Be Brave

When G-d asked Noah to prepare an ark to survive the flood, he took the directions and did exactly as he was told. He didn’t question whether the world should be destroyed, or attempt to effect change. Noah was not a leader for the generation—he was the best in his generation, a righteous and virtuous man in a generation of dishonest and immoral people.

When G d told Abraham that He would destroy Sodom, Abraham asked why. He tried to find a way to convince G-d to save the city. He made sure to understand and be involved in the process to confirm that the right thing was being done. And when he failed, he accepted and got on with the next step.

When G d told Moses that He would destroy the nation for creating the golden calf as an idol instead of worshipping G d, Moses asked why and pleaded on behalf of the nation. He stood between G d’s threat and his people, protecting them, fighting for them, and convincing G-d to reconsider. He succeeded and then got on with the next step.

True leaders try to understand and fight for what is right. They believe in their own ability to create change—even if that means changing G d’s mind! They work on changing outcomes based on a clear vision of what is needed. They sometimes succeed and sometimes fail. Either way, they don’t waste time and energy on regretting failures or celebrating successes—they simply learn from each outcome and move on to the next challenge.

Abraham and Moses are leaders for all time. They inspire the world to this day. They searched for the truth and asked the hard questions. They led with humility and integrity, and with faithfulness to their belief system and their followers. 

Be Brave… Shabbat Shalom!