Beshalach: Leadership 4 U

Follow the Leader

In this week's Torah portion, we read about the splitting of the Red Sea, and the subsequent songs and praises offered up to God afterwards.

Concerning the men, the verse tells us that "then Moshe sang and the children of the Israel (sang) this song to God". But concerning the women's song, the verse tells us that "the women came out after her (Miriam) with tambourines and dancing".

What is the difference between these two songs? Why did the men simply join in the singing, whilst the women sang and danced with tambourines?

The women did not delegate their responsibilities to their leader. They did not sit back and let Miriam the prophetess do all the work.

Rather, each and every women made a tambourine for herself, which showed a personal effort to trust in God's redemption and rejoice in it when it arrives.

There is a growing temptation with us to sit back and let our leaders to all the work. We may think that being inspired and inspiring others is better left with the Rabbis, lay leaders, etc.

But we learn from Miriam and the righteous women that we need to join the collective effort with a personal effort; we need to be individual leaders. Thus we can boost the collective effort and ensure that we and others and left inspired and the connection with God is thus renewed and invigorated.