November 14th, 2014
Which was Moses’ greatest achievement? Taking the Jews out of Egypt? Splitting the Red Sea? Receiving the Torah from G-d and transmitting it to humanity? If we are to judge by the Torah’s final summation of his life, Moses’ greatest deed was his breaking the Two Tablets of the Covenant, inscribed with the Ten Commandments by the very hand of G-d!
In the closing verses of Deuteronomy we read:
Moses, the servant of G-d, died there in the land of Moab… And there arose not since a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom G-d knew face to face; [who performed] all the signs
and wonders which G-d sent [Moses] to do in the land of Egypt… [who equaled] that mighty hand, those great fearsome deeds, [and that] which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel.
Rashi,[1] in his commentary on Torah, interprets the last verse as follows:
That mighty hand—“that he received in his hands the Torah, contained in the tablets.”
Those great fearsome deeds—“The miracles and feats he performed in ‘the great and fearsome desert.’[2]”
[that] which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel— “that his heart emboldened him to break the tablets before their eyes, as it is written, ‘[and I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my two hands] and I broke them before your eyes.’[3] G-d’s opinion then concurred with his opinion, as it is written, ‘[… the first tablets,] which you broke’[4]—I affirm your strength for having broken them.”
(The Hebrew word asher (“which”) can also be pronounced ishur, which means “to affirm” and “to praise.” Thus, G-d’s words to Moses, “… the first tablets, which you broke” can also be understood as: “I affirm your having broken them” or “Thank you (yishar kochacha) for breaking them.”)[5]
Enigmatic Climax
The breaking of the tablets was a most tragic event, signifying a breakdown of the special relationship entered into by G-d and Israel at Sinai—a relationship embodied by the Torah and encapsulated in the Ten Commandments that G-d inscribed on the tablets. Indeed, our sages see the breaking of the tablets as the source of all subsequent tragedies of Jewish history: “Had the first tablets not been broken,” declares the Talmud, “no nation could ever had subjugated the Jewish people.”[6] Another indication of how grievous an event this was is its use as a prototype for bereavement and loss: “The death of the righteous,” say our sages, “is as tragic to the Almighty as the day on which the tablets were broken.”[7]
And yet, G-d endorsed Moses’ unilateral decision to break the tablets. Obviously, then, Moses had just cause to do so. But why does this culminate the Torah’s litany of his greatest achievements? With so many positive accomplishments to Moses’ credit, why accentuate so negative an event, no matter how justified and necessary?
The Talmud tells us that “everything goes by the ending.”[8] This would mean that by culminating Moses’ praises with the mention of his breaking the tablets, the Torah is implying that this was his greatest virtue—greater than his being “the servant of G-d” for 120 years; greater than his being the only human being with whom G-d communicated face to face, “manifestly,[9] not by allegory”; greater than the “signs and wonders” he performed in Egypt, birthing a nation and leading them to freedom; greater than his possessing “the mighty hand” which received the Torah from G-d; greater than his sustaining, protecting and governing a querulous 3,000,000 souls in “the great and fearsome desert” for forty years!
Furthermore, the words “which Moses did before the eyes of all Israel” (which Rashi understands as a reference to Moses’ breaking of the tablets) are not only the Torah’s last word on Moses—they also are the closing words of the Torah itself. This means that the Torah climaxes with an account of its own devastation!
The Wayward Bride
What prompted Moses’ heart to “embolden him to break the tablets”?
