In this week’s parasha, VaYelech, Moshe gives words of encouragement to his disciple, Yehoshua, the next leader of the Jewish People. “And Moshe called to Yehoshua and he said to him before the eyes of all of Israel be strong and courageous…” (Devarim 31:7)
There is some ambiguity in the translation above. Is the Torah telling us that Moshe spoke these words of encouragement to Yehoshua in front of the Jewish People (“before their eyes”) or did Moshe privately tell Yehoshua to be strong and courageous before the Jewish People.
A king (or Jewish leaders, like Yehoshua) must straddle the line between arrogance and public displays of confidence while remaining humble internally. For these leaders, the lure of egotism is so great that there are special mitzvot for kings to dissuade kings from becoming haughty (le’vilti room levavo). On the other hand, kings must project honor and dignity. The Talmud, in Masechet Makkot, cites King Yehoshafat as a paragon of humility. When he would see a Torah scholar, King Yehoshafat would stand up from his throne and hug and kiss him and call him “my father, my father, my teacher, my teacher”. The gemara contextualizes King Yehoshafat’s practice and explains that he would only act this way in private. A king is not never authorized to publicly abrogate his honor. Indeed, King Shaul was punished for abrogating his honor.
The author of the Meshech Chochma, Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, understands our verse to mean that Moshe told Yehoshua privately to project strength and courage to the Jewish People. Apparently, Yehoshua was humble even to the point of feeling somewhat constrained. Moshe instructs Yehoshua to exhibit and project strength and courage to the nation. Moshe tells Yehoshua to remain humble but show steely resolve. Through this demonstration, Yehoshua will win over the people while remaining humble.
There is some ambiguity in the translation above. Is the Torah telling us that Moshe spoke these words of encouragement to Yehoshua in front of the Jewish People (“before their eyes”) or did Moshe privately tell Yehoshua to be strong and courageous before the Jewish People.
A king (or Jewish leaders, like Yehoshua) must straddle the line between arrogance and public displays of confidence while remaining humble internally. For these leaders, the lure of egotism is so great that there are special mitzvot for kings to dissuade kings from becoming haughty (le’vilti room levavo). On the other hand, kings must project honor and dignity. The Talmud, in Masechet Makkot, cites King Yehoshafat as a paragon of humility. When he would see a Torah scholar, King Yehoshafat would stand up from his throne and hug and kiss him and call him “my father, my father, my teacher, my teacher”. The gemara contextualizes King Yehoshafat’s practice and explains that he would only act this way in private. A king is not never authorized to publicly abrogate his honor. Indeed, King Shaul was punished for abrogating his honor.
The author of the Meshech Chochma, Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, understands our verse to mean that Moshe told Yehoshua privately to project strength and courage to the Jewish People. Apparently, Yehoshua was humble even to the point of feeling somewhat constrained. Moshe instructs Yehoshua to exhibit and project strength and courage to the nation. Moshe tells Yehoshua to remain humble but show steely resolve. Through this demonstration, Yehoshua will win over the people while remaining humble.
Comments
Post a Comment