Shmot(Exodus 1:1-6:1)

Leadership

THE PROBLEM

"One out of every two-and-a-half members of missionary groups, and one out of every three-to-five members of cults, are Jewish." (Dr. Philip Abramowitz, Director of the New York Jewish Community Relations Council's Task Force On Missionaries and Cults)

"One out of every 3-to-4 Jewish college youth are involved in serious alcohol and/or drug problems. One out of every 2-to-3 members of Alcoholics Anonymous in New York is Jewish." (Dr. Alvin Schiff, executive Vice-President of the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York)

THE SOLUTION

Moses was by all accounts the quintessential diaspora Jew. He was rescued from the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter. She adopted him and he grew up in a non-Jewish home, surrounded by the incredible wealth of the Pharaoh's palace. He was raised as a member of the Egyptian royal family. One would think this would totally disqualify him from the position of Jewish leadership. It's even difficult to find a Jewish leader today with such an assimilated background!

It's not that in Moses' day people were less demanding about leadership qualifications. On the contrary. It is due to Moses' greatness that he was able to overcome the formidable handicap of his background.

FROM WHERE WILL A LEADER ARISE?

For many Jews, life in the diaspora is one of relative wealth and luxury when compared to most of Jewish history. It is also one in which there is a marked absence of any kind of Jewish leadership - despite its obvious need.

From where will a leader come?

This week's Parsha informs us of a crucial moment in Moses' development:

"When Moses matured he went out to his own people and saw their hard labor..." (Exodus 2:11)

The verse is telling us that Moses' greatness is that he "went out to his people." In other words, he could quite easily have stayed home and busied himself with personal concerns and business affairs. He was not oppressed and had no reason to meddle in others' problems. He could have said, "I'm enjoying the good life in the palace." Instead, he went out to see his people's suffering. He did not try to ignore it.

A true "leader" is one who is willing to bear the burden of another's pain. Someone who can focus on the needy - regardless of whether he is personally affected.

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT JEWISH LEADER?

A person would need to be blind to be unaware of the plight of Jews today: assimilation, persecution, broken homes... (Blind, or too involved with one's own personal concerns.) Those who have some sense of vision do something about the problem. They write a check when there's a knock on the door. But even they are "too busy" to get personally involved.

It is the rare few who go out of their way to seek solutions to the problems.

Moses would not have become a great leader if he had seen the plight of Jews and then just written his check to the Cairo Jewish Appeal.

Greatness is not found in "upping your donation" from last year. Greatness is found in being involved, in making it as much your problem as the one who is suffering. That is where a leader will be found, and that's where your own greatness will ultimately be expressed.

BRAINSTORMING QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Question 1: What is the greatest problem affecting your community? Now think of one thing you could do to help alleviate it.

Question 2: If you found out that a close friend or relative was addicted to drugs, what would you do?

Question 3: Many social action organizations are run by people who themselves were once victims of that same problem. It is their own personal tragedy that motivated them. Which difficult event in your own life could you use as a motivation to help others?