The Thumb and the Big Toe
Tetzaveh 5784 - Lessons in Leadership from our Body Parts
I just got back from an incredible week in St. Louis, first at Congregation B’nai Amoona for Shabbat and then at Songleader Boot Camp. This was my 14th Songleader Boot Camp conference and, true to form, it was incredibly meaningful, beautiful, powerful and inspiring (not to mention so special to be with hundreds of dear friends and fellow practitioners from around the country!!).
How do I stand up in front of a group of people and share something that I care about, help them understand why I care about it, and why I hope they will care about it as well, then lead them through it.
A few years ago the conference almost went through a name change due to the fact that it really isn’t “just a songleading conference,” it is a Jewish leadership conference. The skills of being a songleader basically boil down to this: How do I stand up in front of a group of people and share something that I care about, help them understand why I care about it, and why I hope they will care about it as well, then lead them through it.
It’s fitting that this week’s Torah portion is Teztaveh, where the rabbis find, buried within a verse about sacrifice, a powerful vision of what it means to be leader.
וְשָׁחַטְתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאַ֗יִל וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ מִדָּמוֹ֙ וְנָֽתַתָּ֡ה עַל־תְּנוּךְ֩ אֹ֨זֶן אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְעַל־תְּנ֨וּךְ אֹ֤זֶן בָּנָיו֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֤הֶן יָדָם֙ הַיְמָנִ֔ית וְעַל־בֹּ֥הֶן רַגְלָ֖ם הַיְמָנִ֑ית
“Slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron’s right ear and on the ridges of his sons’ right ears, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet (Ex. 29:20).”
Such a strange verse! Why the ear? Why the thumbs? Why the big toes?! The Chassidic masters teach on this verse: These three things: The ear, the hand, and the leg. These things need to be trained, expert and excellent in a leader:
An ear to hear the groans of the people, to know and understand the people’s needs and requests.
Hands and fingers not just to receive, but to give handfuls of blessings to all those who need.
And legs and toes to run directly to help whenever help is needed.
May this powerful vision of leadership guide us in the weeks and months ahead.
Shabbat Shalom,
Josh Warshawsky