As we read Parashat Behaalotecha this week, we encounter Moses at a moment of profound exhaustion and overwhelming responsibility. The people's constant complaints have pushed even our greatest leader to his breaking point. "I cannot carry all these people by myself, for it is too heavy for me," Moses cries out to the Almighty (Numbers 11:14). In this moment of vulnerability, we see that even the most dedicated leaders have limits when bearing the weight of collective survival alone.

This week's Torah reading reminds us that Israel, like Moses, faces existential challenges that test the limits of any single nation's capacity. The decision to take pre-emptive action against Iran's nuclear facilities was not made lightly, but arose from the same desperate recognition that Moses experienced: when faced with an existential threat, action becomes necessary for survival. Just as Moses could no longer remain patient with inaction, Israel recognized it could not wait indefinitely while Iran advanced its nuclear capabilities and openly threatened destruction.

Gd's response to Moses offers profound wisdom for our current moment. Rather than replacing Moses or diminishing his authority, the Almighty created a system of shared leadership. Rashi beautifully illustrates this through the metaphor of a candle: when Moses' flame was used to light the candles of the seventy elders, his own light was not diminished. Instead, by sharing his flame, Moses created more light in total for the community.

This divine strategy reveals a fundamental truth about responsibility and leadership. Moses discovered that everyone possessed the capacity to shine at their own level. His role transformed from being the sole source of light to being the catalyst that enabled others to illuminate their own corners of the world. The community became stronger not through Moses’ diminishment, but through the multiplication of light itself.

Today, as Israel faces the profound challenges of defending against those who seek its destruction, we are reminded that this responsibility extends far beyond Israel's borders. The Iranian regime's nuclear ambitions and its proxies' terror campaigns represent a threat not only to Jewish life in Israel, but to Jewish communities worldwide. Like the antisemitic incidents we've witnessed across the United States and globally, these represent attempts to extinguish the Jewish people's light entirely.

Yet Moses' experience teaches us that we need not bear this burden alone. Each of us possesses a flame that can contribute to our collective illumination. Whether through supporting Israel's right to self-defense, speaking out against antisemitism in our communities, or simply living proudly as Jews, we each have the capacity to add light to the world.

As Shabbat approaches, we embrace our mandate to be "a light unto the nations." Like Moses' candle that lit others without losing its own brightness, our responsibility is to kindle the flames of Jewish pride, security, and continuity wherever we are. Through the Jewish Federation and our communal institutions, we commit to protecting not only our own families, but Jewish life around the world for generations to come.

The lesson of Behaalotecha is clear: when we see something, we must say something. When we witness threats to Jewish survival, we must act. And when we share the responsibility of being a light unto the nations, our collective flame burns brighter than any darkness that seeks to extinguish it.

We pray for peace, security, strength, and hope, and for the success of the IDF and for the safety of those seeking shelter in the shadow of the threat of retaliation.

Shabbat Shalom.

Nammie Ichilov
President & CEO
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