We will read this week Moshe Rabeinu’s request to Hashem:
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
יִפְקֹ֣ד יְהֹוָ֔ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂ֑ר אִ֖ישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָֽה׃
אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹצִיאֵ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ עֲדַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶֽה׃
Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: “Let the Lord, the G’d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go forth before them and come before them, who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
It seems a repetition of the same words:
Who will go forth before them and come before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in.
Perhaps a leader has to make the following decision: In times, he must lead upfront, to demonstrate his own commitment (especially in times of danger!).
At other times, he must be able to lead from the back, in order to maintain his own dignity and respect amongst his people.
The Torah refers to the different challenges the leader faces.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld