In the promise to help prepare the land for conquest by the Jewish people, Moses informs them, the Almighty will ensure the Canaanites do not leave all at once, “lest the wild animals overwhelm” the newcomers.

We are taught here that the greatest plans can have consequences gone awry. And that is precisely when they are successful. The Divine eviction would have achieved its exact goal. But the Jews would have faced a new, equally dangerous threat.

It is not enough to think about what could go wrong. It’s vital to plan how things ought to go right. Because sometimes, you can be too successful, too fast.

That’s true in planning major political or policy moves. It’s also true in the board room and at home as well.

Words to consider. Ideas to ponder. Politics and the parsha.

Howie Beigelman, formerly of Springfield, NJ, is Executive Director of Ohio Jewish Communities. He works at the intersection of Jewish communal service and nonprofit advocacy. Follow him on Twitter @howielb

By Howie Beigelman