[Avodah] Stature of Moshe Rabbenu

[Steven J Scher]

>R'Y"Levine:

> 24 Nothing could be more instructive than this information regarding the
> first State institution of the Jewish people, coming just before the chapter
> on the Lawgiving. Moshe?s stature as a lawmaker was so small, and his
> talent for organizing was so inadequate, that he had to learn the basics
> of state organization from his father-in-law.


In his drash this shabbos, R'Max Davis identified Moshe Rabbenu's 
acceptance of Yisro's advice as a prime example of MR's humility.

He went on to say that the fact that he adopted this idea (from cohen 
midyan, no less) was an intentional display.

(What follows is basically my interpretation of R'Davis' drash injected 
with my ideas.  Anything good in it can be attributed to R'Davis, but not 
anything bad):

What was the intention of the Torah here?  To convey the mida of humility. 
Its not that MR COULDN'T have come up with the system of delegating 
authority.  But, that would not have effectively communicated the message.

Furthermore, it seems to me that this system also reinforces the idea of 
lo bashamayim hi and lo sasur.  Would this message have been as effective 
if Moshe had simply instigated the system of judges himself?

We may have seen that the authority of bes din and the 
authority to pasken rested only with those designated directly by MR. 
(Does the concept of semicha or of Avos 1:1 imply that we SHOULD believe 
that?)


- Steve


PS - In addition to the ideas, I liked this drash because it was the rare 
occasion where a drash can include references to Shay's Rebellion and the 
XYZ affair.