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Orchard of Delights Mattot
states that God “regretted in His heart” that He had created man and symbolically transmuted into the readiness of the heads of the
(Genesis 6:6). While applying human emotions to an Omnipotent God tribes and Joshua to “stand tall” and lead the people into the Land
is obviously problematic philosophically to say the least, the Torah of Israel.
“speaks in the language of man” so that we can in some small measure That Moses was ready and willing to hand over the reigns of
understand the Divine. Furthermore, this language emphasizes that leadership is no surprise. He had been reluctant to accept the
God did not just create the universe and then leave it to its own leadership role at the burning bush in the first place and at several
devices; Judaism strongly believes that God is intimately involved points in his career explicitly expressed his desire to share the power
in the universe’s development and truly cares about His creatures, and burdens of leadership. Before the Giving of the Torah, he was
especially humankind. Rabbi Eliezer Berkowitz points out in his happy to take Jethro’s advice and appoint leaders of thousands,
essay “The Encounter with the Divine” that this belief in a caring hundreds, fifties, and tens to help him judge the people. He explicitly
God is at the very heart of Judaism and in fact any notion of religion asked God for assistance in shouldering the burden of the people in
(see Eliezer Berkowitz, Essential Essays on Judaism, pp. 215-234). Beha’alotcha (Numbers 11:14-15) and even expressed his desire that
The questions of “aicha” – How could this have happened? How all the people be prophets (Numbers 11:29). As Moses prepares the
can we bear this? – are the essence of the Ninth of Av. They burst people to enter the Land without him, this process of his sharing and
from the lips in a scream that reverberates through the generations divesting himself of power and authority is merely accelerated.
yet is as quiet as a broken heart. Jewish history is a source of great Although Moses would have liked to have had his sons succeed
national and personal pride and the very basis for our individual him (as Rashi notes in his commentary on Numbers 27:16), he
identities, but it carries with it wounds that never seem to heal, accepted God’s choice of Joshua as the logical one. In fact, Moses’
searing sword thrusts that cut us to the core.
sons never rose to great prominence. How different this is from so
These same questions are at the very heart of Devarim as well. many historical dynasties whose founding kings and dictators have
Moses who led the contentious people for forty years symbolizes fought tooth and nail to ensure their children’s succession. Even
the quintessential Jewish leader, and yet he too in a moment of today kings, dictators, and politicians, whose main motivation is the
desperation was forced to ask “aicha?” Although there is a certain exercise of personal power, glory, and wealth, foist their children on
measure of quiet satisfaction to be gained from taking on communal the people oftentimes with negative or even disastrous results for the
responsibility when called upon and seeing the fruit of one’s labors, very people they are supposed to lead and represent.
still the yoke of duty weighs heavily on a true leader. The greater the Although a teacher’s natural tendency may be to always outshine
leader, the greater the intellectual and emotional weight thrust upon his or her students, a true teacher longs for them to surpass him.
him or her. This was certainly Moses’ attitude, as it was Elijah’s when his main
Rabbinic tradition links one more “aicha” in the Tanach to those disciple, Elisha, requested “double his [Elijah’s] spirit” (2 Kings: 2:1-
already mentioned. This “aicha” appears in a verse from Isaiah that 15). Elijah tells him that this is not such an easy request to fulfill, but
is always read in the Haftorah (the supplementary reading from the Elisha does evidently get his wish; for he performs exactly twice the
Prophets) on the Shabbat before the Ninth of Av. This Shabbat is number of miracles that Elijah did. This is similar to parents’ pride
named Shabbat Chazon, after the first word of the Haftorah. In fact, at their children’s accomplishments exceeding their own.
the word “chazon,” is the first word in the entire book of Isaiah and Another connection between the heads of the tribes and the matter
means “vision.” As part of Isaiah’s rebuke and warning to the people of vows may be God’s desire to emphasize how greatly the nature of
his “aicha” is a cry of anguish and disbelief:
the leadership had changed from the time of the spies. Just as a vow
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