Sedra of the week: Ha’azinu
Rabbi Boruch M Boudilovsky looks ahead to this week's portion of the torah
In this week’s Parsha, the death of Moses is compared with the death of his older brother Aaron and, while there are similarities, there are also fundamental differences.
The process leading to Aaron’s death is carried out with no reference to any human emotion until the final verse: “When the entire assembly saw that Aaron had perished, they wept for Aaron thirty days, the entire House of Israel.” The death of Moses is described similarly: “The Children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days”. However, there is a fundamental difference.
The word entire appears only in the context of Aaron’s death. The passing of Moses was mourned by the nation, but for Aaron he was mourned by the entire nation. This minor difference reflects a fundamental contrast between the roles of the two brothers.
While Moses leads, Aaron unifies. The great sage Hillel attributed the values of pursuing peace and loving people to Aaron’s legacy.
Although Moses was younger and never experienced slavery personally, Aaron did not resent his brother’s
appointment, or feel entitlement to the senior leadership position.
On the contrary, Aaron rejoiced even in the hidden depth of his heart (Exod 4:14). Aaron encouraged harmony, unity and peace between people. As a unifier, Aaron was extremely popular. Everyone, with no exception, wept and mourned his passing.
Moses assumed a different type of leadership position. Occasionally, leaders must make difficult decisions, choosing between what is easy and what is right, what is popular and what is equitable. There will always be some objection and this is reflected in the absence of the word ‘entire’ when the nation wept for Moses. Although most did, nevertheless not everyone wept and mourned for Moses.
But we are taught that these two models of leadership complement each other. When courageous leadership partners with a voice promoting peace and unity, a nation thrives.
- Rabbi Boruch M Boudilovsky serves Young Israel of North Netanya
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
