On Shavuot, I had the privilege of teaching at my synagogue’s Tikkun Leil Shavuot, the traditional all-night study session. As my ordination ceremony was scheduled for the following week, I chose to explore the topic of smikha. The word “smikha” literally means to lean on, and in the Torah, it refers primarily to the leaning of hands—most often over sacrificial animals before they are offered. Out of 23 Torah uses, all but five relate to sacrifice, where either the priests or the people bringing the sacrifice literally lay their hands upon the animal.
In five notable instances, however, smikha pertains to people. This Shabbat, in Parashat Pinchas, we encounter two uses: first when God instructs Moses to lay hands on Joshua, and then as Moses fulfills this command. Aware he will not lead the Israelites into the land, Moses asks God to appoint a successor, lest the people be leaderless. God chooses Joshua, described as “a man in whom there is spirit,” and commands Moses to lay hands on him and transfer some of his authority—the Hebrew word “mehodekha,” from “hod,” meaning splendor or majesty.
Elsewhere, in Numbers 8:9–10, the Levites are brought before the community and the people lay hands upon them. Unlike Joshua’s ordination—performed by Moses as an act of divine transmission—the Levites’ induction is communal. The people, by this ritual, accept and choose their spiritual leaders. The Levites, who interact with the community daily, receive their mandate directly from those they serve. Joshua, the national leader, is chosen by God; the Levites, embedded in the daily fabric of life, are chosen by the people.
This dynamic feels almost inverted: intuitively, we might expect God to select religious leaders and the people to choose their political head. Yet, while most Israelites would rarely interact with Joshua, the Levites would be ever-present in their lives. Thus, the Torah illustrates that leadership—both sacred and communal—involves not just divine appointment but the affirmation and trust of the community.
It is important to note, too, that Joshua’s role extends beyond politics. As Pirkei Avot states, Moses handed down the entire Torah to Joshua, making him the next bearer of both national and spiritual responsibility. God’s choice highlights the unique stature such a leader occupies.
The rituals of smikha reveal the nuanced interplay between divine authority and communal consent in Jewish leadership. Whether through the transmission of spiritual glory or communal affirmation, leaders are shaped by both the call from above and the embrace from below. As I step into my own new chapter as a rabbi, this balance—between tradition, divine calling, and the voice of the community—guides and grounds me. May we continue to find meaning, humility, and mutual recognition in all our leaders, and in ourselves.
Shabbat Shalom!
