The Qualities of Leadership

By RABBI DAVID ROSENN

Parashat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:21)

[Moses said to the Israelites: "When we were at Mount Sinai,] I said to you, 'I cannot bear the burden of you by myself...' [Therefore, God instructed me to] select from each of your tribes men who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your leaders."

(Deuteronomy 1:9,13)

Rabbi Berekiah said in the name of Rabbi Hanina: Judges must possess seven qualities, and of these [three] are: They must be wise, discerning, and experienced (Deuteronomy 1:13). And the other four are listed elsewhere in Scripture: "Moreover you shall provide out of all the people men of valor, who fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain" (Exodus 18:21). This makes seven.

And why are not all the seven stated together? To tell us that if people possessing all the seven qualities are not available, then those possessing four are selected; and if such are not available, then those possessing three qualities are selected; and if even these are not available then those possessing one quality are selected, for so it is written, "A woman of valor who can find?" (Proverbs 31:10).

(Deuteronomy Rabbah 5:6)

When choosing leaders for the people, Moses looked for certain qualities, among them bravery (valor), wisdom, experience, and honesty. While these seem like obvious qualifications for public officials, one item on the scriptural list may not seem so obvious to us. The leaders of Israel should be "God fearing."

What do you think "God fearing" means in the context of public leadership? Is it a quality that you would want in a public leader? If not, would you go so far as to exclude people from public office who describe themselves as "God fearing?"

The words of the scriptural list in Deuteronomy 1:13 can be read to specify that maleness is a qualification for leadership (since the verse says "men who are wise."). And, in fact, some traditional commentaries do adopt this reading (see, for example, Sifre Devarim). The midrash cited above, however, indicates that leaders may be either men or women, and it cites the famous "woman of valor" verse as a proof text for the notion that leaders need not possess all of the qualities listed in the Torah. In other words, the midrash indicates that the list in the Torah may be a guideline rather than a set of rigid qualifications. Based on the guideline provided by the Torah, what qualities would you suggest are important for a communal leader?