Dear Friends,
In this week’s Torah portion, the Golden Calf episode represents one of the most stunning challenges to the early rule of law and governmental authority in recorded history, and depicts a threatening populist revolt that nearly toppled the early Jewish experiment in codified law and governance.
Discontent over the absence of Moses, while he was atop the mountain convening with God and receiving the Commandments, resulted in the people prevailing on Aaron to fabricate a crafted, golden figure and proclaim it to be God. A grand celebration followed.
Torah describes Aaron both apparently supporting the rebels, and concomitantly trying to delay them until Moses returned. His language was ambiguous, at best. He both asked the people to give him their gold – from their wives’ earrings – so he could melt it into a figure, and he put-off the celebration until the following morning.
Surely, if Aaron had simply said “No, this is not right,” he would not have been implicated. Yes, he may have been ignored, or killed, but his ethical posture would not have been equivocated. Rather, Aaron, or so Torah may suggest and the commentaries try to assert, endeavored to work with the rebels to mediate or mitigate their rebellion.
The language of leadership is important. Messages need to be clear. When leaders are unclear, or even choose to be vague or retain “plausible deniability” or opt to obfuscate their intentions, then the risk of harm escalates, and trouble may ensue.
At the very least, the parallel to January 6 is evident. Our United States Supreme Court decided this week to hear the ongoing case regarding Past President Donald Trump’s claims to immunity – that what he said and did during the latter hours of his oft-troubled presidency were exempted due to his elected station.
Yes, the impact and import of Mr. Trump’s language amid arguably the most threatening revolt in America since the Civil War, further demonstrates that the language of leadership is critical.
Just take it from Aaron!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
In this week’s Torah portion, the Golden Calf episode represents one of the most stunning challenges to the early rule of law and governmental authority in recorded history, and depicts a threatening populist revolt that nearly toppled the early Jewish experiment in codified law and governance.
Discontent over the absence of Moses, while he was atop the mountain convening with God and receiving the Commandments, resulted in the people prevailing on Aaron to fabricate a crafted, golden figure and proclaim it to be God. A grand celebration followed.
Torah describes Aaron both apparently supporting the rebels, and concomitantly trying to delay them until Moses returned. His language was ambiguous, at best. He both asked the people to give him their gold – from their wives’ earrings – so he could melt it into a figure, and he put-off the celebration until the following morning.
Surely, if Aaron had simply said “No, this is not right,” he would not have been implicated. Yes, he may have been ignored, or killed, but his ethical posture would not have been equivocated. Rather, Aaron, or so Torah may suggest and the commentaries try to assert, endeavored to work with the rebels to mediate or mitigate their rebellion.
The language of leadership is important. Messages need to be clear. When leaders are unclear, or even choose to be vague or retain “plausible deniability” or opt to obfuscate their intentions, then the risk of harm escalates, and trouble may ensue.
At the very least, the parallel to January 6 is evident. Our United States Supreme Court decided this week to hear the ongoing case regarding Past President Donald Trump’s claims to immunity – that what he said and did during the latter hours of his oft-troubled presidency were exempted due to his elected station.
Yes, the impact and import of Mr. Trump’s language amid arguably the most threatening revolt in America since the Civil War, further demonstrates that the language of leadership is critical.
Just take it from Aaron!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
