Parshas Yisro and Jewish Leadership

Yeshaya HaNavi in Perek 49 pasuk 4 expresses a sigh about his role as the Navi in Klal Yisroel; “But I have said, “I have toiled in vain and used up my strength for nothingness and naught (to bring the people to repent); however, my judgment is with Hashem and [the reward for] my accomplishment is with My God.”

Being a leader for the Jewish people is hard work and rewarded by Hashem alone the prophet is teaching us. This is not a complaint or a criticism, this is an absolute truth shared with all future generations of Jewish leaders.?

Leadership is certainly a theme in this week’s parsha. Yisro, Moshe Rabbeinu and Hashem all teach lessons about leadership in the lead-up to kabbalas HaTorah.

Yisro tells Moshe Rabbeinu that he needs help. Lesson number one is to not try and lead alone. Leaders need help. Allow others to manage the small cases but those that are more complicated or more impactful should come to you, the one in charge.??And there should even be levels, leaders of 1000s, 100s, 50s and 10s…basically, every eight people should have someone to rely on in times of need. This is a fantastic statistic when contemplated carefully.

But how is Moshe to choose these leaders/judges? Yisro explains (18:21) that his son-in-law should look for men of wealth, those who fear Hashem, truthful men, and those who are beyond reproach. When you find them, appoint them over 1000s/100s/50s/10s.?

To further explain the approach of Yisro we need to ask; if every leader has the same list of four qualifications—how does he know which become the heads of thousands and which the head of hundreds? The qualifications are all the same? For this we look to a famous concept brought down to us from heaven by the Kotzker Rebbe, zt”l. The Rebbe tells us that leaders in Klal Yisroel are individuals who fight for the truth. Emes is the “chosomo shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu” the signature of heaven and those who fight harder for the truth will become the leaders of the larger masses. Pretty awesome vort!

But what did Moshe Rabbeinu do? A few p’sukim later we learn that “Moshe chose men of wealth…” that is it, one qualification…not four! What happened?? Rav Shimshon Pincus, zt’l, explains to us that Moshe Rabbeinu was teaching a lesson for generations to learn. Moshe could not find within all of klal Yisroel at that time enough men with all four qualifications. But that did not deter him from appointing leaders anyway. Moshe took what he had and worked with it. Our lesson, says Rav Pincus, is that the Torah leaders of today are not the leaders of yesterday, but they?are the leaders of today and our lesson here is to recognize their greatness in today’s world and support them in their work.

But, lastly, Hashem, the creator of the world taught us the most important lesson of all as it relates to Jewish leadership just a few verses later. Perek 19, pasuk vav; “And you (all of you) will be for me a (mamleches kohanim) nation of leaders—and a holy nation.” Hashem teaches Moshe and Yisro that every Jew can become a leader of this nation. “Potential” is part of our DNA says the Chassam Sofer. Not like Korach, who misunderstood this directive and thought everyone was to be a leader but rather—the potential itself is the gift—not the leadership. To actually become a Torah leader is to maximize that potential through hard work. This work is important but not fun, it is a daily grind—look back at the words of Yeshaya haNavi. Sometimes, it is just a thankless job—but it must get done and as the Ramban points out—the job of being a mamleches kohanim is accomplished by clinging to Hashem, just as Yeshaya HaNavi lays out for us above. I have always taught the importance of clinging to Hashem and not worrying about a pat on the back. Hashem knows the score.

Klal Yisroel is awesome! We all have the DNA to lead and we all have the directive from Moshe Rabbeinu to accept the Torah leaders of our generation, and, every one of us must fight for what is true in the eyes of Hashem.?

See above, a picture of two of today’s Torah leaders. One of whom, Rav Matisyahu Salomon is in need a refuah shleimo; Matisyahu Chaim ben Ettel. In this photo, taken 10 years ago with the great Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Yaakov Bender, our son, Yosef Aharon, is looking right into Rav Matisyahu's eyes and he’s looking right back at him. Very special.?#jewish #leadership #torah