Community Blog

*This d'var Torah is posted a week late. It was written and delivered for Shabbat 8/16*

Shabbat Shalom! This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Vaetchanan, in which Moses continues his recap of the last forty years, as is most of Deuteronomy. In particular, this parasha contains a reiteration of the Ten Commandments and the Shema, a little story time about when Moses was told he would be denied access to the Holy Land, and the direction to make Joshua his successor. 

There are other portions with more description of Moses and Joshua’s relationship and Joshua’s ordination to become the new leader of the Israelites, but in Deuteronomy 3:28, the Torah says, “Give Joshua his instructions, and imbue him with strength and courage, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he shall allot to them the land that you may only see.”

Midrash Tanchuma, a very early work of midrashic homilies on the entire Torah, expands on this verse.

G‑d said to Moses: Such is the way of the world—each generation has its teachers. Until now it was your portion to serve Me; now has come the portion of Joshua your disciple.

Said Moses to G‑d: Master of the Universe! If it is because of Joshua that I must die, let me become his disciple.

Said G‑d to him: If that is your wish, you may do so.

So Moses arose early in the morning to Joshua’s door, and Joshua was sitting and teaching. Moses bent his frame and covered his mouth, so that Joshua did not see him. . . . All of Israel came to Moses’ door, but found him at Joshua’s door, and Joshua was sitting and Moses was standing. The people said to Joshua: “Joshua! What has happened to you, that Moses our master is standing and you are sitting?” As soon as Joshua lifted his eyes and saw this, he immediately tore his garments and cried and wept: “Master! Master! Father, my father and lord!”

Said the people to him: “Moses our teacher! Teach us Torah.”

Said he to them: “I have not license.”

Said they to him: “We shall not leave you!”

Then a voice came forth from heaven and said to them: “Learn from Joshua!” and they accepted it.

Joshua sat at their head, Moses to his right and the sons of Aaron to his left; he sat and taught, and Moses did not understand his teaching.

After they stood up, the people of Israel said to Moses: “Moses our teacher, explain the teaching to us.”

Said he to them: “I know it not,” and Moses was stumbling and failing.

At that moment, he said to G‑d: “Master of the Universe! Until now, I asked for life. Now, my soul is placed in Your hand.”

Tonight, we honor the board that has served us for the past year, and initiate those stepping up to serve our community for the coming year. There is a lot of overlap in our outgoing and incoming board (intentionally), and of course no one is being left behind or dying, as is the case with Moses. But it can be true sometimes that when power changes hands, those who had been in charge no longer fully understand the teachings, the needs, the Torah of the next generation, and it is important to have fresh leadership to keep up with the changing needs of a community. Moses served the people faithfully and patiently for 40 years, and now the wandering is over. The situation is about to change drastically for the community, and the needs of the people have changed. A new mode of leadership is needed. 

At Ner Shalom, we have seen a lot of changes in the last four years. We had just determined a strategic plan when Covid hit, and so much of what we planned to do between 2020-2025 became impossible or at least slowed down. In the last two years we have started to really make progress, and our boards over the last four years have helped us with each step forward. It is important to keep cycling through new ideas and energies to keep us moving forward toward our overall goals. Having the same leadership for too long can cause burn out, complacency, and eventually can lead to power vacuums when someone who has been in power for a long time does step down, leaves the community, or dies unexpectedly. It was in the best interest of the Israelites for Moses to publicly name Joshua as his successor before he died and the people entered the Holy Land. It is in the best interest of any democracy to have term limits and balances of power for any person or party. It is in the best interest of a congregation to have a vibrant volunteer leadersip that shifts over time and shares the load with multiple people. 

To those stepping down from board service, we thank you for your time and efforts. To  those stepping up to new board positions, we look forward to your fresh ideas and energy. To those continuing to service, whether in their same positions or in new roles within the board, we thank you for your perseverance and dedication. And to the rest of you, we hope you will also help out, volunteer, and find a way to share your gifts and talents in the future. May we all continue to bring our full selves into this community and help it be the best place it can be, for ourselves and for our future members.