By Rob Goldberg
I love to read, but rarely do I read the same book twice. Lately, however, I have turned to Audible to revisit some favorites. Each time I listen anew, I am surprised by what I discover: a story I had forgotten, a line that suddenly feels profound, or an encounter that resonates in a way it never did the first time around.
The Torah, of course, is a book we reread every year. And each new reading brings its own revelations. A familiar story, a line of dialogue, or a brief exchange can suddenly leap off the parchment and uncover something entirely new.
Maybe at the heart of it is that we change. What is happening in our lives, the challenges we are facing, or simply a moment of heightened awareness can transform the way we hear the text.
That was certainly the case for me as I revisited this week’s double portion of Chukkat–Balak.
In Numbers 20:12, Moses and Aaron are told that they will not enter the Promised Land after Moses strikes a rock to bring forth water rather than speaking to it as God had instructed.
Rashi explains that had Moses spoken to the rock, the people would have learned a powerful lesson: if even a rock responds to God’s word, how much more should human beings.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z”l, offers an additional leadership interpretation. He suggests that Moses’ mistake was not simply a technical act of disobedience, but it reflected a failure to adapt his leadership style to a new generation.
Forty years earlier, God had instructed Moses to strike a rock. This time, God tells him to speak to it. Moses relies on the method that worked the first time, failing to recognize that the people standing before him are no longer downtrodden slaves who left Egypt. They are a new generation and a changed people – born in the wilderness, free from enslavement, shaped by different experiences and different needs.
Rabbi Sacks also points to another challenge leaders face: the danger of taking criticism personally. When Moses says, “Must we bring forth water from this rock? (21:10)” the focus subtly shifts from God to himself and Aaron. In Rabbi Sacks’ view, Moses momentarily internalizes the people’s frustration and makes their complaint about him.
Earlier this month, I was honored to be entrusted with the presidency of Temple Beth Tzedek, a congregation that has become my spiritual home.
Given this new responsibility, rereading this passage caused me to see Moses – and leadership itself – in a different light.
Leadership requires the ability to absorb disappointment, frustration, and even anger without making oneself the center of the story.
Moses’ exclusion from the Promised Land also reminds us that leadership carries extraordinary accountability. The Torah’s greatest leader is judged not by ordinary standards but by the influence his actions have on others. Whether his failing was anger – striking instead of speaking – or an inability to adapt to a new generation, the lesson remains the same: leadership is not merely about accomplishing tasks. Rather, it is about modeling the values and behaviors that shape a community’s future.
Or, as Rabbi Sacks beautifully writes: “The challenge of leadership is hearing the difference between what worked yesterday and what is needed tomorrow.”
This is the essence of adaptive leadership.
As I begin this new chapter of service to Temple Beth Tzedek, I find myself returning to that idea again and again. Success will depend not on repeating what worked in the past, but on listening carefully, understanding the needs of the people I am privileged to serve today, and helping the congregation prepare for the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow.
Rob Goldberg led the Buffalo Jewish Federation from 2015 to 2025 as CEO and currently serves as Senior Advisor. He is also a consultant with The Jewish Community Legacy Project and Trybal Gatherings, and in addition to his new role at Temple Beth Tzedek is a board member of Hospice and the Hillel Council of Bryant University.
