In this week’s reading, Hashem chooses Yehoshua to lead the People of Israel after Moshe’s passing. He does so in response to Moshe’s request: “Let Hashem, Master of the spirit of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation. who will go out before them and will come in before them, and take them out and bring them in, and the flock of Israel will not be like sheep that do not have a shepherd” [28:16-17].

What is the point of Moshe’s detailed supplication? Not a word of Torah is superfluous, but it seems like all Moshe needed to ask was, “Let Hashem appoint a man over the  congregation.” Certainly it seems extraneous to say not only that this leader will go out before them and come in before them, but also that he will take them out and bring them in. Why did Moshe ask for all of this?

The Avnei Azel explains that Moshe was depicting a true leader, one not bowed by public opinion. He wanted someone who was a true guide, who would lead the people and not be dragged after them, who would uplift them and not be dragged down by them, who would lead them in the direction that they needed to go and guide them after him, rather than looking over his shoulder to see what people were demanding and fulfilling their requirements.

The Chiddushei HaRim adds that this was about the Spiritual more than the Physical: that Moshe wanted someone who would “take them out” of lowliness and impurity, and “bring them in” to elevation and purity.

It is yet another lesson in how different the Torah’s ideal of leadership differs from modern-day democracy, where getting the votes is all about conforming to the people’s demands!