8 A New Leader
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the navi journey — yehoshua
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is why Chazal say that the entire time that Yehoshua was alive,
Bnei Yisrael considered it as if Moshe Rabbeinu was still there.13
Moshe did not truly die until Yehoshua died!
When Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Har Sinai to be mekabel
the Torah, Yehoshua camped out at the exact spot where his rebbe
left him for forty days. Why did he not go down and join the rest
of Yisrael and then go back and greet his rebbe at the end of the
forty days? Yehoshua was “meshares Moshe” his entire life. He
lived by following his rebbe. He did not go down because he did
not want influence in his life other than his rebbe!
Chazal say that the face of Moshe was likened to the sun and
that of Yehoshua was likened to the moon.14 Just as the moon
does not have its own light, so, too Yehoshua was a reflector of the
light of Moshe Rabbeinu. Yehoshua was afraid that if he would
be in the camp of Yisrael without Moshe, he would be influenced
by others and would no longer be a pure reflection of Moshe, his
rebbe.
Yehoshua had this ko’ach more than any one else and this
is why Hashem told him these words, “Moshe avdi meis,” so
that Y­ehoshua would lead Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael with this
ko’ach — the ko’ach of Moshe Rabbeinu.15
The rebbe/talmid relationship
The Ohr Hachaim writes that after the death of Moshe Rabbeinu,
Yehoshua was afraid to assume the leadership of Yisrael. The
Rambam16 rules that if one is asked a halachic question and is not
within 12 mil of his rebbe, he may reply. The Hagahos M­aimoniyos
13.  Vayelech 31:29, Rashi.
14.  Bava Basra 75a.
15.  Harav Gershon Weiss, shlita.
16.  Laws of Talmud Torah 5.
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places the additional condition that one must first ask permission
from his rebbe in order to be able to answer. Yehoshua was aware
of the concept that tzaddikim are considered alive even after their
death.
Therefore, he did not want to assume leadership of Yisrael
until they crossed the Yarden and would be more than 12 mil
from Moshe’s grave. Hashem addressed this fear when he told
Yehoshua: “Moshe, My servant, is dead. Assume leadership now.
Do not wait until after crossing the Yarden.”
Shimush Chachamim
The Gra (1:1) explains that the reason Yehoshua merited to be
the leader of Yisrael was because he served Moshe Rabbeinu.
The Sages teach that the one who serves the Torah (meaning,
he serves his rebbe) is greater than one who learns from him
alone.17 This is why Yehoshua is called Moshe’s servant and not
his talmid.
The Maharsha (ibid.) explains that serving the rebbe is greater
because certain halachos a rebbe teaches are not meant to be ap-
plied in all cases. When one serves his rebbe, he sees how his
Rebbe translates his teachings into action.
The Midrash provides a description of how Yehoshua served
his rebbe:
“Yehoshua would arrive early and stay late, attending to the
area where Moshe Rabbeinu would teach Torah and give judg-
ment, arranging the mats and chairs for the elders and students.
Because he did this with all of his strength, he merited to serve
all of Yisrael.”18
17.  Berachos 7b.
18.  Bamidbar Rabbah 22:14.
1/18/2009 7:02:50 PM