c. 2000 Religion News Service

(Rabbi Rudin is the national interreligious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee.)

(UNDATED) When the Jewish people throughout the world begin the eight-day Passover festival on the evening of April 19, there will be a striking omission as they recount the biblical story of the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery. While God and the ancient Pharaoh of Egypt will be specifically mentioned during the joyous Passover meal, or Seder, the name of Moses will be absent from the holiday narrative.

This omission appears to be an egregious error. After all, Moses is the courageous leader who personally confronted the hard-hearted Egyptian ruler, and it is Moses, the “servant of God,” who was commanded to utter the famous words “Shlach et ami!” (“Let my people go!”)

It is Moses who rallied the downtrodden Israelites from their low self-esteem and it is Moses’ charismatic leadership that compelled the slaves to leave the fleshpots of Egypt and enter the uncertain wilderness of freedom.

Indeed, Moses is considered the ultimate Jewish teacher, the only person in the Bible who has a “face-to-face” encounter with God.

Moses exercised extraordinary leadership when he designated Aaron, his articulate brother, to be the spokesperson in the stressful meetings with Pharaoh. Moses suffered from a speech impediment, but was secure enough to use his brother to deliver the powerful message that God wanted the slaves to be free.

Moses first engaged in a series of negotiations with Pharaoh, but the monarch remained unmoved. Moses then began a direct-action strategy when God unleashed the terrifying 10 plagues upon the unyielding Egyptian ruler. Pharaoh bent under the sledgehammer blows of such plagues as locusts, boils, frogs, lice, vermin and the ultimate plague, the death of the Egyptian firstborn.

Once Moses and the Israelites crossed the Red Sea to the barren safety of the Sinai wilderness, Moses revealed more gifted leadership abilities. It was not enough that 600,000 slaves had escaped Egypt. Without an effective legal structure, without a sense of community, the slaves and their descendants would remain a ragtag group incapable of governing themselves and would become easy prey for potential enemies.

Moses empowered certain former slaves with the authority to dispense justice and leadership on a local basis. Despite his towering personality, Moses was no dictator, unlike so many other leaders throughout history.

It was, of course, Moses who brought down the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai to a disorganized people. It was Moses who provided cohesion and discipline for the former slaves. But despite his best efforts, the former slaves were forced to wander 40 years in the wilderness _ enough time for a new generation, one free of slavery, to assume leadership roles.

In the twilight of his life, Moses realized God would not allow him to enter the Promised Land, today’s modern Israel. Instead, he was compelled to gaze upon the land from Mount Nebo, a place recently visited by Pope John Paul II. Moses could only look, but could not enter. Because of an earlier angry outburst of impatience, God prevented his beloved servant from crossing the River Jordan.

But instead of becoming resentful and consolidating more power to himself, Moses did just the opposite, something only secure and gifted leaders can do. By providing for a legitimate successor, Moses prevented serious internal battles after his death. Sadly, many other leaders in history have failed to follow Moses’ example as they neared the end of their leadership days.

Selfish leaders provide no transition, no continuity, and their cry is frequently: “Apres moi, la deluge!” “After me, the flood!” They do not care what happens after they are dead.

But Moses was different. He carefully moved Joshua, his chosen successor, into leadership before his own death on Mount Nebo. And after some initial grumbling, the Israelite slaves transferred their loyalty from Moses, the liberator and lawgiver, to the more pedestrian Joshua.

So, the question remains: Why is Moses’ name deliberately omitted from the joyous Seder narrative?

I strongly believe there was a justified fear that too much praise of the human being Moses might result in a personality cult. The rabbis of the past were fearful that Moses and not God, the true hero of Passover, might become the object of worship.

By eliminating Moses from the Passover ritual, the rabbis guaranteed that his magnificent achievements would be fully celebrated without falling into the easy trap of human adoration and worship. However, I think my ancient rabbinical predecessors wouldn’t mind if sometime during the Seder, I quietly whispered, “Thank you very much, Moses!”

DEA END RUDIN