Writing the Waves

Good evening, everybody. It’s really nice to be here with you tonight — and I’m especially grateful you’re all here, because, as you can see, the rabbi is out of town… and he has delegated the service to me. So if anything goes wrong, please remember: this is his fault.

But seriously — the timing could not be better, because this week’s Torah portion, Yitro, is all about delegation.

We often focus on the big moment in this parsha — the giving of the Ten Commandments — but before that happens, there’s this small, almost quiet scene that’s incredibly human and incredibly relatable.

Moses is doing what Moses does — trying to carry the entire world on his shoulders. People are lined up from dawn till dusk, all waiting for him to answer their questions, settle their disagreements, explain the laws, reassure them, guide them, fix everything. It’s Moses versus the universe.

And then along comes Yitro, Moses’ father in law. And after watching this for one day, Yitro basically says: “Moses… What are you doing? This is not good — not for you, and not for the people.”

And then he gives Moses advice that’s so simple, so practical, and so wise:
You can’t do everything yourself. You need help. You need structure. You need other people empowered to lead.

Yitro tells Moses to create a system — judges of tens, fifties, hundreds, thousands — so everyone can be served, and no one burns out. Moses listens, and the entire community becomes stronger.

And here’s the beautiful thing:
The Torah is telling us that good leadership isn’t about doing everything alone It’s about knowing how to share the load. It’s about trusting people. It’s about inviting others in.

And that’s why I love being part of this community. Because our congregation already lives this idea. We all know that a synagogue isn’t built on one person — not even the rabbi, wonderful as he is.

It’s built on the people who show up. The people who read. The people who lead prayers.
The people who greet at the door, bring the food, stack the chairs, teach the kids, comfort a friend, or simply sit next to someone who needs company. Every one of us carries a piece of this place.

And tonight, with the rabbi away, I get to feel that message personally. He trusted us to step in. And you trusted us enough to show up anyway!

That’s delegation. That’s Yitro’s wisdom in action.

But more importantly — that’s what it means to be a community. We lift each other. We rely on each other. We step up for each other.

Moses needed Yitro to remind him: You’re not supposed to do this alone.

And I think that’s a reminder we all need sometimes — especially in a world that expects us to multitask, overwork, and somehow keep smiling.

Maybe the Torah is inviting us this week to ask ourselves:
• Where am I taking on too much?
• Who could I invite in?
• Who could I trust?
• Where can I let myself be supported?

Because delegation isn’t just a leadership strategy — it’s a spiritual practice.

It’s recognizing that other people have gifts too. That we don’t always have to be the hero.
That we’re stronger when we share the work and the honor.

So tonight I want to say thank you — for being a community where we get to practice that.
Where we give each other chances. Where we look out for one another. Where we step in when someone is out, and step back when someone else needs to shine.

May we go into Shabbat with the wisdom of Yitro: to support, to trust, and to carry this community together.

Shabbat shalom.