By Nathan Schachter
Already in our first week in Jerusalem, we have become immersed in university, city, and Nachshon life. A new initiative this semester is an added Beit Midrash learning session every Tuesday at Pardes. While each fellow has the opportunity to choose one of four specific classes to join, we also have the opportunity to gather as a group once a week for an hour of text study with various guest educators. This being our first week, we were privileged to hear from Rabbi Leon Morris, the president of Pardes. Rabbi Morris made Aliyah only a few years ago after graduating from Hebrew Union College (HUC) and leading various initiatives in the New York Jewish community. He is also a faculty member at HUC, and is an alumnus of Pardes as well!
For our first shiur klali (general lesson), Rabbi Morris presented his take on “Shattering the Tablets: Uncovering the Meaning of Jewish Life.” We looked at many sources accounting Moshe breaking the luchot, or tablets containing the ten commandments, and what we can learn about him as a leader in that moment. Many look at Moshe for making a mistake in that moment and not having enough self-control when he saw the Jewish people sinning with the Golden Calf. However, as we read into Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moshe, it may be instead that Moshe broke the luchot (tablets) with an underlying purpose that should make us appreciate him as a leader even more.
These sources suggest that Moshe was celebrated, and given a yasher koach, for breaking the luchot. The reason Rabbi Morris suggested to us is that Moshe knew that if he brought the Jewish people the luchot, they would substitute their idolizing the Calf with idolizing the luchot. Knowing the luchot had no inherent holiness, Moshe dropped them in order to make the people realize how far away from G-d and faith they had really strayed. In this way, Moshe was being a good leader in anticipating what was needed to get the Jewish people “back on track.” Now, in response to simply accepting the word of G-d and the ten commandments, the holiness would come into being.
What does this say about being a leader? How can we use this in our everyday lives? Why explore this issue as part of our time on The Nachshon Project? During our time together as a cohort, we are each empowered to explore the Jewish leader within ourselves. With each guest speaker, tour, or processing session, we are empowered to find our Jewish identity and build up the skills to become the best leaders we can be. Just as Moshe had to think on top of his toes for the best way to get his followers to listen, we will also have to do so in our future careers. On the outside, it may not appear as the best course of action, but when we really take a look at our actions, there may be a more hidden intention which can truly show our inner genius and initiative.
