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.