Reply To: Short & Sweet

Pinchas: Seeking a Shepherd

Moshe requested that Hashem choose an appropriate successor for the Jewish people after Moshe’s death, ולא תהיה עדת ה׳ כצאן אשר אין להם רועה, and that the nation of Hashem should not be left like sheep without a shepherd.

The Malbim explains the message behind this poetic phrase. He points out that a herd of sheep with no shepherd aimlessly follow the sheep in front of them. What the shepherd brings is not leadership, but vision; he guides the sheep towards something. So too, Moshe requested a leader with the vision to see what Klal Yisroel could become, and to guide them toward that goal.

The Rambam (הל׳ תשובה) writes that reason that we yearn for Moshiach is so that we should be able to study Torah and keep the Mitzvos properly, without the problems of Galus getting in the way.

The Rambam continues that Moshiach will be בעל חכמה יותר משלמה ונביא קרוב למשה, wiser than Shlomo and almost on the same level of Nevuah as Moshe. Moshiach will use these incredible abilities to guide the Jewish people, and the entire world, towards its ultimate goal: כי מלאה הארץ דעה את השם.

לרפ״ש זאב בן גולדה
לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום