The Privilege and the Challenge of Being A Star

 

Towards the beginning of Parshat Devarim, Moshe reminds the Jewish People of the challenges that he faced at the beginning of his tenure as leader (1:9-10): “And I said to you at that time, saying, 'I cannot carry you alone. The Lord, your God, has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance.” On the surface, Moshe is making the argument that the number of Jews is too vast for Moshe to lead alone. In response Hashem suggests that he appoint a number of other leaders to help tend to the people’s needs and to help answer the nation’s questions. However if we look a little closer at the two verses there may be another lesson that we can learn from Moshe’s description. Back in Sefer Bereishit God tells Avraham that he will be the patriarch of God’s Chosen Nation. Hashem goes on to say that Avraham’s descendants will be as numerous as both the sand of the sea and the stars of the heaven. Many commentators try to understand this promise in light of the reality of Jewish history and the population of the world Jewry throughout. While sand and stars both represent the blessing of many, there is an important difference between the two. Each grain of sand is insignificant, and only when many grains of sand come together does sand exhibit the great power to hold back the ocean. On the other hand, each star shines on its own. Throughout the universe there are billions and billions of stars, and each one is significant in its own right. Perhaps here in Devarim Moshe is hinting at the fact that one of his challenges in leading the people was that each one considered themselves a star. We can imagine that it could be difficult to lead a nation comprised of individuals when each of them had a Jewish mother telling them that they are the best and that they are a star. Self-confidence can be tricky. On the one hand it is critical to have a healthy degree of ego. On the other hand, it can be a big problem when a person has too much self-confidence or expresses self-confidence in an inappropriate way or at an inappropriate time. Reb Simcha Punim of Peshischa is famous for saying that a Jew should have two pockets. In one pocket should be a piece of paper saying: "I am only dust and ashes." When one is feeling too proud, reach into this pocket and take out this paper and read it. In the other pocket should be a piece of paper saying: "For my sake was the world created." When one is feeling disheartened and lowly, reach into this pocket and take this paper out and read it.