We read in Parashat Matot of God’s command to Moshe to “take the Israelites’ revenge from the Midyanites” (31:2), referring to the war Benei Yisrael were to wage against Midyan in retaliation for the scheme of Ba’al Pe’or in which it was involved. In the next verses, we read of Moshe’s instructions to Benei Yisrael to supply men for the military campaign, whom Moshe then sent off to wage war against the enemy nation.
The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 22) finds it troubling that after God issued a direct, personal command to Moshe, he then sent other people to carry out the task. It appears, the Midrash notes, that Moshe shirked his responsibility and transferred it onto the people. The obvious answer to this question, seemingly, is that as Moshe was already 120 years old, it was clear that the command to wage war against Midyan was not intended as a command that Moshe should personally go out to battle. Rather, he was charged with the responsibility of managing the effort of selecting and sending men out to war. Nevertheless, the Midrash, perhaps wondering why Moshe did not accompany the people in any capacity, offers two other possible reasons for why he remained behind. First, Moshe found refuge in Midyan when he was forced to flee Egypt many years earlier, and he thus owed a debt of gratitude to the nation. This made it inappropriate for him to participate in Benei Yisrael’s war against Midyan, despite its being justified and even commanded by God. Alternatively, the Midrash suggests, Moshe chose to allow his nephew, Pinchas, to lead the campaign, figuring “mi she-hitchil be-mitzva hu gomer” – “The one who began the mitzva should be the one to complete it.” Pinchas had begun the response to the Ba’al Pe’or tragedy by killing two public violators – one of them a Midyanite princess – and he was thus best suited to lead the next and final stage of Benei Yisrael’s response.
It emerges that according to the first view in the Midrash, Moshe felt he was ill-suited for the task, whereas according to the second, he was well-suited for the job, but there was somebody else who was even better suited.
The Midrash here warns against the natural tendency to question and criticize those – especially leaders – who delegate responsibility and assign tasks to others. Delegating does not always signify laziness or irresponsibility. Sometimes, it signifies the humble recognition of one’s limits and the superior skills of others. Leadership requires utilizing one’s talents to their maximum potential on behalf of the public, but also determining when others can do the job better. Moshe, as depicted by the Midrash, acted responsibly by not going to battle, recognizing that there was somebody else more suitable for the role.
Courtesy of Yeshivat Har Etzion - www.etzion.org.il