The Jewish people had worshipped the Golden Calf, violating their covenant with G-d documented in the tablets. Moses thus found himself in the position of having to choose between the preservation of the Torah or the preservation of Israel, as the Midrash illustrates with the following metaphor:
Once there was a king who went off on a distant journey and left his bride with her maidservants. Because of the [promiscuity of the] maidservants, rumors began circulating about the king’s bride. The king heard of this and wished to kill her. The bride’s guardian heard of this, so he went ahead and tore up her marriage contract, saying: “Should the king say, `My wife did such and such,’ we shall say to him, `She’s not your wife yet.’ “ The king subsequently investigated and found that there was nothing promiscuous in his bride’s behavior, that only the maidservants were corrupt, and was reconciled to her. Said the bride’s guardian to the king: “Sir, make her another marriage contract, for the first one was torn up.” Said the king to him: “You tore it up, so you supply the paper and I shall write on it with my hand” … Thus, when G-d forgave [the Jewish people], He said to Moses: “Carve,[10] yourself, two tablets of stone [like the first ones, and I shall write on these tablets what was on the first tablets, which you broke].”[11]
G-d, explains the Midrash, is the king, Israel His bride, the erev rav (the “mixed multitude” who had joined the Jewish people at the Exodus and were responsible for the making of the Golden Calf) her corrupt maids, Moses her guardian, and the Torah the wedding contract. When G-d wished to destroy Israel because of their involvement in the worship of the Golden Calf, Moses smashed the tablets, thereby dissolving the marriage-bond that they had allegedly violated and leaving G-d no grounds on which to punish His bride’s “unfaithfulness.”
Moses’ Opinion
And this the Torah considers to be Moses’ highest virtue: his unequivocal loyalty to the Jewish people, a loyalty even greater than his loyalty to the Torah.
When the very existence of the Jewish people is threatened, Moses is prepared to tear up the wedding contract in order to save the bride. No one is more deeply identified with the Torah than Moses. “Remember the Torah of Moses My servant,”[12] enjoins the prophet Malachi. The Torah of Moses? Is it not G-d’s Torah? Explains the Midrash: because Moses gave his life for the Torah, it is called by his name.[13] With no one was it more true that the breaking of the tablets is akin to “the death of the righteous”: in smashing the tablets, Moses stood to destroy everything he was and stood for. And yet, when the Jewish people are in jeopardy–or even a small minority of the Jewish people, corrupted by the fringe element of erev rav–Moses does not hesitate to break the tablets.
When the Jewish people are in jeopardy, Moses does not consult anyone. He does not even consult G-d. When Moses must choose between Torah and Israel, his devotion to Israel supersedes all—including that which defines the very essence of his own being: his divine mission and his relationship with the Almighty.
Indeed, Moses’ breaking of the tablets is the greatest deed of his life. In everything else he did, he was acting on a clear mandate from G-d: G-d instructed and empowered him to take the Jews out of Egypt, split the Red Sea and transmit His wisdom and will to humanity. Always it was G-d’s desire that he followed; here, it was “his own opinion,” with which the divine opinion subsequently concurred.
In breaking the tablets, Moses was acting on his own, contrary to his divine mission to deliver G-d’s Torah to the world. In breaking the tablets, Moses, who could not presume that G-d was to replace the first tablets with a second pair, was eradicating his very being, his very raison d’etre, for the sake of his people.
And Moses did not go off to a side to carry out the most painful and potentially self-destructive act of his life. He broke the tablets “before the eyes of all Israel,” a fact which the Torah repeatedly emphasizes, and then reiterates in its concluding words. For Moses wished to demonstrate to all of Israel, and to all generations to come, the duty of a leader of the Jewish people: to recognize that “Israel precedes all in the mind of G-d,” including even the Torah.[14] To be prepared to not only sacrifice his physical life for his flock, but also his very soul and spiritual essence.
First Between Firsts
Not only does the Torah record that G-d endorsed Moses’ breaking of the Tablets; not only does it proclaim that Moses’ greatest deed was his placing the preservation of Israel above the integrity of the “wedding contract”; it also chooses to make this its own culminating message. With its closing words the Torah establishes that it sees its own existence as secondary to the existence of the people of Israel.
