The Unpopular Path: What Moshe's Funeral Teaches Us About Authentic Leadership

The litmus test of authentic leadership isn't popularity – it's principled action in the face of opposition. This profound insight comes from the Maharal Diskin's analysis of a subtle textual difference in how the Torah describes the deaths of Moses and Aaron.

When Aaron died, the Torah specifically mentions that "all the children of Israel" mourned him. This universal grief makes sense – Aaron was beloved as a peacemaker, mediator, and community therapist who brought harmony to families and partnerships. Everyone showed up to his funeral because his leadership style prioritized relationships and emotional connection.

Moses, however, presents a striking contrast. Near the Torah's conclusion, we learn of his death with notably different wording – the text simply says "the children of Israel wept," omitting the word "all." Rashi explicitly points out that unlike Aaron's funeral, not everyone attended Moses' – specifically, the women and children were absent.

Rather than viewing this as a criticism, the Maharal Diskin reveals it as Moses' highest praise. Throughout his leadership, Moses consistently stood against opposition, confronted rebellion, and made difficult decisions that weren't always popular. He prioritized God's will over public approval. This willingness to stand firm, even when it cost him popularity, exemplifies the backbone of authentic Jewish leadership.

This teaching carries powerful implications for anyone in a leadership position today. Our culture often celebrates leaders who avoid conflict and maintain universal approval. Yet the Torah suggests that meaningful leadership sometimes requires making decisions that won't win popularity contests but uphold essential principles. As the saying goes, "If you don't have any enemies, have you ever truly stood for anything?"

Are you leading to be loved, or leading for what's right? The answer might determine whether your leadership will truly make a difference when it matters most.

Chapters

• 0:00 Leadership and the Maharal Diskin
• 0:51 Aaron's Death and Universal Mourning
• 1:35 Moshe's Death: A Different Response
• 2:15 The Price of Principled Leadership

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

If you consider yourself a leader, you should listen to the words of the Maharal Diskin. The following is a tremendous yesod. He brings to us about what it is that defines a Jewish leader. We are taught that Moshe Rabbeinu went down the mountain without Aaron HaKoen. In last week's parasha, because Aaron HaKoen was now deceased, people didn't even believe it. How could it possibly be that the Malach HaMavis, the angel of death, has any sort of control upon the person that has always been there? He's our hero, our savior. It can't be that he's dead.

Speaker 1: 0:34

Moshe Rabbeinu davened and eventually all became known that yes, in fact, aaron was nifter State in Pasuk V'Yivchu, that there was this long mourning and crying of all of the children of Israel. As she picks up on, the word seems extra. There's no difference between why the extra word? Because men, women, children, everybody wailed, bemoaned, fallen soldier. That Aaron is now dead. Because everybody loved Aaron, because he was Owev Shalom, v'rodev Shalom, and he made Shalom between partners, shalom between spouses, klal Yisrael's therapist, klal Yisrael's cheerleader, and now he was no more. And in a turn of events, when another Jewish leader passes away, three psukim before the entire end of the Torah and parashat v'zot ha'bracha, when we learn about Moshe Rabbeinu's death. We get quite a different terminology to describe Moshe's death. The Pesach says v'yivchu, not kol b'nei yisro, but b'nei yisro, not kol. Rashi points out, says Rashi, it wasn't the women, the children, they didn't cry For Moshe Rabbeinu at his Levine. Did you hear something like that? Sounds awkward. Rashi state hazechor. Only the men cried for Moshe V'ba'aron, mitoch, v'ya'oroydei shalom. But by Aaron it was everybody. It was Kol b'nei Yisro, but by Moshe it was only B'nai Yisrael, only the boys cried. Rl Diskin points out, the great superstar Talmud Chacham and Posick of the 1800s, the one who launched the famous Diskin orphanage house, one of the Goynei Oila. Rl Diskin says it's not necessarily a bad thing that Moshe had people that didn't show up to his labaya. It's actually a shiva for Moshe, because that is a midah.

Speaker 1: 2:28

The unique role of Jewish leadership that you have to stand up for what you know and believe is right. In the face of everything, in the face of Korah, in the face of complaining, in the face of trying, trying hard, numbingly painful times, moshe Rabbeinu continuously shot down people that were anti-God, because Jewish leadership requires sacrifice and Jewish leadership isn't always the pretty sweet. Everyone showing up to your Leviah type of role. So there's a very unique difference here Our Nakohim. We need him. He's the Owev Shalom, v'rodev Shalom, and there's also an attribute that we learn about leadership that is, to stand up for what is right.

Speaker 1: 3:12

If you're the rabbi, the president, the leader of your house, the leader of an organization, it's not the worst thing. You have to put your foot down because you know what the Ratzan of Hashem is. In a certain situation, great quote goes. But if you're somebody that doesn't have any enemies in life, well then you have to ask yourself if you ever stood up for anything that you believe in in your life.

Speaker 1: 3:32

Kind of a different perspective. We're softer these days. We call ticky-tack fouls and we get disgruntled very quickly. But the good old days they knew what it meant to have a straight backbone and to lead like everything was on the line. Take that to heart that if you want to be a leader, ask yourself, ask yourself truly Am I doing what's right, or am I just doing what everyone will love me for, trying to make everyone happy just to get my approval rating up? Moshe Rabbeinu didn't have everyone show up to his Leviah, but that's the praise of him, because he stood up as the quintessential Jewish leader for nothing else other than what it is, that is, the will of God.