Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early medieval text, dives deep into this very idea, exploring the profound impact leaders have on their communities. Rabbi Reuben puts it quite bluntly: "The entire body follows the head." It's a simple, yet powerful statement. Imagine a shepherd leading their flock. If the shepherd loses their way, what happens to the sheep? They wander, lost and vulnerable.
The text even brings in a stark example from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible): King Jeroboam. "For the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and wherewith he made Israel to sin" (1 Kings 15:30). It's a heavy indictment. Jeroboam's misdeeds didn't just affect him; they led an entire nation astray.
But what about the flip side? What happens when a leader is righteous, inspiring? That's where the story truly shines.
Think about Moses at the Red Sea. After witnessing the incredible miracle of their liberation, Moses didn't just stand there speechless. He sang! He poured out his heart in praise to the Holy One, blessed be He. And what did the people do? They joined him. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel" (Ex. 15:1). One man's song became a nation's anthem.
And then there's Miriam, a prophetess in her own right, the sister of Aaron. She too, understood the power of music, of praise. After the crossing, Miriam took a timbrel – a kind of hand drum, and led the women in song and dance. “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel… and all the women went out after her" (Ex. 15:20).
Now, here's a question for you: Where did they get these instruments? They were in the middle of the desert! Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer offers a beautiful answer: "But the righteous always know and conciliate (God), and are assured that the Omnipresent, blessed be He, performs for them miracles and mighty deeds. Before (the time of) their departure from Egypt they prepared for themselves timbrels and chorus."
Think about the faith, the sheer emunah, it took to pack those instruments before they even left Egypt! They knew, deep down, that they would have reason to celebrate. They knew that miracles were possible.
It's a powerful reminder, isn't it? That hope, that faith, that preparation – it all starts with leadership, with the vision to see beyond the present, to anticipate the possibility of joy, even in the face of hardship. And it reminds us of the profound responsibility we all have, in our own ways, to be the kind of leaders who inspire others to sing, to dance, and to believe in a brighter future. What kind of song are we leading others to sing?