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February 1, 2002/19 Shevat 5762, Vol. 54, No. 20
Pooling leadership skills
Torah Study
RABBI JOSHUA HELLER
Yitro/Exodus 18:1-20:23
This week we read the portion Yitro, whose primary focus is the revelation at Sinai and the Jewish people's preparation for that unique event in their history. The creation of an effective system of leadership is an essential practical component of the readiness for this great event.
As the portion opens, Moses' father-in-law, Yitro, sees him sitting morning through night, judging the people as they bring him even their most petty problems. Yitro, surveying the situation, observes that it is not a good thing for Moses to be the one and only gatekeeper between God and people.
The giving of the Torah would both mitigate and aggravate the crisis. The creation of an infrastructure of leadership is therefore a necessary prerequisite for the giving of the Torah. Yitro suggests that almost 15 percent of the eligible population be deputized.
The selection process is bound to be difficult, and Yitro offers detailed guidelines which are still relevant for us today. He says, "You should also seek out from among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain." (Exodus 18:21)
Each of these criteria is still vital for the leadership of our own communities. First, Yitro suggests that leadership be drawn from amongst all the people. Leadership is not to be determined by one's parents or social station, but by one's own abilities.
The next criterion, "capable men," is translated by many commentators to mean "men of wealth." Yitro would say that a leader must have the financial security to be immune to financial temptation and have the resources to put his money where his mouth is.
God-fearers evoke those who have a rich theological sensitivity and can exercise spiritual leadership - in our own day, the rabbis, cantors and educators.
With the phrase "trustworthy men," Yitro was speaking, on the most basic level, of those who were known for their honesty. In an intellectual context, this characteristic includes those who apply rigorous, objective methodologies to Judaism's sacred texts and traditions and sometimes uncover historical truths or realities that are not consonant with traditional views.
The last category, "those who spurn ill-gotten gain," is perhaps the most basic. It is more than just a hatred of graft or corruption. Rather, it reflects a commitment to social justice, and the ability to appreciate moral distinctions that might not be discernable from the letter of the law.
Yitro intended that the criteria would be applied conjunctively. Each leader would have to be a renaissance man - a spiritual leader, a sage, a righteous and wealthy person. This is a difficult standard to apply.
Instead, people with different strengths must join together to create a community. It is not easy to harmonize these different interests. Religious and intellectual truth, social justice and financial responsibility each proclaim their own absolute values.
The giving of the Torah was a defining moment in the formation of the Jewish people, but it could not take place until the nation was ready to receive it. Today too, we need each other - the pious and the philanthropic, the scholars and the social activists - to form a complete and healthy community. It is only when we work together and acknowledge the gifts that others bring to the joint effort that we, like our ancestors at Sinai, become worthy of the gifts of Torah.
Rabbi Joshua Heller is the director of distance learning and educational technology at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City.
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