G‑d tells Moses to stop nudging and accept the fact that he'll never enter the Promised Land. Moses reluctantly forgoes his most cherished desire and turns his attention towards the future of his beloved nation.

"If I'm going to die here in the desert," reasoned Moses, "then they're going to need a new leader. So what if I am personally disappointed, my main purpose is to worry about the needs of my people."

Moses describes the perfect leader (Numbers 27:16-17):

"Let G‑d, the G‑d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go forth before them and come before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of G‑d will not be like sheep without a shepherd."

Each phrase is loaded with meaning:

Sure, he needs to accept everyone equally, but he's got to have enough strength of character to make the difficult decisions on our behalfG‑d of spirits—Let's find someone with the sensitivity to recognize, accept and guide each and every individual according to his or her own emotional and spiritual needs.

Appoint a man—We need a man, not a pushover. Sure, he needs to accept everyone equally, but he's got to have enough strength of character to make the difficult decisions on our behalf.

Who will go forth before them—We need a leader who'll be out there on the front lines, not just skulking in the background leaving the dangers and heavy lifting to others.

Who will lead them out—He's got to have a mind of his own to know where we've got to go.

And bring them in—A true leader cares about collateral damage. He will never set off on a crusade without worrying about the casualties that may fall on the way. No child should be left behind and the needs of the many must be balanced against the loss of the individual.

The congregation of G‑d—Never, ever forget that every individual is an entire universe. We each carry within us a spark of undifferentiated G‑dliness and deserve the absolute best from our lives and leaders.

Sheep without a shepherd—Left on their own, sheep will either huddle together in an unruly mass or flee out of panic in all directions. A leader is not out there for self-aggrandizement but as an exemplar for the nation. When we see someone striding ahead of us, living life to the fullest and fulfilling a heavenly mandate, we are all inspired to follow.


Throughout history we have been influenced and led by the bestThe Jewish people have been blessed. Throughout history we have been influenced and led by the best. G‑d has never left us unaccompanied nor are we ever truly alone. We have followed Moses' prescription for leadership and have survived and thrived through the ages.

Moses' successors have looked after us since then and have now brought us to a stage where we can confidently expect and demand the ultimate level of leadership: Moshiach, a benevolent monarch bearing the reins of political and spiritual power as one, and steering us to our ultimate destination—a time of G‑dly perfection.