After much speculation, US President Joe Biden finally accepted what were the growing calls from members of his own party to drop out of the race for the White House. Meanwhile, Donald Trump told a rally that he “took a bullet for democracy” after surviving the assassination attempt that shook America the previous week.
This just shows that leadership, political or otherwise, is never far from the headlines and has been since time immemorial.
Just take Pinchas, about whom we read this morning, unlike either Biden or Trump, he was somewhat of an accidental leader. He assumed the role more due to circumstance rather than design or ambition.
He also provides a fascinating contrast to his contemporaries Moshe and Aharon who were appointed to the offices of Prophet and Priest respectively by Divine command. Miriam the Prophetess by dint of merit and talent and Korach who sought promotion because of his own jealousy, avarice and perceived suitability.
However, unlike some of the other minor characters in the biblical narrative, even those whose names are associated with a specific sedrah, Pinchas is unique. How?
The entire incident for which he became known, actually happens at the end of the last week’s reading. When Bilaam repeatedly fails to curse the Jewish people much to the displeasure of King Balak, he advises him to exploit their weakness and seduce the men into idolatry. Tragically this strategy is successful and causes an existential crisis for the nation and while the people cry, the leadership appears to be paralysed until Pinchas takes swift and decisive action to bring a halt to the divine opprobrium.
That would seem to be the end of the episode and Pinchas might have reverted to the backbenches except that G-d singles him out and, in a display of Heavenly approval, confers upon him a blessing of peace. Therefore, Pinchas becomes immortalised as a powerful example for all future generations that leadership is far more about action than it is about position.
In fact, he’s the embodiment of the principle set out in Ethics of the Fathers: בְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים – In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.
As Rabbi Israel Lipschitz explains, when you see a problem that needs fixing, and you’re motivated to remedy it then be the one to make the difference. If there’s no-one to fill a particular role, rather than complaining about it, accept that role upon yourself.
Pinchas reminds us all that leadership doesn’t need to be limited to only those who are elected, it doesn’t have to discriminate between young and old or be the preserve of those with obvious ability and charisma. It certainly doesn’t need to be about politics or power.
Rather, anyone with the willingness to step out of the shadows, to accept responsibility and possess a genuine desire to make a positive contribution should see themselves as following in the illustrious tradition of Pinchas and be assured that they will enjoy G-d’s blessing.
A wise man once said that in time to come, when we move on from here and this fight of ours to live and to build and to prosper comes to an end, the question that will be put to every one of us won’t be “Did you win?”
The question asked will be, “Did you fight?” “Did you try your best?”
No-one expects the impossible, although there are some people who can achieve the seemingly impossible and win medals for it.
But there’s one dictionary in the world where the term “impossible” doesn’t exist as a word on its own.
It’s the dictionary of the Jewish people! It’s not in our national lexicon!
We triumphed over the impossible after the War, we lost a third of our population and went on to achieve the impossible – to rebuild, to regrow and to establish the State of Israel with the entire Arab world against us! And we accomplished the impossible in 1967 and 1973!
And on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of the modern State of Israel addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress. I felt so proud, I was incredibly moved by the rapturous applause and standing ovation he received – it’s impossible to imagine we have so much support.
The word “impossible” just doesn’t exist in the vocabulary of our emotions, and in our religious life it’s the same. We kept Shabbos even when we couldn’t afford to, because it’s impossible not to – Shabbos is more precious than money. We kept kosher even when it was difficult to do so, we continued to pray and teach our children and build communities even when it was unfashionable to do so.
How did we do it?
By finding strength and courage in the knowledge that G-d is with us, and we can never be defeated. That’s been our glory right throughout our history, that the hand of G-d has been upon us. That hand of G-d is the Torah, it’s the Jewish way of life, our people’s sense of purpose and destiny.
No-one is expected to achieve the impossible but, each and everyone of us is required to try our best, do our best, do the possible.
Because now it’s perfectly possible to live a complete Jewish life without any issues, to learn academic subjects and Jewish ones as well. To study Shakespeare and Science and be literate in Hebrew and keep mitzvot.
So at the end of every day, we should ask ourselves:
Did I try my best to be a good person and a faithful Jew?
Did I fight a good fight against the negative inclination?
Did I do that which is possible for me to do?
If we can answer “Yes” to all three questions, then we’ll merit the blessing of peace.