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Oneg Shabbos Issue 243.
What Makes a Great Leader?
This page is sponsored לע''נ ביילא בת ר׳ משה ע''ה
Rabbi Dovid Lichtig Managing Director, Aish UK
WHAT IS LEADERSHIP AND WHAT CONSTITUTES A GREAT LEADER? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE PUZZLED BUSINESS THINKERS AND ORGANISATIONAL LEADERS ALIKE FOR CENTURIES. This week’s parsha portrays two leaders reacting to catastrophe and conflict in very different ways. These leaders also display vastly different leadership characteristics when dealing with a nation mired in crisis. When Moshe Rabbeinu fails to descend from Har Sinai and Klal Yisrael demand an avodah zarah from his brother, Aharon bends to the will of the people. As the meforshim explain, Aharon literally feared for his life and in order not to exacerbate the conflict he tried to stall for time. However, as the story progresses and his delaying tactics are not successful, Aharon essentially agrees to the demands of the people and creates an avodah zarah. In his typical fashion as an ohev shalom, Aharon shies away from conflict and chooses the route of appeasement and peace. Moshe Rabbeinu, on the other hand, reacts very differently. When he descends the mountain and is confronted by the scene of Klal Yisrael celebrating with the egel, he immediately smashes the luchos, burns the idol, grinds it down into a powder, mixes it with water and makes Klal Yisrael drink it. There is no diplomacy and no appeasement. In fact, there is no conversation at all. When faced with a nation committing one of the three cardinal sins, Moshe Rabbeinu reacts harshly and addresses the situation swiftly, with power and punishment. Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon are consistent in their approaches. Moshe is
described as an – איש אלוקיםstrong and principled, and Aharon is portrayed as an איש שלום, a man of peace.
While a simple reading of this week’s parsha might show Aharon as directly involved in making the egel and creating the problem while Moshe Rabbeinu provided the solution, Aharon was nevertheless not punished for his role in the egel. In parshas Chukas when Aharon dies, we are told כי לא יבא אל־ הארץ אשר נתתי לבני ישראל על אשר־ מריתם את־פי למי מריבה. Aharon was punished and not allowed to enter Eretz Yisrael strictly because of his role at Mei Merivah; his role in creating the egel is not even mentioned. An even more telling aspect of his approach is depicted just a few pesukim later in pasuk 29. The Torah writes when Aharon died the entire house of Israel cried for him for thirty days. This can be contrasted to what happens after the death of Moshe. In Devarim 34:8 the Torah says that when Moshe Rabbeinu died the sons of Israel cried for him for thirty days. Only the Bnei Yisrael cried for him not the Beis Yisrael. This distinction between Bnei Yisrael and Beis Yisrael is very apparent, with the Avos DeRabbi Nosson saying that this shows that the feeling of loss at Aharon’s death was universal, felt by men, women and children alike; as opposed to the death of Moshe Rabbeinu, which was felt most by the Bnei Yisrael, and not necessarily the entire Beis Yisrael.
Seemingly, Aharon in his role of Ish Shalom added something to the leadership of the Jewish people that Moshe did not, and when that piece was taken away, the lacking was felt more strongly than after the quintessential leader dies. Aharon was clearly not a leader in the same way that Moshe was, but just as clearly, there was a need for multiple aspects of leadership. There are times when a leader with power and conviction is needed to stand up against a rebelling nation and smash the luchos and burn the idol. Then there are times when an Ish Shalom is needed to make and hold the peace. Real leadership must have elements of both, complementing each other. While it took a leader like Moshe Rabbeinu to solve the crisis of the egel, it may have been Aharon whose death had the biggest effect on the Jewish people. So, while leadership can take many forms, it is ultimately the fusion of different aspects, embodied by different people, that provides the augmented experience that people need in order to grow. M
