Parshat Pinchas, Numbers 25:10-30:1

In this week’s portion Pinchas, Moses learns that he will not be able to cross over into the Promised Land. After being a faithful servant of God, one who dedicated his life work to shepherding this difficult people from slavery to the steppes of Moab at the edge of the Holy Land, he will not be able to enter. Instead God tells him that he will ascend the heights and there be taken to his kin. In other words he will die on the mountain overlooking the Promised Land –only to see it –never to experience it.

Moses who talked with God regularly and argued with God on behalf of the people, who pleaded with God to heal his sister Miriam, remains silent in the face of this sentence. Moses doesn’t say a word. One might think that Moses would challenge God, attempt to sway God and yet the silence is deafening. Moses perhaps is tired of shepherding the Israelites. His brother Aaron, his partner in leadership is dead. His beloved sister, prophetess and singer who rescued him and brought him to leadership is dead. And the world of the Israelites is about to change dramatically. Perhaps Moses is ready to turn it all over to someone else. Couldn’t he just have retired? Been named Leader Emeritus?

The midrash teaches a very different arc to this story. In this portion Moses pleaded before God the case of the Daughters of Zelophechad. Zelophechad died without male heirs. The daughters asked why they shouldn’t be able to inherit their father’s property and Moses inquires of God. God rules in their favor with certain limitations that the property should remain within their tribe and thus they had to marry within their tribe if they married at all. The midrash teaches that Moses then thought that if they were able to inherit why not his own sons who might succeed with the mantle of leadership of the people too. Just as Aaron’s sons, Eleazar and Itamar inherited the mantle of leadership of the priesthood. Moses prays and implores God in our Torah text: “Let the Eternal One, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint a leader for the community who shall go out before then and come in before them and who shall take them out and bring them in so that the Eternal’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd” (Num. 27:16-17).

The rabbis comments on this saying:

Moses argued: The time is opportune for me to demand my own needs. If daughters inherit, it is surely right that my sons should inherit my glory. The Holy One, blessed Be, said to him, “Whoso keeps the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof and he that waits on his master shall be honored (Prov. 27:18). Your sons sat idly by and did not study the Torah. Joshua served you much and he showed you great honor. It was he who rose early in the morning and remained late at night at your House of Assembly; he used to arrange the benches and he used to spread the mats. Seeing that he has served you with all his might, he is worthy to serve Israel for he shall not lose his reward.
Midrash Rabbah, Numbers II , Soncino Press, third edition 1983, Numbers 21:14, p 840-841

This is the rabbis’ way of understanding why Joshua was appointed to succeed Moses. And God says this, “And the Eternal One answered Moses, Single out Joshua son of Nun an inspired leader and lay your hand upon him” (Num 27:18).

Joshua who had been at Moses side and served so ablely will now inherit the mantle of leadership.

Moses represented the old generation and the rabbis continue to paint the picture that Moses’ own ego has been getting in the way, a continuation of the understanding of why he struck the Rock at Meribah rather than speak to it and why he must now turn the reigns of leadership for the next phase over to Joshua.

There comes a time when all who lead must give way to a new generation. And Moses has lead with honor and distinction—but soon it will be Joshua’s turn to lead the people.
And Moses who will ordain him –will pass on the responsibility and ordain him and invest him before the whole people!

May we learn to check our own egos and always be a servant of God.

Posted by Eric at July 7, 2009 09:31 AM