4 Shevat 5779 | January 10, 2019
Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold
Class of 2013
Having returned from exploring the land of Israel, the scouts confront Moses and Aaron, lamenting that although the land seems fertile and beautiful, its dangers are too great. They foment fear and doubt within the fledgling nation. In the midst of the chaos, Caleb steps forward. He, too, has seen the land with his own eyes. But unlike the other scouts, he maintains his confidence in the nation’s ability to conquer it, with the help of God. His is a voice of calm and comfort: We can do it! The verse opens with this phrase: (Chapter 13 verse 30) “And Caleb silenced the people…” but then the verse continues with the words “toward Moses”. Caleb silenced the people toward Moses.
Caleb is a powerful and influential leader. But as he quiets the people, he directs them to Moses. His aim is not to further his own leadership, but to bolster that of his senior colleague.
Caleb understands that his place, in that moment, is to facilitate the leadership of another. He is conscious of his ability to hold the attention of the terrified crowd, and he uses this power to enhance the people’s trust in Moses. Caleb knows that Moses needs support, and offers this with no ego, no concern for his own standing.
There are leaders whose names sit at the tops of letterheads or on electoral ballots. These leaders work hard, and take the risk of being in the spotlight. But for every elected official, every CEO, there are men and women who facilitate that person’s ability to lead, often from behind the scenes. For every actor, there is a stage manager in the wings; for every basketball star, there is a teammate passing her the ball, a coach on the sidelines.
It is tempting to think of leadership in terms of who inhabits the spotlight or the corner office. Being an effective leader, however, sometimes means facilitating the leadership of others, for the greater good.
In my own leadership career, I have found myself on both sides of this equation. I have benefited from mentorship, as well as from the support of colleagues who have bolstered me. There are also times where I step back in order to allow others to step forward. Sometimes, I facilitate the leadership of another, in a supporting role. This leadership demands a high level of graciousness and generosity.
Caleb uses his leadership to restore order and enhance the leadership of another. Sadly, it is not enough. In the next chapter, as the people continue to complain against their leaders, Moses and Aaron will not know how to respond, how to motivate the nation to move forward. For all of Caleb’s attempts, it seems that Moses’ leadership has run its course. Nonetheless, the leadership of Caleb serves as an important model of the kind of leadership that focuses not on what is good for the leader, but what is good for the community.
