Earlier this week, there were
two legal cases, and two government responses in two different countries. In
Saudi Arabia, a Shia cleric, speaking to the 20% Shia minority in Saudi Arabia,
was accused of, and convicted of terrorism. He was found
guilty and beheaded. As a result Iran, a Shia country, burned the Saudi Embassy
in Tehran and both countries have cut off diplomatic relations with each other.
In Israel, a right wing Israeli extremists were convicted of murdering a Palestinian
family (both parents and a baby died while the Right Wing Jewish group burned
the house down). One within the group was caught, tried and convicted, the
government is looking for the other conspirators. Meanwhile the young man that
was caught, convicted and sentenced will serve a stiff prison term. Both countries are considered allies to the
West. However only one country is a society built upon laws that protect its
citizens, no matter the religion, ethnic background, or whether it is the
majority of the population or the minority of the population. The other country
is a society built upon laws that protect the governing class and the majority
of the population at the expense of all of its citizens. Israel understand that
for Democracy to function, a government must protect its citizens even if those
citizens have a different and perhaps threatening belief system. Saudi Arabia
understand that for despotism to exist, there can be no tolerance for
challenging the kingdom. In the long
run, which society stand a better chance of surviving the tumult and chaos of
the Middle East?
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, fails to cooperate and even challenges the leadership. 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.
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 the people. Moshe and Aharon learn this lesson. Pharaoh does
not.
Democracy is predicated upon the
idea that leadership must be subject to the same laws as the citizenry. The government, the majority cannot “lord
itself” over the community in a domineering dictatorial manner. From a dictator’s
perspective this is certainly inefficient and perhaps even “messy”. However when
a government and/or the ruling class forget that, and lord itself over the
community for a long enough time corruption increases and ultimately society
grows unstable. Whatever frequent, irrational, and illogical criticism of
Israel; it has been fascinating to watch how quiet the world has been in criticizing
Israel about this particular trial and its results. For a change, the world
seems to be more aware of the intra-Islamic fight between Shia and Sunni that
has been going on for centuries and has reared its ugly sectarian head yet
again as tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia continue to increase.
Peace,
Rav
Yitz
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