Shnayim Yomi - Pinchas - R'vi'i - #4 - Rabbi Elisha Freedman - The Mark of a True Leader

Good morning, everybody. It's Wednesday, Parshas Pinchas, and we're going to learn Revi, we're going to do Shnayim Mikra v'Echad Targum on Revi, and say a short vort on one of the psukim. Moshe Rabbeinu was desperate to get into Eretz Yisrael, as we see many times throughout the Torah, and later on he davened passionately v'yaschanen el Hashem. Hashem here tells him, "You cannot going to go in, but I'll I'll lay al Har Ha'Avarim, go up to the mountain and you'll see." Moshe's re'iyah of Eretz Yisrael gave it a certain kedushah that wouldn't have happened otherwise. It wasn't just a tease. But, that's not what we're going to speak about. Right before he was going to die, and he knew that the door was closed, Moshe davens to Hashem. He asked him, "Yifkod Hashem Elokei Haruchot Elokei Haruchot, who knows the ruach of every person, v'chol basar ish al ha'eidah, appoint a new leader. I'm not going to be anymore. I can't take them into Eretz Yisrael, but make sure you give them a a leader, a good leader, asher yeitzei lifneihem v'asher yavo lifneihem, yotzi'eim u'yavi'eim, that das Hashem shouldn't be like sheep, asher ein lahem ro'eh, without a ro'eh, without a shepherd." He's about to to leave this world. His lifelong dream is not going to be fulfilled. What's he thinking about? He's thinking about the future of Klal Yisrael. That's a leader. That's a tzaddik. That even as he has to go, he's thinking about Klal Yisrael. That's what Rashi says. L'hodi'a shivchan shel tzaddikim, the special shevach of tzaddikim k'she'einam niftarim me'olam, even as they're leaving the world, manichin tzorcheihen, they're not worried about their own needs and their legacy. V'oiskim b'tzorchei tzibbur, they just want to make sure that the tzibbur goes on and is taken care of and is tended for. There are common of a common many stories of them on their deathbed giving giving giving instructions to make sure that the families and the are taken care of. But one story recently comes to mind. Two years ago on Shemini Atzeret of Haliva from was very sick the Yeshiva and he was taken into the hospital for the last time. Till then people didn't realize he was sick. But it came time and he probably realized it was nearing the end. But the only thing that was on his mind that I mean it would be at the time it was he was making sure make sure the Yeshiva goes on make sure that in Yeshiva there are always Simcha. Make sure the food is are good. Is there enough food? Did we order enough? Is it going to be a Yom Tov just to make sure the Yom Tov is good for the Yeshiva. Don't worry about me. Go on with Simcha. His own needs were not part of the equation. And that's what we see throughout the Sadiqim and their mind is single focused on the people. From the very beginning he couldn't let one sheep out of the flock get lost. That's why he was chosen for a to be the leader. And again as he's about to leave the world they needed a I can't be here but give them another one. So I can continue.