EDITOR: The following Commentary on the Bible teaches a very contemporary and vital lesson concerning the nature of good leadership. It also takes an original but no less profound approach to Bible study. Although from the Jewish Theological Seminary, it is non-denominational in its content, discussing sacred text alike of Jews, Christians and Muslim.
JTS: Great leadership is about successfully orchestrating change. Whether within organizations, communities, or other social systems, leadership involves developing a vision of the future and implementing strategies to achieve this vision. Exercising leadership means motivating and inspiring people to change habits, attitudes, and values that hold them back from reaching their goals. Arguably the most demanding challenge faced by any person who seeks to lead emerges from the fact that our values and attitudes come from somewhere, and to ask people to abandon them means asking people to be disloyal to their origins. Consequently, a crucial part of the work of leadership can be understood as the refashioning of loyalties. Longstanding and deeply held loyalties—even if they are unhealthy—serve as foundations to our identity. To discard these loyalties, even for our own betterment, means giving up parts of our selves. This is a painful process and will often be accompanied by great resistance. At the heart of leadership lies the task of helping people negotiate this loss even if the values and ways of being that are given up have been preventing us from moving to a place we desire. It is this dynamic that makes leading such a challenging and dangerous business.
These concerns painfully reverberate through our parashah. God tells Moshe that he will not accompany the Israelites as they enter the Land of Israel. “Because you did not trust enough to sanctify Me in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them” (Num. 20:12). But what exactly did Moshe do to warrant this severe punishment that would keep him from completing the journey with the people he unselfishly served?.. (more)
