Sometimes, leadership isn't about grand pronouncements, but about personal example. And that's exactly what we see in this story about Amram, the father of Moses.
Things weren't easy for the Israelites in Egypt. Pharaoh's decree to cast newborn sons into the Nile had understandably caused widespread despair. Many men, including Amram himself, divorced their wives, reasoning it was better to avoid bringing children into such a world of suffering.
But Amram's former wife, Jochebed, wasn't having it. She, along with Miriam, Amram's daughter, confronted him. Imagine the scene: a woman pleading not just for herself, but for the future of their people. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Jochebed argued that Amram’s actions were more severe than Pharaoh's decree! After all, Pharaoh only targeted the baby boys, while Amram's decree threatened to wipe out the entire Israelite population.
Amram, recognizing the wisdom in her words, knew he had to act. He couldn't just reverse his own decision in private. He needed to make a public statement.
So, he went to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, to lay the matter before them. "It was thou that didst separate husbands and wives," they said, "and from thee should go forth the permission for re-marriage." Talk about taking responsibility!
Amram, ever the leader, proposed a plan: that each member of the Sanhedrin secretly remarry their divorced wives. But his colleagues rejected the idea. "And who will make it known unto the whole of Israel?" they asked, reasonably enough.
Here’s where it gets truly inspiring. Amram didn't back down. He understood that his actions needed to be bold and visible.
And so, in a public display of commitment, Amram remarried Jochebed under the wedding canopy. Think about that image: a leader publicly reversing his decision, admitting his mistake, and recommitting to his family and his people.
Aaron and Miriam danced at the wedding, filled with joy. And according to the legend, even the angels proclaimed, "Let the mother of children be joyful!" It was a moment of collective hope and renewal.
The re-marriage was performed with great fanfare, so that the men who had followed Amram’s earlier example would now follow his lead once more, and take their wives back. And that’s precisely what happened. The community followed Amram’s example, choosing to rebuild their families and reaffirm their faith in the future.
What can we learn from this story? It shows us the power of leadership through example. It reminds us that even our mistakes can become opportunities for growth and positive change. And perhaps most importantly, it highlights the strength and wisdom of women like Jochebed and Miriam, whose voices and actions helped to shape the destiny of a nation.