Dear Friends,
This week’s Torah portion contains one of the most beautiful moments of selflessness in the Torah.
Moshe Rabbeinu, the leader of the Jewish people, the man who took us out of Egypt, who stood at Sinai, who brought us this far, knows that he will not be the one to enter the Land of Israel.
And yet, he doesn’t hold back. He doesn’t withdraw. Instead, he leans in.
"וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו"
“He placed his hands upon him…”
Moses places both hands on Joshua, fully empowering the next leader with strength, blessing, and love. That’s the origin of semicha, the transfer of leadership, of mission, of trust.
People sometimes ask me, “Rabbi, do you have a rabbinical degree?”
I usually smile and say, “I do. I got it at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, New Jersey.” The campus is in a lovely location, nestled in the trees. The ceremony was nice. What stayed with me most wasn’t the certificate. It was the meaning behind it.
It’s called semicha. A word that means “leaning.” Because in the original tradition, the teacher didn’t just give over a certificate. He gave of himself. He leaned into his student. He transferred not only knowledge, but spirit. Not only law, but love.
And just as powerful as the giving, is the receiving. The person getting semicha would bow their head. It was a gesture of humility. A way of saying: I know this isn’t about me. It’s about something bigger. About being part of a chain of guidance and values passed down through the generations.
And that’s what Moses teaches us. It’s not about who gets the credit. It’s about the mission. I don’t carry a picture from graduation in my wallet. I carry the lessons and values I learned in my heart and in my daily life.
Real leadership means lifting others up, even when it’s not your name in lights. Even when your own dreams are still a work in progress. Moses teaches us to keep giving. To keep showing up. To say: If it helps the mission succeed, then that’s what matters.
And in fact, the people were not only moved by Moshe’s words. They were moved by his life.
"וכל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת"
“They saw the voices.”
They saw the way Moses lived. And that’s what inspired them.
There’s a saying: “Every rabbi has one speech and it’s the way he lives his life.”
Our job isn’t just to teach values. It’s to live them. To lead with humility, with heart, and with hands that are ready to help.
And here’s the beautiful part. You don’t need semicha to lean in. You don’t need a title to lift someone up. You don't need a certificate to give strength to someone else. You just need heart.
So, this week, take a moment and ask yourself:
Who can you lean your hands on? Who needs a hand on the shoulder, a word of encouragement, a gentle nudge of strength?
Sometimes, that small act of support can change a person’s life.
Wishing you a Shabbos of giving, of growing, and of lifting others up.
With love and blessings,
Rabbi Fishel & Ettie Zaklos
P.S. This photo from 2007, captured 
by the Naples News, shows me blessing my son before Yom Kippur. It brings to mind the message above, the power of blessing another, blessing a child, a moment of presence and connection. We can all be that for someone else.