li  V’Lo Yishmu B’Koli-They will not believe me and they will not heed my voice…” (Ex 4:1). He doesn’t speak well.  Lo Ish  Devarim Anochi…Ki Ch’Vad Peh U’ChVad Lashon Anochi -I am not a man of words…heavy of mouth and heavy of speech” (Ex. 4:10). Funny, Moshe doesn’t look like a leader, a prophet, and lawgiver and more importantly, when Moshe looks at himself, Moshe doesn’t see a leader, a prophet and a lawgiver.

            So what qualities made Moshe look like a leader or a prophet of God?  Typically, the younger generations of extremely old wealthy families tend to be involved in politics and leadership. Families like Kennedy, DuPont, Rockefeller,  Bush  and Trudeau come to mind. The children were taught to be involved and to give back to the community. Moshe, even though the text doesn’t indicate he learned this lesson from his “family”, was like the children of these families. He was brought up in the halls of power, he understood it, he knew how to use it, and he was bred for it. Unlike his Egyptian family however, Moshe also embodied one other absolutely vital quality. Moshe possessed the ability to empathize.  VaYidgal Moshe VaYetzei el Echav VaYar B’Sivlotam -Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens…” (Ex.2:11). He could just as easily have stayed in the palace or not concern himself with the plight of the “underclass”. Moshe chose to get involved, he chose to make a difference, and he chose to make an improvement. All that was left for God to do was convince, and then command Moshe to lead. Also, God needed to provide Moshe with all the accouterments that Jewish leaders, prophets, and lawgivers required: access to God, and a tool that demonstrates a connection to both God and the people, in this case, a staff.

            So what do we learn from Moshe, and God’s choice of Moshe as the leader of B’nai Yisroel, even if he didn’t look like a leader? First, we learn that leadership means dealing with problems and issues, not ignoring them. Second, a leader is one who is willing to “put him/herself out on a limb” for the benefit of those less fortunate. Third, we learn that it is rare for  people go out of their way to seek solutions to problems, especially when it is easier to tolerate the problems and remain disenchanted, uninvolved, alienated and disinterested. Fourth, greatness in leadership is not found in a looking a certain way but rather responding and behaving in a certain way. You know it’s funny, but maybe Moshe really did look like a leader.

Peace,

Rav Yitz