Parshat Vyehi
By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel
CHULA VISTA, California — The theme of leadership is an important topic in Parshat Vyehi. Although Joseph was the nation’s political leader, the brothers never chose Joseph to be their family leader. Instead, they chose Judah. Historically, in the days of the First Temple, Israel became divided between the nation of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. Rivalry persisted between these nations for centuries.
Yet, history proved that the tribe of Judah retained its leadership over the other tribes.
But why Judah? According to Maimonides, our God gives each of us a second chance in life to get things done and right. This is the foundation of repentance, according to Maimonides.
Over time, Judah came to embody this principle repeatedly, as did his descendants.
It is evident from early on how Judah emerges as a born leader; his brothers look up to him; they listen to his advice; he commands their attention. Although he was not the firstborn son like Reuben, he might just as well could have been—judging by his demeanor and etiquette. Yet, despite his natural gifts of leadership, he also has a dark side that is almost as cynical as his father’s. When the brother’s turn against Joseph, plotting to kill him, it is Judah who says:
- So Judah said, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and hide his body? Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not harm him. After all, he is our brother.” And the others agreed. When the Midianite merchants came by, Joseph’s brothers took him out of the well, and for twenty pieces of silver they sold him to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt. (Genesis 37:26-28)
In an essay entitled, “The Ascent of Judah,” the rector of Yeshiva University, Norman Lamm, points out a priceless insight when Jacob blesses Judah on his deathbed. He notes that Judah’s greatness derives from the fact that he “rises from his failures. He atones for his sins and goes on to greatness. He redeems himself.
The same Judah who counseled his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery now offers his own freedom and his very life to save Benjamin, Joseph’s full brother . . .Judah has now overcome his deficiencies. He has learned from his mistakes. Judah is a study in growth; he is a case in development, he illustrates how one can overcome moral vulnerability and emerge all the stronger” (p. 79-80). The same might also be said about King David, ancient Israel’s greatest king. But even King David had his faults—and they were many.
Many years ago, when I was in my early twenties, I drove my car and accidentally hit another car that belonged to a minister. We actually became good friends. He even asked me to speak at his church, but being Hassidic, I volunteered to teach at one of his congregants’ home.
In our conversation, we spoke about King David. I remember asking him, “Why is it that the only thing Jews and Christians know about the life of King David (beside the story when he kills Goliath with his slingshot) is the story of David and his affair with Bathsheba? He gave me an unforgettable answer: it’s the one story from David’s life that most people can personally identify with.
This past week, I wrote a book review on a book that touches upon these particular moral themes. Rabbi Menachem Genack’s new book, In Letters to President Clinton: Biblical Lessons on Faith and Leadership, reveals much about the ethical passions of Rabbi Genak. His book will greatly enhance any rabbi’s sermons on the weekly parsha or High Holidays.
Curiously, the author makes no mention to Monica Lewinsky or any other the women Clinton was accused of having affairs with. One can only assume that President Clinton most likely insisted that Rabbi Genack make no reference to this in his book.
President Bill Clinton is in many ways one of the most iconic and beloved presidents of recent history. His congenial manner combined with his ability to speak directly to the people without the help of a teleprompter (unlike some presidents), illustrates how he loved to communicate with people.
Yet, for all of Bill Clinton’s great talents, his life in the White House revealed a man who had human flaws that were reminiscent of King David, or perhaps even King Solomon of the Bible. Opposed by a legion of critics, Bill Clinton’s presidency was severely marred by scandal during his second term in office. The rest of the kings of Israel made Kings David and Solomon seem like paragons of virtue in comparison.
Great people frequently have feet of clay. This is, of course, a perennial theme of the Bible. Even the greatest people of the Tanakh suffered from moral defects of varying degrees. Moses loses his temper on a regular basis. By today’s standards—he might have been a candidate for anger management, along with YHWH, whose outbursts of anger results in the destruction of cities and continents.
In the Bible, even God makes mistakes (Gen. 8:21).
Here are a few choice examples that caught my attention. Judah in the Bible personifies strength and moral leadership. Yet, he did not always possess these traits. Like Jacob, his father, Judah is a hybrid of darkness and light.”
There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection” and this adage certainly applies to all of various biblical personalities from Adam to Solomon, and countless others. The spiritual process of individuation (becoming a whole and integrated human being) requires that we face our shadowy self that hides beneath a veneer of piety and self-righteousness.
Nevertheless, every time I read this book, I always learn something new and inspiring. I am certain that you will too.
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Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista. He may be contacted via michael.samuel@sdjewishworld.com