This Shabbat - Please join us at 9:15 a.m. for Shabbat Zmirot (songs) led by Ted and Cheryl!
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Dear Friends:
 A story is told about a self-centered and egotistical man who went on a date with a woman he had just met. As they sat at dinner, he proceeded to tell her of all of his abilities, accomplishments, and fine qualities. He eventually realized that he was dominating the conversation and that she had not spoken at all. Embarrassed, he turned to her and said: "I'm so sorry. I've completely dominated the conversation and haven't give you a turn. So tell me...what do you think about me?"  The Torah tells us that despite his accomplishments, Moses was an extremely modest human being: "Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any other man on earth." (Num. 12:3) Moses worked hard to sublimate his ego in order to selflessly serve God and his people.Jewish tradition also works hard to sublimate Moses' ego. There is no parasha that bears his name and the Torah suppresses his burial site. Even the Passover Haggadah, which retells the story of the Exodus in minute detail, does not share of his role.Moses was the quintessential eved HaShem, servant of God, whose job was to shepherd God's people through the wilderness without concern for his personal status nor salvation.Parashat T'tzavveh , which begins, Ata 'tzavveh , "You shall further instruct..." (Ex. 27:20), does not even mention Moses by name. In T'tzavveh Moses does not have a personality. He is only the conduit for God's instruction to the people.Rabbi Meir Morgenstern wrote that the Hebrew word t'tzaveh can be understood as being similar to the Aramaic word tzavtah, which means "to join." | |
A Good Leader
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If we understand the word t'tzavveh in this sense we find that God was not instructing Moses to "instruct" the Israelites, but rather
"to join with them." God told Moses that in order to be a good leader, he must suppress his own ego and personal needs, and to be completely at one and wholehearted with the people he serves. He must not think of himself, but only
of the needs of his fellow Israelites.
Rabbi Morgenstern concludes that from God's words to Moses, all leaders of Israel can learn a valuable lesson. In order to be a good leader one must never think of oneself as better or above the people one serves. One must cleave to and be at one with one's fellow Jews. One must dwell among them, see what pains them, what they lack, and work to fill the void. (Min HaTorah)
Upon hearing of the lack of bread to eat among her subjects, French Queen Marie Antoinette is purported to have retorted,
"Let them eat cake!"
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Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
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Contrast her arrogant, cold, and callous response with the words of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz: "A nation needs its guides and shepherds, its scouts and leaders of the flock, who will carry out the function of leadership, the ability to feel, and the power to think." (Strife and Spirit)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
Tifereth Israel Synagogue
San Diego, CA 92119
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