Immediately after the conquest of Midian, Moshe, realising that his days were numbered, appealed to G-d to appoint the next leader of the Jewish people.
Hashem instructed Moshe to endorse Yehoshua as his successor.
“Bestow some of your radiance on him, so that the entire community of Bnei Yisroel will hear.” (27:20)
Rashi notes that the G-d specifies ‘some of your radiance’ and explains: “But not all of your radiance. Thus, we learn that the face of Moshe was [radiant] like the sun, whereas the face of Yehoshua was like the moon.”
Why shouldn’t Moshe give all his radiance to Yehoshua?
Likkutei Yehuda explains that the Jews in the generation of Yehoshua were of a lesser spiritual status than those of Moshe. Therefore, Yehoshua needed to be more relatable to the people and not at the greater level that Moshe was at.
THOSE PEOPLE who have successfully influenced their contemporaries have not been those who had no connection and no relationship with the average person. Contrary to popular belief, elites may rule, but do so by fiat. They do not raise other people up and their effect is ephemeral at best.
To successfully activate change, one must be relatable, a lesson imparted to us all when Moshe passed the torch.
