When the Leader Steps Aside

During the early days of Southwest Airlines, co-founder Herb Kelleher was known for regularly helping baggage handlers load luggage onto planes. Despite being CEO, Kelleher would roll up his sleeves at Dallas Love Field airport and work alongside his employees, even during holidays when staff was stretched thin. This same executive who led board meetings and shaped company strategy understood that leadership wasn’t just about visibility at the top—it was sometimes about humility in everyday tasks, or even stepping aside to let others lead.

This balance between stepping forward and stepping back reminds me of a striking anomaly in this past week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh 27:20–30:10. From the moment Moses first appears in the book of Exodus (Shemot), his name appears in every single portion—except this one. In Tetzaveh, which details the priestly garments and the consecration of Aaron and his sons, Moses’ name vanishes completely.

Why would the Torah’s central human character disappear from an entire portion? And what might this deliberate omission teach us about leadership?

The 13th-century commentator Ba’al HaTurim offers a compelling explanation. He notes that Moses’ absence stems from his own words after the sin of the Golden Calf when he pleaded with God, “Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written!”

The Ba’al HaTurim teaches that “the curse of a scholar is fulfilled in some way, even when made conditionally.” Thus, Moses’ words required some fulfillment—and Tetzaveh became the portion where his name would be erased.

But this raises another question: Why Tetzaveh specifically? It seems counterintuitive that Moses’ name would disappear from the portion that comes before the Golden Calf incident rather than after it.

Some suggest this timing allows us to experience what the Israelites felt at the foot of Mount Sinai. When Moses delayed coming down, the people panicked, saying:

By reading a portion without Moses’ name, we too feel his absence—but unlike our ancestors, we can learn to handle it differently.

There’s another powerful lesson here that speaks directly to the essence of authentic leadership. Moses’ absence in Tetzaveh represents the supreme leader’s deliberate choice to step aside and make space for Aaron’s leadership to shine. This is no coincidence—this portion focuses entirely on the priesthood, the special garments of the High Priest (Kohen Gadol), and Aaron’s consecration.

Moses understood something that many leaders struggle to grasp: true leadership sometimes means removing yourself from the spotlight so others can grow into their roles. By stepping aside in the portion dedicated to priestly garments and consecration, Moses demonstrated remarkable humility and wisdom.

Consider what happens when a leader refuses to delegate or make space for others. Innovation stagnates. Potential remains untapped. The community becomes dependent on a single voice rather than developing its collective strength. But when a leader knows when to step back—as Moses did—others flourish.

The Torah describes Aaron’s priestly garments in exquisite detail:

These weren’t merely beautiful clothes—they represented authority, responsibility, and divine service. Moses understood that for Aaron to fully embody this role, Moses himself needed to recede from view.

This remains one of leadership’s greatest challenges: knowing when your presence helps and when it hinders. Moses—the man who confronted Pharaoh, who received the Torah at Sinai, whose face shone with divine light—recognized that sometimes the greatest act of leadership is making yourself invisible.

The next time you find yourself leading—whether a nation, a community, a workplace, or a family—remember Tetzaveh. Ask yourself: “Am I making space for others to grow into their strengths? Am I stepping aside when my absence would serve better than my presence?”

Moses’ name may be absent from Tetzaveh, but his leadership legacy saturates every word. His deliberate step into the shadows wasn’t weakness—it was leadership at its most powerful. The greatest leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders. In Moses’ silence, we hear his most resounding message: step aside not because you are small, but because your vision is so big – it cannot be carried by one person alone. And that remains Moses’ enduring legacy.

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