Sacred Leadership

Newsletter February 17th, 2025 Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

This past weekend was President’s Day weekend. Officially, federally, the holiday is known as Washington’s Birthday which celebrates the first US President’s birthday on the third Monday of February, even though his actual birthday is February 22.

Interestingly, biblical scholars recognize that Moses’ birthday (and death day) was the 7th of the month of Adar which falls around the end of February normally as well.

All of this has gotten me thinking about leadership from a Jewish perspective. What does our tradition say about the way leaders ought to lead?

Lessons about styles of leadership can be learned from our forebears. For instance, there are beautiful frameworks that consider the leadership of the three siblings: Aaron, Miriam and Moses each as archetypes for different leadership styles. Moses leads from the front— leading the people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Miriam leads from behind— beating her timbrel, encouraging the people to keep moving forward to the beat of her drum. And Aaron leads from within— being with the people as they bring their gifts to God. Leadership is valued in each of these approaches in Jewish lore. Each leader has their own particular style. 

But what does Judaism say about the moral and ethical contours of leadership? These are not as varied. The prophets, for instance, are crystal clear on the expectations of leaders.

First, we know how NOT to lead— according to the prophets, leaders who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk are railed against. The prophets often cry out about unscrupulousness infiltrating leaders-- leaders who design plans to perpetrate iniquity, corruption, and insincere worship. 

A classic example of the prophet’s disdain for corruption is found all over the book of Micah, including in the first two verses of the second chapter:

ה֧וֹי חֹֽשְׁבֵי־אָ֛וֶן וּפֹ֥עֲלֵי רָ֖ע עַל־מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑ם בְּא֤וֹר הַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ יַעֲשׂ֔וּהָ כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־לְאֵ֖ל יָדָֽם׃ 

Ah, those who plan iniquityAnd design evil on their beds;When morning dawns, they do it,For they have the power. 

וְחָמְד֤וּ שָׂדוֹת֙ וְגָזָ֔לוּ וּבָתִּ֖ים וְנָשָׂ֑אוּ וְעָֽשְׁקוּ֙ גֶּ֣בֶר וּבֵית֔וֹ וְאִ֖ישׁ וְנַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ {ס}         

They covet fields, and seize them;Houses, and take them away.They defraud men of their homes,And people of their land.

(Seen here: SEFARIA) 

The prophets also promote a vision of the behavior of good leaders. They insist that leaders must promote righteousness, care for the most vulnerable, and have integrity.

Famously, Micah concretizes this obligation in chapter 6 verse 8 as:

הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יְהֹוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ {ס}         

“You have been told, O mortal, what is good,And what GOD requires of you:Only to do justiceAnd to love goodness,And to walk modestly with your God;

(Seen here: SEFARIA)

And, what’s more about this quote is that Micah shows that anyone, any mortal, can exercise leadership by following these basic requirements. 

All of this is to say that everyone has the opportunity to be a leader in their own context. And those in the Keeping It Sacred community, I am proud to say, affirm these principles as we have built a community that uplifts doing justice, loving goodness, and walking modestly. Happy birthday to the February KITS member birthdays, too! There are a lot of them!

This is how we’re keeping it sacred.

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred…

Rabbi Heather Miller,

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

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The above is an excerpt from a Keeping It Sacred newsletter. If you want to read the entire newsletter or any from our archives, please head over to: keepingitsacred.com/news 

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Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred...