Ki-Sisa: Chur, Ahron, Moses – Three Styles of Leadership



The sin of the golden calf is one of the lowest points in the history of our nation.
The Jews then committed three sins that are considered by Jewish law to be the most serious of offenses: idol worship, adultery and murder. 
Exodus 32: 6, “On the next day they arose early, offered up burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and they got up to make merry.”
Rashi comments on the words - “to make merry”: “In this, there is [also] a connotation of sexual immorality and bloodshed… (Midrash Tanchuma 20).”
Where was the Jewish leadership at the time? Where were the leaders whose responsibility it was to keep their people on the straight and narrow path? 
Granted it happened in the absence of Moses, as he was on the mountain receiving the Torah from G-d. But surely there were other elders and leaders who could’ve done something to prevent the sin, where were they?
At the end of Parshat Mishpatim, we find that Moses himself did indeed appoint 2 men as the interim leaders for the duration of his being away. They were Ahron and Chur.

Exodus 24:13-14, “Moses and Joshua his servant arose and Moses ascended to the mount of God. And to the elders he said, wait for us here until we return to you, and here Aaron and Chur are with you; whoever has a case, let him go to them."
Ahron was Moses’ older brother and Chur was his nephew - the son of his older sister Miriam. Chur’s father was the famous Kaleiv (Ben Yefuna) a very righteous and courageous man who stood up to the 10 sinful spies and tried to convince the Jews that the land of Israel was good. 
Interestingly we find another reference to Ahron and Chur in Exodus 17:12, by the battle against Amalek. Moses had sent Joshua to lead the army while he climbed on top of a hill to pray. There too we see them as having an elevated status, standing by, as Moses’ right hand men. 
 Now Moses hands were heavy; so they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Chur supported his hands, one from this [side], and one from that [side]; so he was with his hands in faith until sunset.”
Ahron and Chur were very righteous and well respected men, deserving and capable of leading the people in their own right. How is it that the Jews under their watch managed to carry out such a public and grand rebellion against G-d?
Let’s take a look at the reactions of Chur and Ahron to the golden calf:
Chur’s reaction can be gleaned from a comment of Rashi to Exodus 32:5
Aaron saw many things. He saw his sister’s son Chur, who had reproved them [the Israelites], and they assassinated him.”
Chur’s response was to rebuke and condemn the sin. The fact that the Jews killed him seems to indicate that his rebuke was not of the mild sort. It must have been a pretty harsh condemnation. He literally took on the attitude of - “over my dead body”.
While Chur’s personal sacrifice was a truly noble and selfless act, as a leader he fell short. As Moses’ interim replacement it was his responsibility to prevent the sin from happening and this he failed to accomplish. Whatever tactics he used, didn’t work, they only succeeded in getting him killed.
Ahron’s reaction was exactly the opposite. He was known as a peaceful and loving person, not the confrontational type. He tried to appease them while at the same time waiting to find a peaceful solution. He pretended to go along with the “plan”, looking to stall and delay things until Moshe returned.
But Ahron’s leadership here can be questioned too. Yes he had seen what had happened to Chur and knew that confronting and condemning them wouldn’t work. But his strategy of diplomacy didn’t work either. At the end of the day he too failed to prevent the sin and it was under his watch that the Jews fell to this very lowly state.
Why didn’t Chur’s method work?
He was simply too negative and harsh. The Jewish people didn’t feel understood by him; they didn’t feel like he related to them. Chur presented himself to them as a foe not as a friend.
A leader must care deeply for his people. He must love them and have only their best interest in mind. He must find a way to communicate his devotion and care to them, so that they know their leader feels this way about them. With Chur this was not the case. They saw him as being against them, not as the leader who loves and cares for them.
With Ahron it was the opposite. The Jews felt understood, they felt like he was on their side and wanted to help them. He was a leader they felt could relate to them.
So why didn’t Ahron’s method work?
He was simply too weak. He didn’t take a strong enough stand and he let the people have their way with him.
A leader needs to lead. He needs to communicate to his people what is right and what is wrong and stand strongly for what he believes is right. With Ahron this was not the case, he was just too nice and peace loving and the Jews took advantage.
It is perhaps for this reason that Moses appointed both of them to lead. Moses knew of their individual deficiencies and realized that it would take the combination of both to provide solid leadership. If Chur and Ahron had stuck together and responded to the sin as one, perhaps they could’ve stopped it. But as individuals they were not strong enough leaders.
Moses on the other hand seemed to know just what to do. The moment he descended from the mountain, he put a stop to all the sinning. Amazingly, he did it without facing any opposition. The same people, who had killed Chur over the golden calf, gave Moses no challenge at all.
What did Moses do that neither Chur nor Ahron could do? What was it about Moses leadership that Chur and Ahron just couldn’t replicate?

Moses was Chur and Ahron wrapped into one.
He was first and foremost a loving and caring leader. He was the one who came to the defense of a helpless Jew in Egypt, something that almost cost him his life. He was the shepherd that ran after one stray sheep and returned it lovingly to its flock. He was the judge that sat from morning until evening listening to and advising all those who came before him with their problems and issues. He was the leader who came to the defense of his people time and time again and begged G-d to forgive them.
But at the same time he was strong and fearless. He stood up to Pharaoh, the ruler of the most powerful empire in the world. He knew how to take a stand and was never intimidated by the masses.
Nothing encapsulates this combination more than Moses’ reaction to the golden calf.
Moses’ reaction upon witnessing the sin of the golden calf was to smash the Luchos – tablets. It was this one bold move that finally put an end to all the nonsense.
What was so brilliant and significant about this one act?
It was the double message that it sent. It was the paradox of it, which made it so powerful.
On the one hand it was an act of harshness and condemnation. It sent a very strong message that what was going on was totally unacceptable. It said, “because of this sin you do not deserve to have G-d’s most precious gift – the Torah.”
But on the other hand it was an act motivated by and infused with pure love and care. It communicated to the people how Moses was their defender and was looking to protect them.
Rashi in Exodus 34:1 explains Moses’ motivation for smashing the Luchos:
“This can be compared to a king who went abroad and left his betrothed with the maidservants. Because of the immoral behavior of the maidservants, she acquired a bad reputation. Her bridesman [the person appointed to defend the bride should any problems arise] arose and tore up her marriage contract. He said, “If the king decides to kill her, I will say to him, ‘She is not yet your wife.’”
Moses broke the Luchos to save the Jews. It was an act of love, an act done purely for the benefit of his people.
 It is this potent combination, which overcomes all obstacles and opposition.
This is the quality of a true leader and this was Moses’ greatness.
We all find ourselves in positions of leadership. It may be over a community, over a class of students or even over our families and children. There will be times when we will be faced with a situation and we will have to react and show leadership. Let us learn from Moses how to do this best. Take a strong stand and don’t show any weakness. But at the same time let the love shine through. We must find a way to communicate how much we care and how we only have their best interest in mind. When people see this they accept; they listen and follow because they see its right and they know that you only want was is best for them.

Comments

  1. what's your source for this?
    i can give u a simple twist on the 3 leaders.
    Aaron was ahavas yisroel, he planned to take the blame for everyone and save klal yisroel from being guilty
    Chur was as u said, mesiras nefesh to stop a horrible action
    Moishe was the leader, and did what he had to

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