Today's date and time:

Sermon for Sidra Beha'alotcha
May 2010
by Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman

A wonderful part of our Sidra is the story of Eldad and Medad.

After Moshe chooses the 70 elders who were to share prophecy with him, we read that in the camp Eldad and Medad, who were not among the appointed, started to prophesise too. Joshua, Moses’ disciple, immediately runs to Moshe in an attempt to stop these unauthorised prophets from their utterances, but Moses simply retorts:-

“May all G-d’s people be prophets, that G-d may instil His spirit within them.”

Contrast this to Moses, in the Sidra of Yitro, who single-handedly is leading the Jewish People and is so criticised for his form of leadership by his father in law.

It was Yitro himself who had suggested the idea of shared leadership; and thus the appointment of 70 elders recorded in our Sidra, is the outcome. That is why Moses was not concerned or worried by unauthorised prophets, for this was the very point of holiness – to spread it around!

Now my friends – look at the bigger picture!

Look at the great vision of Moses and take a wide-angled lens to it!

The purpose of any leadership – whether leading a company or Shul – is to get people involved, to encourage people to take initiatives! That is what creates a purposeful and creative group. Judaism never followed the idea of leadership by dictatorship, but allowed and encouraged people to grow like Eldad and Medad.

My simple message I want to share with you is: let our community grow and develop by encouraging total involvement, openness and debate; let new ideas and initiatives flourish, and rest assured we will reap the benefits of not only survival, but of growth too.

Let us go “Mechayil el choyil” - from strength to strength, Amen!