The Egyptians are struck by the first seven of the ten plagues in this week’s Torah portion, Vaera. While these plagues were determined by God and executed through Moses, our tradition teaches that they were predetermined long ago. In fact, letters representing each plague were inscribed on Moses’s staff. According to one wild midrash (i.e. rabbinic fan fiction), this staff was passed from generation to generation until it reached Moses: 

Rabbi Levi says, the same staff that was created at twilight was transferred to the First Human from the Garden of Eden, who then transferred it to Ḥanokh, and Ḥanokh transferred it to Noaḥ, and Noaḥ to Shem, and Shem transferred it to Abraham, and Abraham to Isaac, and ̣then to Jacob, and Jacob brought it down to Egypt, and he transferred it to his son, Joseph. Then, the Egyptians captured Joseph’s house when he died, and the staff was placed in Pharaoh’s palace.

Yitro was one of the Egyptian magicians, and he saw the staff and the letters of the plagues that were on it. Yitro desired the staff in his heart and took it. He brought it and planted it in the garden in his house. Nobody could approach it, but Moses saw the staff when he entered the garden of Yitro’s house. He read the letters of the plagues that were upon it, drew his hand, and took it. Yitro looked at him and said, “This is the one who will redeem Israel from Egypt” (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezar 40:2-3). 

This is a powerful moment as Yitro recognizes the potential of Moses’s leadership. Perhaps like Yitro, each of us has moments in which we identify the next leaders for the moment. Whether it be identifying a future rabbi, Resident, or community leader in general, it is up to us to say, “I see potential in you, and I’d like to ‘pass the baton’ your way.” When we recognize a potential leader, we have an incredible opportunity to highlight and uplift the skills of such an individual to help them become the person our community needs today. 

Who is one person in your community you see as a leader? 

How can you help this individual grow into their leadership?