The Midrash says it thus:
Two things preceded G-d’s creation of the world: Torah and Israel. Still, I do not know which preceded which. But when Torah states `Speak to the Children of Israel…,’ `Command the Children of Israel…,’ etc., I know that Israel preceded all.[15]
In other words, since the purpose of G-d’s creation of the universe is that Israel might implement His will as outlined in the Torah, the concepts of “Israel” and “Torah” both precede the concept of a “world” in the Creator’s “mind.” Yet which is the more deeply rooted idea within the divine consciousness, Torah or Israel? Does Israel exist so that the Torah be implemented, or does the Torah exist to serve the Jew in the fulfillment of his mission and the realization of his relationship with G-d?
Says the Midrash: if the Torah describes itself as a communication to Israel, this presumes the concept of Israel as primary to that of Torah. Without Jews to implement it, there cannot be a Torah, since the very idea of a Torah was conceived by the divine mind as a tool to facilitate the bond between G-d and His people.
Hence, when the Torah speaks of the shattering of the Tablets, it speaks not of its own destruction, but, ultimately, of its preservation: if the breaking of the Tablets saved Israel from extinction, than it also saved the Torah from extinction, since the very concept of a “Torah” is dependent upon the existence of a Jewish people.[16]
Pressing For Redemption
Moses’ self-negating devotion to his people characterized his leadership from its inception. When G-d first appeared to Moses in the burning bush and commanded him to take the Jewish people out of Egypt, Moses refused. For seven days and nights Moses argued with G-d. “Send who You will send,”[17] Moses pleaded. Do not send me
“G-d’s anger raged against Moses,” the Torah tells us.[18] Understandably so: the Jewish people are languishing under the Egyptian whip, and G-d’s chosen redeemer is refusing his commission. Still Moses argued with G-d to “send who You will send” instead of himself. Why did Moses refuse to go? Was it his humility? True, the Torah attests that “Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth.”[19] But surely Moses was not one to allow his humility to interfere with the salvation of his brethren.
Our sages explain that Moses knew that he would not merit to bring Israel into the Holy Land and thereby achieve the ultimate redemption of his people.[20] He knew that Israel would again be exiled, would again suffer the physical and spiritual oppression of galut. So Moses refused to go. Do not send me, he pleaded, send now whom You will send in the end of days. If the time for Israel’s redemption has come, send Moshiach, through whom You will effect the complete and eternal redemption.[21] For seven days and nights Moses contested G-d’s script for history, prepared to incur G-d’s wrath upon himself for the sake of his people.
Nor did Moses ever accept the decree of galut. After assuming, by force of the divine command, the mission to take Israel out of Egypt, he embarked on a lifelong struggle to make this the final and ultimate redemption. To the very last day of his life, Moses beseeched G-d to allow him to lead Israel into the Holy Land, which would have settled Israel in their land, and G-d in Israel’s midst, for all eternity;[22] to his very last day he braved G-d’s anger in his endeavor to effect the ultimate redemption. In Moses’ own words: “I beseeched G-d… ‘Please, let me cross over and see the good land across the Jordan, the good mountain (Jerusalem) and the Levanon (the Holy Temple).’ And G-d grew angry with me for your sakes… and He said to Me: ‘Enough! Speak no more to Me of this matter…’ ”[23]
G-d said “Enough!” but Moses was not silenced. For Moses’ challenge of the divine plan did not end with his passing from physical life. The Zohar tells us that every Jewish soul has at its core a spark of Moses’ soul.[24] So every Jew who storms the gates of heaven clamoring for redemption continues Moses’ struggle against the decree of galut.
Editor’s note: The above is based on two talks delivered by the Rebbe, the first on Simchat Torah of 5747 (1986) and the second on Shabbat, the 9th of Av, 5751 (1991). The Rebbe wept profusely during the Simchat Torah address, describing Moses’ breaking of the tablets in a voice choked with tears.
Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe by Yanki Tauber.
[1] Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105), whose work is the most basic of biblical commentaries.
[5] See Rashi on Talmud, Shabbat 87a.
