Dear Friends,
In our Torah portion this week, we are introduced to Hoshea. He is one of the twelve spies selected to scout out the land that will become Israel, in preparation for the upcoming conquest. But before Hoshea departs, Moses changes his name. He adds the Hebrew letter Yud - representing God - making his name YeHoshua, the Hebrew form of Joshua. According to the commentators, this was meant to always remind Joshua of his faith, to help guide him on his journey.
In that vein, it is no coincidence that not only was Joshua one of the two spies chosen by Moses to provide an inspiring and optimistic report of the challenges and opportunities that awaited the Israelites in the conquest, but he was also chosen by God to be the next leader of the Jewish people, following in Moses’s footsteps. Joshua’s awareness of his faith, as an inseparable part of his identity and who he was, provided him with confidence, with moral clarity, and with inspiration that enabled him to lead and guide the Israelites to their promised land.
Political decisions and policy should not be faith-based. However, we also live in a world where we cannot separate our leaders from the essence of who they are, from experiences and beliefs that have shaped them, that guide them, and inspire them to be better people and stronger leaders.
Faith traditions and affiliation can push leaders to make some questionable choices and put them in uncomfortable situations, but it can also encourage leaders and advisors to be a force of good and beauty. It is my hope and prayer that, as was the case for Joshua and the Israelites, our relationship with God and Judaism can be a source of inspiration, of beauty, and of blessings, for our leaders, ourselves, our community, and the world around us.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh Dorsch
