In this week’s parsha, Pinchas, Moshe begins to prepare for the succession of his leadership: “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “Let the Lord, God of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community.””
Moshe’s wording is strange in many ways. This is the only place in the Torah where the verse, “And Moshe spoke to God, saying,” appears. The word “lamor”, “saying”, or ”to say”, usually means to tell it to someone else. Often God speaks to Moshe this way because Moshe is supposed to tell it to the Jewish people, but who is God supposed to relate it to? The word “vayidaber” is used, which means “spoke”, but it is a harsh language as opposed to “vayomer” which would be seemingly more appropriate in speaking to God. Thirdly, the language referring to God as “Elokey Haruchot lichol basar”, “God of the breath of all flesh” is also highly unusual.
Rashi addresses all of these difficulties and in the process teaches us a great deal about leadership:
Rashi:
Moshe spoke to God-This tells us the greatness of the righteous, that as they pass away they are not concerned with their own pain but with the needs of the community.
Saying-Moshe said to God, “be sure to get back to me and tell me if you have appointed someone as the leader or not.”
God of the breath of all flesh-Why does Moshe use this language? Because he said to God, “Master of the Universe, it is known before You that people are all different with different personalities and perspectives, appoint a leader for them who can bear each according to their own personality.
Moshe as a leader keeps his eyes always on the goal and his vision of his mission to the Jewish people, he cares so much he will not even cut God some slack, but insists God follow up with him. Moshe also stresses to God the need for a leader who can not only lead the people as a nation but can guide and have patience for each individual Jew. True leadership is not leadership of a faceless mass, but taking on responsibility for the nurturing, caring for and guidance of each individual Jew.