Moral Integrity vs. Expediency: Moshe Rabbeinu's Lesson on Spiritual Leadership and the Virtue of Process
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This conversation takes you through an ethical maze, where the allure of success and the pressure of objectives often cloud judgment. As the host, I passionately argue that true heroism is rooted in steadfastness to moral justice and Halacha, even when shortcuts beckon with the promise of greater gains. Our tradition illustrates why the journey is as significant as the destination and how this principle shapes leadership and personal conduct. Join us for an enlightening discussion that promises to resonate with anyone who seeks to navigate life's challenges with honor and righteousness, affirming that our paths must be as unblemished as the goals we aim to achieve.
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Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com
0:02 Do you believe that the ends justify the means? The political philosophy maybe referred to as consequentialism, that if a goal is important enough, then no matter which method is used in its attainment, it's all okay because the ends justify it. Now, today, I'd like to argue that this is a trief impure and the ends never justify the means, and it should be a control-alt-delete from our Jewish Ashkafa.
0:51 Hear me out Now, moshe Rabbeinu. He's walking along the way tending to the sheep and all of a sudden you see some fire burning in this little shrubbery, this little tree, and the fire is not at all singeing the leaves, but it is a prophetic fire, a prophetic message. Moses in the burning, bush, take off your shoes. Moshe Rabbeinu has been anointed to go on the quest of a hero to save the Jewish people, to be chosen as the leader of the Jewish people.
1:33 Now, what should be Moshe Rabbeinu's next step? Well, now that your shoes are off and Hashem has told you to take the staff and ride the donkey, then maybe get going. But that's not what Moshe does. He goes back to his father-in-law, to the Shv'er, and says hey, do you mind if I kind of skedaddle, like I take care of something? He asks permission from Yisro if he can leave Midyan, because he made a promise to his Shv'er that I will not leave Midyan without your permission.
2:15 And just picture this getting a prophetic message, seeing a burning bush, a miraculous occurrence, a spectacular happening, and now going on the journey of a lifetime. But you first have to get permission from your father-in-law, because by Moshe it's much or us, or is it allowed, or is it not allowed. And we live in a world of means and Hashem is in charge of the ends.
2:55 And if it wasn't going to be Moshe Rabbeinu because his father-in-law said I'd prefer if you didn't go, I need you to stick around here and help me out with the family business well then it wasn't going to be Moshe, the great Jewish hero, but it would have been somebody else that Hashem would have orchestrated, made it come about, because as Jewish people, we abide by what is morally just, what is proper, what is Hashem's holy law, aka Halacha. So, even though it may be a million dollars profit and you just have to do the slightest bit of some shady biz, the means never justify the ends.
3:37 And even if you should have to just sidestep this Halacha for that little bit extra of self-indulgment, the ends are never justified by the means.