"You led Your nation like a flock, by the hand of Moshe and Aharon (Psalm 77:21)." Who is qualified to be a leader of Israel? David gives us the answer in this verse- an individual with the qualities of Moshe and Aharon. Moshe’s singular quality was humility and humbleness, despite his greatness. The Torah testifies to Moshe’s humility in Bamidbar 12:3 [numbers], "And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble, more than any other person on the face of the earth." Moshe, who ascended to Heaven to receive the Tablets, knew his place in the cosmic scheme. He was not humble at the expense of self, but aware of his flaws and limitations. A true leader must be cognizant of his strengths, and even more aware of his weaknesses. Such a leader will seek guidance when necessary, and be empathic to the vulnerabilities and failures of his people.
The second quality of a leader is the quality embodied by Aharon, the Cohen. In Pirkei Avot 1:12, Aharon is described as "loving peace and pursuing peace." Aharon invested his considerable intellect and talents in promoting peace. He sought to reconcile people, to assist individuals in bridging their differences and acting in unison. A nation divided is weak at its core. Today, we are witness to the divisive effects of lack of unity. We need leadership that can unite us, for we are only strong when we are strong together.
Tehillim thoughts composed by Rachel Lerner. Reprinted with permission of Rachel Lerner. To contact Rachel, click here.
Important Numbers
