This powerful message emerges out of the very first word of Parshat Tetzaveh, and that word is āVeāattahā ā āand youā.
Hashem was addressing Moshe. And, as is well-known, Tetzaveh is the only portion of the Torah outside of the book of Bereshit which doesnāt mention Mosheās name. Every time Hashem was giving an instruction to Moshe, instead of mentioning the name, we have the word āVeāattahā ā āand youā.
Here Hashem was giving the instructions relating to Mosheās responsibility to have the Mishkan ā the sanctuary in the wilderness ā built and furnished. And the implication of the āVeāattahā ā āand youā is: Moshe, it must be you, and nobody else.
I find this very intriguing. Because, in Parshat Yitro, the Torah teaches us how important it is for good leaders to know how to delegate, how to share their responsibility with other capable people, and not to take the power, the glory, and the responsibility exclusively into their own hands.
And in Pirkei Avot, we are taught, āLo alecha hamālacha ligmorā ā you donāt have to finish every task you undertake, āVālo ata ben chorin lāhibatel mimenaā ā but that doesnāt mean to say you should desist from it; other people can also have a share in what you are doing, in order that you should achieve your aspirations.
Coming back to Parshat Tetzaveh, Ramban and Sforno teach us that the word āVeāattahā ā āand youā ā implies that what Hashem was saying to Moshe was, there are many occasions on which indeed, it has to be you.
In order to be a great leader, the nation needs to see you leading from the front. People should never have a perception that youāre lazy. On the contrary, they should know that you are utilising every living moment in order to lead them responsibly ā to tirelessly guide and inspire them.
From the word āVeāattahā, we learn that a great leader is somebody who says, āAcharaiā ā follow me, follow my example.
From the word āVeāattahā, we learn that a great leader is not somebody who says, āDo as I say,ā but rather, āDo as I do.ā
Shabbat Shalom.