Parashat Vayelech 5785

by Rabbi Margie Cella

Moses was 120 years old and God had told him that he would not cross over the Jordan. Joshua would lead the nation in his place, and God would go with them as they entered the land, destroying the nations before them. Moses exhorted them not to be afraid. Calling Joshua to him, Moses charged him in the sight of all the people, saying, “… you must go with this people to the land which [God] has sworn to … give them.” [Deuteronomy 31:7]

Moses then wrote this Torah and gave it to the priests; he instructed them to gather the nation once every seven years, on Sukkot, to read it, making sure it was passed on to the next generation.

God then commanded Moses and Joshua to come to the tabernacle together so that God could officially give Joshua his charge. This time Moses instructed him by saying “… you shall bring the people … into the land which I swore to them …” [31:23] Notice that the charge has changed in one important word: “bring” (tavi) instead of “go with” (tavo); both come from the same verbal root, and differ in the Hebrew by only one letter. Joshua was chosen from among the people to lead the people. Being a good leader requires one to be able to really understand and relate to the people whom one leads. A strong, effective leader is one who can be empathetic. This is what Moses and God are calling Joshua to do.

Today, many of us are called to be leaders—in our secular lives, at school or work; in our synagogues and sisterhoods—and in Women’s League. Perhaps the most important leadership roles that many of us are called to fulfill are mother and grandmother.

Oseh shalom, Maker of Peace, help us to model lives of Torah and mitzvot.