Pinchas(Numbers 25:10-30:1)

Preparing for the Non-Crisis

"If you have wisdom, what do you lack?
And if you lack wisdom, what do you have?"
-- Midrash, Vayikra Rabba

Pinchas is one of the few Parshot named after an individual Jew. To appreciate how unusual this is, there is no Parsha named Abraham. Nor is there one named Isaac, Jacob, Rivka, Rachel, Leah, Joseph, Moses or Aaron.

Clearly, Pinchas was one of the all-time heroes of Jewish history. What was his claim to fame? In an act of tremendous self sacrifice (and at great personal danger), Pinchas acted to stop a public display of immorality which had triggered a plague that was killing thousands. Pinchas had stepped forward at a time when everyone else had given up, and for this he was rewarded by God with the "Covenant of Peace." It is hard to find such a Jewish champion in the Torah.

It is therefore surprising that later in the Parsha, Joshua - a heretofore secondary figure in the Bible - is appointed to inherit Jewish leadership after Moses' death!

The appointment of Joshua is juxtaposed next to Pinchas' heroics to contrast what a real leader should be (Joshua), as opposed to what we think he should be (Pinchas). Though the "Pinchas'" of the world typically get the most media attention, it is the quiet qualities of a "Joshua" which are most essential for leadership.

THE MAKING OF A LEADER

What leadership skills and talents does Joshua possess that Pinchas lacks?

Joshua's greatness is that when it came to Torah, he was reliable, dependable and consistent. Day in and day out, he would arrive first to the study hall to set up the chairs, and he would stay to sweep up after. When Moses went up Mount Sinai for 40 days, Joshua faithfully waited below.

This was Joshua's strength. He learned as much as he could from the Torah, the instruction book of life. If you want a leader, then pick the one who has studied the instructions first.

What if you have the choice between a person who consistently makes good decisions, or someone who blooms in a crisis? The Torah says to choose the former.

Why? A crisis is, by its very nature, a unique and passing event. Most of the time, society is not in crises. Therefore, the best leader is one who can be steady and consistent through the routine of day-to-day reality.

In his quiet, unassuming way, Joshua was a rock of stability. This may seem slight when compared to the exciting bravery of Pinchas. Yet, the Torah teaches, it characterizes the essence of a good leader.

THE CRISIS LIFE

We've all heard questions such as, "What would you do if your child came home and told you X or Y problem?" Or, "What would you do if you found out you had A or B disease?"

These make great talk-show topics and bar-room discussions. We watch crisis-laden soap operas, pay to view crisis-packed movies, and read crisis-covered newspapers. Our perspective is so skewed that normal everyday activity seems mundane, boring, and unworthy of attention.

We've turned our lives into a constant quest for crisis.

But what about the "non-crisis?" Are we prepared to sit at the dinner table and discuss how to make the act of eating more meaningful? Would we watch a talk show that raises the question, "Is day-to-day life meaningful when there isn't a crisis?"

If we were more adequately equipped to face the non-crisis situations, there would be far less likelihood of problems accumulating to the point where they actually do reach crisis proportions!

For this reason, Joshua was the best choice for leader. It is only our modern-day pre-occupation with crisis that could make us think Pinchas was more qualified.

THE CHALLENGE

From where will we learn to enjoy life if we do not spend time to understand the inherent value of the "mundane"? How will our children learn to make their days meaningful if our only concern is the crisis in life, the crisis in the world, and the crisis in the movie theater?

We may know the right response if our children came home and told us X or Y. We may know how to handle the knowledge that we have A or B. We may be ably prepared for most of life's crises and disasters.

But the non-crisis arena is the one that holds the real challenge for us today. Because what a disaster life will be ... if we don't learn how to deal with the consistent reality of daily routine!

BRAINSTORMING QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Question 1: Are you more energized under pressure, or in the calmness of routine? Which do you think is a healthier lifestyle?

Question 2: The newspaper tells us the major world problems for the day. If there were a paper about you, what would be the headlines?

uestion 3: If you could compose your own newspaper, what type of news would it emphasize?