Before Moses' passing, he asked G-d to appoint for Israel a leader who would lead them as they entered the Land, who would succeed in the difficult, complex task of conquering and partitioning the Land. He said, "Let the Omnipotent G-d of all living souls appoint a man over the community. Let him come and go before them, and let him bring them forth and lead them. Let G-d's community not be like sheep that have no shepherd." (Numbers 27:16-17)
In order to win in battle, we have to be united, and in order for the leader to be able to unite the people, he has to be both humble and a man of profound spirit. This will enable him to tolerate the mindset of every individual Jew. It is well known that the views of each individual Jew are unlike those of any other, just as the face of every Jew is unique. The traits mentioned above are necessary in order to unite different types of people (see Rashi on Numbers 27:16; Berachot 58a).
Indeed, G-d tells Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man of spirit, and lay your hands on him." (Numbers 27:18) Rashi comments regarding the words "a man of spirit": "Like you asked for ? someone who will be able to relate to the mentality of each individual Jew."
Yet, that is not enough. A leader must also be pure and ethical, so that the merit from his righteousness will defend the people in their war. Thus, regarding Numbers 27:16, Rashi comments, "He must lead them out to war and bring them back aided by his merit, the righteousness of his deeds."
Joshua did in fact merit to unite the people, and his righteousness defended them in their conquest of the Land. Looking back at history, however, we find that there were other leaders who not only did not unite the people, but caused a rift between them. Not only did they not benefit the people by being righteous, but they made the people sin by means of their own sinfulness.
An example of such a leader is Jeroboam son of Navat who both sinned and made the people sin. He also caused the historic rift within the Jewish People when the Ten Tribes set themselves apart from the Tribe of Judah. One nation then had two states in the Land for hundreds of years, during the First Temple Period.
Today, we have an urgent need of a leader like Joshua, that man of "spirit", in its double meaning. He must be a spiritual person, moral and idealistic, a man unencumbered by the least taint of public corruption, bribe-taking, etc. He must be a man whose righteousness and integrity can defend the whole nation.
And we also need a leader who can unite the nation despite differences of opinion. We need someone who will not cause divisiveness amongst the people by means of political programs meant to bring about "disengagement" from the Arabs, but necessarily lead to disengagement from the land of our life's blood (it will never be).
Such an act leads to a rift within the Jewish People. It's like a husband and wife who argue with each other over their new home, and it results in their separating and the breaking up of their home.
We have an extraordinary need for a leader who is a man of spirit, someone who will unite our people and defend them by dint of his righteousness and morality.
In order to win in battle, we have to be united, and in order for the leader to be able to unite the people, he has to be both humble and a man of profound spirit. This will enable him to tolerate the mindset of every individual Jew. It is well known that the views of each individual Jew are unlike those of any other, just as the face of every Jew is unique. The traits mentioned above are necessary in order to unite different types of people (see Rashi on Numbers 27:16; Berachot 58a).
Indeed, G-d tells Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man of spirit, and lay your hands on him." (Numbers 27:18) Rashi comments regarding the words "a man of spirit": "Like you asked for ? someone who will be able to relate to the mentality of each individual Jew."
Yet, that is not enough. A leader must also be pure and ethical, so that the merit from his righteousness will defend the people in their war. Thus, regarding Numbers 27:16, Rashi comments, "He must lead them out to war and bring them back aided by his merit, the righteousness of his deeds."
Joshua did in fact merit to unite the people, and his righteousness defended them in their conquest of the Land. Looking back at history, however, we find that there were other leaders who not only did not unite the people, but caused a rift between them. Not only did they not benefit the people by being righteous, but they made the people sin by means of their own sinfulness.
An example of such a leader is Jeroboam son of Navat who both sinned and made the people sin. He also caused the historic rift within the Jewish People when the Ten Tribes set themselves apart from the Tribe of Judah. One nation then had two states in the Land for hundreds of years, during the First Temple Period.
Today, we have an urgent need of a leader like Joshua, that man of "spirit", in its double meaning. He must be a spiritual person, moral and idealistic, a man unencumbered by the least taint of public corruption, bribe-taking, etc. He must be a man whose righteousness and integrity can defend the whole nation.
And we also need a leader who can unite the nation despite differences of opinion. We need someone who will not cause divisiveness amongst the people by means of political programs meant to bring about "disengagement" from the Arabs, but necessarily lead to disengagement from the land of our life's blood (it will never be).
Such an act leads to a rift within the Jewish People. It's like a husband and wife who argue with each other over their new home, and it results in their separating and the breaking up of their home.
We have an extraordinary need for a leader who is a man of spirit, someone who will unite our people and defend them by dint of his righteousness and morality.