Parashat Yitro

We often promote The Leffell School as preparing the next generation of Jewish leaders. And as such, Parashat Yitro, this week’s Torah portion, seems very relevant, as it offers several valuable lessons for future (and current) leaders – particularly in the opening chapter when Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, leaves his home in Midyan to reunite his daughter and grandchildren with Moshe in the wilderness after Moshe and Bnai Yisrael have escaped from Egypt. Through their interactions in those first days of their reunion, both Yitro and Moshe – each leaders in their own communities – provide us with examples of strong leadership skills that we can aspire to emulate in our own lives.

עַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל יְהֹוָ֖ה מִכׇּל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּ֣י בַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר זָד֖וּ עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

Now I know that Hashem is greater than all gods, yes, by the result of their very schemes against [the people].”

According to Rashi, this verse indicates that Yitro had a full knowledge of every idol in the world. In fact, he already had strongly held beliefs and was a priest in Midyan. But he also had an open mind, was willing to listen to others. Upon hearing of the miracles that God had performed, Yitro decided for himself that this God was the true God, even offering a sacrifice to God to demonstrate his loyalty. 

Moshe, as the nation’s leader, was busy all day solving problems for and judging disputes between members of Bnai Yisrael. Because Moshe was knowledgeable about God’s laws and teachings, he was the one that people came to on all matters. Yitro saw that this amount of work and responsibility was making Moshe exhausted and was unsustainable. He advises Moshe to delegate some of the work to others and allow them to take on the simple issues so that he, Moshe, only will have to deal with the more difficult problems.  

עַתָּ֞ה שְׁמַ֤ע בְּקֹלִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ וִיהִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּ֑ךְ הֱיֵ֧ה אַתָּ֣ה לָעָ֗ם מ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ אַתָּ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the matters before God.

Yitro is smart in how he approaches Moshe and encourages Moshe to listen to him. Yitro tells Moshe that God will be with him if he listens to Yitro’s advice. In fact, according to the commentator Ibn Ezra, by saying “And you bring the matters to God,” Yitro is not referring to the fact that Moshe will bring the difficult disputes of the people to God; instead, Ibn Ezra explains, Yitro is telling Moshe to ask permission of God to act in accordance with Yitro’s advice.  Yitro understands how to position his advice in a way that Moshe, a man of God, will accept.  

Moshe could have ignored Yitro’s advice.  As Rashi notes, Moshe’s authority and stature in Bnai Yisrael was so great that Yitro was in no position to comment or rebuke Moshe for how he handled the affairs of the nation.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע מֹשֶׁ֖ה לְק֣וֹל חֹתְנ֑וֹ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמָֽר׃

Moses heeded his father-in-law and did just as he had said.

Yet, Moshe implemented Yitro’s suggestions. Rather than take offense, Moshe accepted Yitro’s words as constructive feedback. Moshe listen to what Yitro pointed out about his (lack of) work-life balance, recognized that his own way of leading was not necessarily the best way, and appreciated that Yitro was offering an effective and improved way of governing Bnai Yisrael.  

There are so many important qualities that truly good leaders possess.  The ability to keep an open mind, the wisdom to effectively and positively influence others, the humility to admit you’re not perfect, and the adaptability to accept and implement someone else’s good idea – the qualities demonstrated by Moshe and Yitro during their interactions in this week’s parashah – are just a few of the leadership skills that Leffell School educators try to instill in our students so that they are prepared to take on leadership roles in campus organizations and, eventually, in their professional lives, in their communities, and in the larger world. And they are skills that we educators, parents, and adult members of the kehilah should continue to practice in all facets of our own lives as well.

Shabbat Shalom.