It constantly amazes me how often a passage in the weekly Torah portion reflects current events. This week is no different, and, maybe even more amazing! Our portion begins with the story of Pinchas, who kills the Israelite Zimri and the Midianite woman Cozbi due to their deviant behavior. In one of the most important passages this portion has (Numbers 27) we read of the daughters of Zelophechad, who won the petition to receive their father’s inheritance as there was no male heir. As commentaries note, the law was changed as a result of this story. Also included in the portion is another recitation of calendar issues (28).
However, let me ask you to focus on chapter 27:12-23. We read this Shabbat of a story of succession. In these verses is a brief story on the transfer of power/leadership from Moses to Joshua. Yes, this conforms to the story we read a while ago of Moses losing patience, striking that rock for water. His punishment, as you know, was to be denied entrance to the Promised Land. In Pinchas, we come to these few verses that provide a ritual for this transition. Moses seeks a leader who will be for all the people. As Etz Haiim writes reflecting a Talmudic passage: “The Midrash pictures Moses urging God to appoint a leader able to relate to every Israelite, even with whom he disagrees”. The commentary goes on to note (p.929) that Moses transfers power without reservation or ambivalence, “a rare gesture for a man who has been accustomed to authority for so long”. The commentary wonders “What must have been going through Moses’ mind as he reflected on the achievements and frustration of the past, and the awareness of all that he yearned to do and would never be able to do?”
So much to unpack here, not only as it could relate to the events of this past week with President Biden, but on a more personal level to so many in our demographic. How many of us have had the experience of having to move on, to cede a job or power or control to the next generation, knowing that we would be unable to finish what we wished or wanted to do? These few verses open us to the reality of life’s transitions that we all go through. Some of them are voluntary and so many are the result circumstances, often beyond our control. Yet, as we learn, how we chose to handle these transitions, tell us much about who we are and how we live.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Richard F Address
Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min, is the Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com. Rabbi Address served for over three decades on staff of the Union for Reform Judaism; first as a Regional Director and then, beginning in 1997, as Founder and Director of the URJ’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns and served as a specialist and consultant for the North American Reform Movement in the areas of family related programming. Rabbi Address was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972 and began his rabbinic career in Los Angeles congregations. He also served as a part time rabbi for Beth Hillel in Carmel, NJ while regional director and, after his URJ tenure, served as senior rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ from 2011-2014.
What is noteworthy is that unlike the priesthood, leadership was not to be hereditary and did not pass to one of Moses’ two sons. Perhaps to add insult to injury, no more is heard about them in the Torah. We don’t know if Moses expected one of his sons to assume the mantle of leadership and if so, what was his reaction when they were not chosen.
I couldn’t agree with you more. As a religious man, do you think President Biden reflected on biblical passages when he made his decision?
I doubt that Biden’s decision was grounded in religious teachings. Throughout his career, his positions were based on pragmatic grounds, even when they went against church teachings (e.g. abortion). In this case, he realized, somewhat late in the game, that his campaign was imploding and if he remained in the game, his legacy would have been facilitating a second Trump presidency, one more unstable and dangerous than the first.