Parsha_Push Pinchas

There is a tradition among some of the Jewish people (and even in the world, they say) where parents wish for their children: “When you grow up and have children of your own, may they make your life miserable just as you did to us.” I never identified with such statements, and it’s not that I had an easy life with my children (even if the challenges seem smaller from a distance). Part of parenting is the challenges that come with it, and most of us want our children (and grandchildren) to have a good life.
In our Torah portion, we encounter Moses asking for a successor. The census before inheriting the land prompts Zelophehad’s daughters to care for the previous generation (their father’s name), and prompts Moses to care for the next generation (through a successor). Although leadership of the people was imposed on Moses, and he didn’t seek it for himself, and even tried to resign from the role, he still keeps the concern for the people of Israel in mind, ensuring they won’t be left “like sheep without a shepherd.” He could have left the responsibility to God, since after all, Moses didn’t conceive this nation nor give birth to it. Nevertheless, he cares for this people, even if he knows it won’t be easy for the next leader.
It’s possible that over time, Moses discovered that there were actually people who would be happy to lead. But mainly, it seems that Moses’s motivation was his caring for the people. And if until now the phrasing we’re familiar with is consistently “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,” where God commands Moses, now we find Moses seemingly ‘commanding’ God – “And Moses spoke to the Lord, saying.” Here, Moses uses his ‘authority’ as one who has accompanied the people all along the way, to ensure there will be someone to lead and care for them after him.
God responds to Moses, but splits the leadership role. Joshua will lead the people in and out (mainly in war), and he will stand before Eleazar, who, besides being a priest, will serve as a connection to God through the Urim and Thummim. Like Moses, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, but also before the congregation. He must remember that the leader ultimately serves both God and the people, with his role being to connect the care for the people with leading in God’s way.
A good parent, like a good leader, knows how to put his or her own difficulties aside. A parent should prioritize the good of the child and a good leader that of the people, along with concern for the vision and destiny towards which they are directed and progressing.