And when Moses’father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said: ‘What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto even?’
וירא חותן משה את כל אשר הוא עושה לעם (המלה כל באה גם כאן בהוראה כללית ומופרזת), כלומר שראה מה גדול הטורח שהיה משה טורח בעבור העם. הניסוח מתכוון ליצור בתחילת פיסקה זו הקבלה לתחילת הפיסקה הראשונה (פס' א'): קודם שמע את כל אשר עשה אלהים לישראל, ועכשיו הוא רואה את כל אשר עושה משה לישראל. ויאמר יתרו למשה: מה הדבר הזה אשר אתה עושה לעם? שאלה כללית מוקדמת, לפתוח את השיחה. מדוע אתה יושב לבדך, בלי שום איש שיעזור על ידך, וכל העם נצב עליך מבוקר עד ערב, ומתייגע בהתייצבותו? חוזרים כאן, בוריאציות מסויימות כרגיל, הביטויים שבפסוק הקודם.
...And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did for the people (the word "all" comes here too in a general and excessive sense), that is to say theat he saw how great a burden Moses bore for the sake of the people. The wording intends to draw a parallel between the beginning of this section and the beginning of the previous section. First he [Yitro] heard everything that God had done for Israel, and now he sees everthing that Moses does for Israel. And Yitro said to Moses, "What is this thing that you are doing to the people?" It's a general leading question, to open the conversation, "Why are you sitting alone?" with no other person to help by your side, "and all the people are standing about you from morning to evening," and exhausting themselves in that standing? We return here, with some slight variations as usual, to the expressions in the prior verse.
(translation: JHD)
...And when "Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did to the people," etc. he said to him, "Like a king that sits and his servants stand, thus you are doing to them. Why are you sitting by yourself with all the people standing about you?" (translation: JHD)
Questions on the texts:
1. What do you make of the parallels that Cassuto finds between Yitro's positive impressions of God and his negative impressions of Moses' leadership style?
2. What do you think of the Mekhilta's assessment that Yitro sees Moses like a King on a throne?
How does this relate to the parallels that Cassuto found?
3. Is Moses' leadership style more of a burden to him, or to the people?
"It is a cliché to say that leadership is a lonely undertaking. But at the same time no leader can truly survive on their own. Yitro told Moses this many years earlier. Seeing him leading the people alone he said, “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” (Ex. 18:18). A leader needs three kinds of support: (1) allies who will fight alongside him*; (2) troops or a team to whom he can delegate; and (3) a soulmate or soulmates to whom he can confide his doubts and fears, who will listen without an agenda other than being a supportive presence, and who will give him the courage, confidence and sheer resilience to carry on."
-Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/chukat/miriam-moses-friend/
(*or her or them, JHD)
Questions for Jewish leaders:
1. Are you a Moses, doing it alone? Or like another biblical figure? What's your leadership style?
2. Is burnout an issue for you? What would Yitro have to say if he analyzed your daily routine?
3. Do you have varied support: allies, a team, a confidant? (What types of support do you have or need, including: administrative support, help at home, a therapist, mashpia/spiritual director, mentor, supervisor, supportive colleagues?)
4. How do you empower others in your community to be leaders in their own right? How does it feel to you as a leader to build up others?
Based on a reading of Shabbat Zachor I learned from my teacher, Rabbi Gary S. Creditor, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth-El