Pinchas: Quick Change

This week's Parsha speaks about the handover of leadership from Moses to Joshua. When Moses speaks to G-d, regarding the type of leader the Children of Israel need, he addresses G-d as 'the G-d of the spirits of all flesh...'

Rashi comments that Moses is saying to G-d, You,G-d know the soul of each and every individual, that no two are the same.  Appoint for them a leader who can relate to each and every one of them on a personal, individual level.

When we find ourselves listening, helping or advising another person, in order to help them in the best way possible, we need to be completely 'given over' to the other person, to divest ourselves of our own personality, of our own 'garments' and to put ourselves in their shoes.

There was once a famous Chassidic Rebbe who would receive hundreds of people in private audience.  It was said that he had to change his clothes hourly, because they would become drenched with sweat.  When asked the reason why, he explained that every time a different person comes in for an audience, he has to 'change his clothes' so to speak, in order to be totally in tune with the other person, to really get inside their personality, their individual situation.  Can you imagine, the sage said, how hot you would get if you had to change your actual clothes hundreds of times a day?  How much more so, then, when changing one's 'spiritual' clothes.

It is quite a challenge to put all our personal ideas, opinions and prejudices on ones ide, but it is a mark of true selflessness.  One who is able to receive another person, to be totally given over to the other and to their needs, without having a personal agenda, even unintentionally, is a truly good friend and companion.  Such a person can be relied upon to be a good listener and to give advice which is truly the best possible for the one seeking it, with no ulterior motives involved.

This, then, was what Moses sought in a leader for the Jewish people.  Each person is different, each has different needs and different concerns.  Advice which may be extremely helpful to one may be detrimental to another.  A true leader is able to relate to each person on his or her own level, recognizing and encouraging the diversity of different individuals.

Shabbat Shalom