Former MK to 'Post': Israel needs a leader like Moses - opinion

As we go through the process over the next 76 days of choosing the party we will vote for, or the person whom we want serving as prime minister, perhaps we should examine how they compare to Moses.

JANUARY 7, 2021 20:13

‘MOSES WITH the Ten Commandments,’ Philippe de Champaigne, 1648: Why not read them every day? (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons) — ‘MOSES WITH the Ten Commandments,’ Philippe de Champaigne, 1648: Why not read them every day?

(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The upcoming fourth election in two years is once again forcing Israelis to ask themselves whom they want to lead Israel. But with so many new parties and candidates, voters are understandably confused, with ever increasing numbers undecided.

I suggest that voters read through this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Shemot, which sheds light on the human nature of our nation’s first leader, and why he was chosen for the task.

Tradition teaches us that the first action a person commits in the Torah captures the essence of that person. And so it was with our original leader: Moses’s first action was to leave the comforts of the king’s palace, where he had grown up witnessing the suffering of the Jewish people (Exodus 2:11).

From the outset, we see how Moses never turns a blind eye to that suffering. He cares. But he doesn’t just care. When he sees a Jew being beaten by an Egyptian, he makes a move at great personal risk to bring an end to the suffering of this Jew (2:12). Moreover, Moses’s concern was not relegated to just outside forces causing problems for his brethren. When he sees tension the next day between two Jews, he is unable to remain silent and tries to intercede (2:13).

Care for the welfare of his nation. He sought to protect his brothers from external foes. Zero tolerance for infighting among Jews. These are the three first qualities that we see in the man who became our foundational leader.

Moses then flees to Midian, and we see that caring and a willingness to act extends beyond his own people. He sees Midianite men preventing women from drawing water from the well, and without hesitation fights the Midianites and draws water himself for the women (2:16-17). Here we see a fourth quality of Moses: not accepting human suffering anywhere in the world, and a willingness to take risks to stop such suffering.

Later, before God appears at the burning bush, the Torah teaches that Moses was a shepherd (3:1). The midrash relates how Moses saw one of the goats run off and chased after it, and then saw the goat head to a brook where it rested and drank the water. “I didn’t realize that you were running away because you were tired and thirsty,” said Moses, and after the goat drank, he carried the animal back to the flock.

God saw this and decided that someone who cares so much about the well-being of one goat is the man who should become leader of the Jewish people. As Mahatma Ghandi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” This was a fifth quality: caring about the suffering of all, including animals.

Finally, God appears to Moses and offers him the incredible honor to be the savior and leader of the Jewish people. But in total contrast to today’s environment, where so many rush to form new parties and dedicate day and night trying to convince the people of Israel that they are the best leader for the country – Moses wants no part of it:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should take the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (3:11)

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“But they will not believe me, and they will not heed my voice.” (4:1)

“Please, my Lord, I am not a man of words, not since yesterday, nor since the day before yesterday, nor since You first spoke to your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.” (4:10)

“Please my Lord, send through whomever You will send.” (4:13)

Despite God choosing Moses to lead and promising that He will bless Moses with success on his mission, Moses wants no part of it, and God has to force him. Here is quality No. 6: humility, not seeking the limelight, reluctance to lead, having to be forced into it because God knows he is the right person for the job.

As we go through the process over the next 76 days of choosing the party we will vote for, or the person whom we want serving as prime minister, perhaps we should examine how they compare to Moses.

Perhaps we should take a page out of the Moses playbook: are they truly caring about the welfare of the people? Will they take a risk to protect and help the people? Will they work to stop infighting amid the different sections of society? Will they see Israel as a light unto the nations, and care about human suffering wherever it is taking place? Do they care about the welfare of animals? And most significantly: do they seek this job more than anything in the world because they see themselves as the great savior of the people, or are they doing it by force of ego, because no one else is doing it and someone must step in?

The Torah has handed us a meaningful guide for choosing our leader. Let us use it wisely.

The writer served as a member of the 19th Knesset.