True leadership above and below the surface
The Parasha in our everyday life - Parashat Behar - Lag B'Omer 5782
Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - Rosh Yeshivat Hesder 'Meir Harel' Modi'in
Many times, I have been asked to lecture at officers' courses to cadets on "Leadership in the Light of Jewish Sources." I used to open my lectures with the question: Can there be a leader who has no one to lead, and does not have the official role of any leadership? With this question I sought to challenge the conventional thinking that sees 'leadership' ascontrol over people, systems and their leadership.
During the lecture, however, we learned that according to our sources, "leadership" is first and foremost a measure and trait in the individual's soul.
True leadership is not driven by the instinct of power and authority, but by the sensitivity and caring of the person to his surroundings, to the fate of others, as if it were his personal destiny. Deal with the problems and difficulties and act to change the situation. This trait of our soul motivates the person to take responsibility for others also, as well as care for the public. Usually, a person is close to himself, and feels responsible and caring for his life and destiny and the fate of those close to him. The leader is the one who cares and extends his responsibility to others.
כל מה שהאדם מתעלה יותר בצורתו הרוחנית, מרגיש הוא יותר את הערך הגדול של הרבים, הציבור מתחיל להויות חי בתוכיותו, בלבבו ועומק רצונו הוא מרגיש את הצרכים הרבים של הציבור, את גודל הערך של החיים, המפעמים בכללות הציבור, והוא עומד כולו לעיני רוחו כדמות חטיבה אחת, הוא מרגיש את המציאות הממשית של הציבור, ומתמלא אליו אהבה וכבוד אין קץ. ואז הרי הוא מתעלה להיות מנהיג ציבורי אידיאלי…
"The more a person transcends his spiritual form, the more he feels the great value of the many, the public begins to be alive within him, in his heart and the depth of his will he feels the many needs of the public, the magnitude of the value of life, pulsating in the general public, and he stands entirely before his mind as one segment, he feels the reality of the public, and is filled with endless love and respect. Then he rises to be an ideal public leader…" (Orot Hakodesh (3:2:6. This is the approach that ensures the development of true leadership, out of a sense of responsibility and humility and not out of arrogance and power.
If we delve deeper, we notice that this is the same trait that motivates people to volunteer and do acts of kindness to others, even at their own expense, and even if they do not hold any public office or official responsibility. It is a kind of 'leadership' that lies beneath the surface. The Torah teaches to follow this path. Many Mitzvot in the Torah strengthen this trait of the soul, including the Mitzvot of the Shmita and the Jubilee in our Parasha:
"שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְמֹר כַּרְמֶךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת תְּבוּאָתָהּ. וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ... וְהָיְתָה שַׁבַּת הָאָרֶץ לָכֶם לְאָכְלָה לְךָ וּלְעַבְדְּךָ וְלַאֲמָתֶךָ וְלִשְׂכִירְךָ וּלְתוֹשָׁבְךָ ...
"Six years you may sow your field and six years you may prune your vineyard and gather in the yield. But in the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath of complete rest… But you may eat whatever the land during its sabbath will produce—you, your male and female slaves, the hired and bound laborers who live with you…" (Vayikra 25:3-6)
And in Parashat Mishpatim:
וְהַשְּׁבִיעִ֞ת תִּשְׁמְטֶ֣נָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּ֗הּ וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ אֶבְיֹנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְיִתְרָ֕ם תֹּאכַ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה כֵּֽן־תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לְכַרְמְךָ֖ לְזֵיתֶֽךָ׃
"but in the seventh you shall let it rest and lie fallow. Let the needy among your people eat of it, and what they leave let the wild beasts eat. You shall do the same with your vineyards and your olive groves". (Shmot 23:11)
One of the goals of the Shmita year is "Solidarity" and assistance to the needy.
ואמנם כל ה'מצוות' אשר ספרנום ב"הלכות שמיטה ויובל" מהם - לחמלה על בני אדם והרחבה לבני אדם כולם - כמו שאמר "ואכלו אביוני עמך ויתרם תאכל חית השדה וגו'"
"As to the precepts enumerated in the laws concerning the year of release and the jubilee (Hilkot shemittah ve-yohel) some of them imply sympathy with our fellow-men, and promote the well-being of mankind; for in reference to these Precepts it is stated in the Law, "That the poor of thy people may eat" (Guide for the Perplexed Part 3 39)
Expropriation of ownership of the fields allows the needy to earn a living like the landowners themselves. The commandment of the Shmita makes the Jew care about the fate of the needy, and their livelihood.
On Lag B'Omer we mark the end of the death of Rabbi Akiva's disciples. Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook Z'TL. Taught us that they were Yeshiva students who, due to the need to fight the Romans and their decrees, took responsibility, dropped out of school, and enlisted in Bar-Kochba's army. And with supreme heroism gave their lives in war.
On this day we also commend the work of Rabbi Akiva as one of the great Tannaim and his disciple Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Rabbi Akiva was the overt spiritual leader of the revolt, Bar Kochba's partner.
It is not for nothing that he emphasized on the solidarity of the commandment וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ "Love your fellow [Israelite] as yourself" as a great rule in the Torah. Despite the decree forbidding to continue learning Torah, he takes responsibility for the spiritual condition of the people of Israel and continues heroically to teach Torah in public. He also paid with his life for his actions. Rabbi Akiva and his group left us the legacy of 'Mesirut Nefesh', to sacrifice everything for the sake of your devotion to the Torah, the responsibility and care for the fate of the people of Israel, and the legacy of heroism and leadership above and below the surface.