Lessons in Leadership

Va’era

Exodus 6:2 - 9:35

Précis: God reiterates His intention to free the Israelites from bondage and to create a covenant with them. Moses goes back to Pharaoh to seek release of the Israelites. Pharaoh refuses and we see the first seven of the fabled plagues: blood, frogs, fleas, beetles, cattle disease, boils, and hail. Pharaoh relents after each plague begins, deciding to let the people go, but then God “hardens Pharaoh’s heart” and he refuses to allow them to leave.

Exodus 6:5 "I have heard the moaning of the children of Israel, who the Egyptians have kept in bondage; and I have remembered My covenant."

This week’s parasha provides important leadership lessons.

Why were the Jews doomed to centuries of slavery? One suggestion seems to be that redemption was a prerequisite to Revelation at Sinai. A parable tells of a wanna-be ruler who approaches a town and proclaims himself king. The people of the town reject him. After all, what’s he done to deserve to become king? He then erects a wall around the town to provide protection, builds a viaduct to assure a supply of fresh water, and he defeats a dangerous enemy in battle. The grateful citizens proclaim him king.  The parable suggests that God had to demonstrate His power by delivering the Israelites from Egypt, taking them across the Red Sea, and destroying the Egyptians before the People could approach Sinai and declare their loyalty to Him. We learn that leadership requires a demonstration of ability to actually lead before the leader is widely accepted.

There is another midrash which states that God waited until He heard the groans from the People. It was necessary for the People to take the first steps towards liberation, by complaining, before God would come to their rescue. This teaches us that when life’s problems appear difficult, we cannot sit back and rely upon God’s intervention (or the good will of others) to solve our problems. As the old expression goes, God helps those who help themselves. We must act affirmatively, taking initial steps ourselves. As communal leaders, we can’t wait for others to take initiative. We can be confident in the knowledge that if we begin our efforts with the correct intentions, others will come to our assistance and success can be achieved.

The Fire Inside

Shemot

Exodus 1:1 - 6:1

Précis: With this parasha, we begin the second book of the Bible, Exodus. In Hebrew, the title for this book is “Shemot” (“names”) because the first verses begin with a listing of “names” of the Israelites who came down to Egypt with Jacob, Joseph, and the rest of the family. A new Pharaoh has arisen who “does not remember Joseph.” He afflicts the Israelites and orders the killing of all male children. A Levite male child is born, is hidden by his parents, and is sent down the river in a reed basket where he is found by Pharaoh’s daughter. He is subsequently identified as Moses.

            

Nothing appears in the text about Moses’ childhood, other than that he is raised in the house of Pharaoh. As an adult, Moses witnesses a taskmaster beating a Hebrew and slays the taskmaster. Next, he witnesses a fight between two Hebrews. When he attempts to intervene, one mentions Moses’ killing of the Egyptian. Fearing disclosure, Moses flees to the desert. There, Moses becomes a shepherd in the camp of Jethro, a Midianite “priest.” He encounters the burning bush and learns God’s “name.” Moses receives his charge to free the Israelites and is provided with signs to authenticate his mission. Before leaving Jethro, Moses marries Zipporah, and they have a child. Moses and his brother Aaron go before Pharaoh and ask that the people be freed to worship God in the desert. They are refused, and the burdens are increased on the slaves, who become angry with Moses for his interference. The parasha ends with God telling Moses, “You now will see what I will do to Pharaoh.”

Exodus 3:2-3:“The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, ‘I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.’”

The "marvelous sight" of the Burning Bush is of course not a random occurrence. Midrash draws a connection between the word for flame (lavah) and the Hebrew word for heart (lev). There is something deep within Moshe that cannot be dissipated, even during the long years he spends away from Egypt in Jethro’s camp: his hatred of the slavery of his people. Moshe’s flaming heart had been the cause of his slaying of the Egyptian taskmaster, and now he confronts a flame which demands that he return to Egypt and become the instrument of the Israelites's freedom. Moshe looked at the flaming bush and could understand the demands of a flaming heart.

Each of us has within us our own burning flame that calls out to us to do right and act wisely. We also all have within ourselves a plethora of excuses why we can’t act like Moshe. The task is too difficult, we've tried so often and failed so often, I am just too busy now, and maybe it’s up to someone else.  God’s burning bush is a reminder to stop making excuses and undertake the necessary mission. Perhaps we can learn in our interpersonal and professional lives that taking action cannot and should not be deferred. Feel the heat, seize the moment.