[7] Jerusalem Talmud, Yuma 1:1.
[11] Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 30; a slightly different version is cited by Rashi in his commentary on Exodus 34:1.
[13] Midrash Rabba, Shmot 30:4.
[14] See Midrash quoted further on in this essay.
[15] Tana D’vei Eliyahu Rabba, chapter 14.
[16] Thus, the entire Torah is set aside to save a Jewish life. In the words of the Talmud, “Desecrate a single Shabbat over him, so that he may observe many subsequent Shabbatot” (Talmud, Shabbat 151b). Here, too, a “violation” of the Shabbat is seen as its ultimate preservation. On the other hand, “Israel, though he has transgressed, is still Israel” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 44a). The inherent bond between G-d and His people is realized through their observance of Torah, but is not dependent upon it; even when a Jew violates the Torah, G-d forbid, his identity as a Jew is unaffected. Thus we have the concept of teshuvah (“return”): also when a Jew has damaged his relationship with G-d as defined by Torah, he can supercede Torah’s definition of the relationship and reawaken it through the yearning, regret and resolve of teshuvah.
[21]Rashi on Exodus 4:13; Midrash Lekach Tov, ibid.
[22] “The deeds of Moses are eternal” (Talmud, Sotah 9a; thus the mishkan, the sanctuary that Moses built in the desert, was never destroyed). If Moses would have settled the people of Israel in their land, there would have been no subsequent exiles (Megaleh Amukot, section 185; see Alshich and Or Hachaim commentaries on Deuteronomy 4:23).
[23] Deuteronomy 4:23-26.
[24] Tikkunei Zohar 69, pp. 112a and 114a; see Tanya ch. 44
Tags: leadership, loyalty
Posted in Tishrei, Months & Holidays, Simchat Torah, Torah | No Comments »
November 13th, 2014
Transcendent Integration
As the streets of Israel become more dangerous, with an onslaught of actual or thwarted attacks becoming a new norm;
As radical Islam continues its march east into Syria, Iraq, Iran and who knows where else;
As the president of the United States, supposed leader of the western world, seems to be cuddling up to Iran;
As the east and the west brace for escalating confrontations — what has been coined “a clash of civilizations;”
As proud Europe (once the crown jewel of the western world) slides into surrendering to the religious forces of the east;
As many now recognize the consequences of the British Empire’s mistake to divide the Middle East after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, superimposing unnatural (western thinking) boundaries to a region controlled by endless (eastern thinking) tribal factions;
In the words of Rudyard Kipling, lamenting the gulf of understanding between the British and the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent.: “Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet;”
As all of us wonder where this century is headed —
I was thinking whether Abraham, in his prescience, may have built in an antidote to the current upheavals. Abraham, after all, was the “father of a multitude of nations.” It was he that pioneered faith, virtue and justice in an otherwise selfish and hostile world, spawning a movement that has now impacted most of our globe. This in turn unleashed passionate forces, which would take on aggressive means in the guise of his son Ishmael (“a wild man”) and grandson Esau (“a man of war”).
So Abraham was keenly aware of the risks posed by untamed faith and religion and the challenges it would bring to earth. Just study the history of religious oppression in the last few millennia – the holy wars fought, the injustices perpetrated by man against man in the name of G-d, the tyranny of the church. By no means was war monopolized by the religious, but neither was religion immune to the corruption that men of power often succumb to.
Abraham surely knew how religious zealotry can breed intolerance, condescension, judgmentalism and prejudices of all sorts — feeding into the ugliest elements of human nature. But at the same time Abraham knew that the true G-d fearing man or woman is driven by humility and compassion, and can never hurt another in the name of his own faith. Because by its very definition: belief in G-d and love of the divine is synonymous with love for every human being created by G-d in the divine image. You love what your beloved loves.
That’s why it isn’t far-fetched to say that as he paved a new way for civilization — defying the pagan self-worshipers (and worshipers of a god created in the image of man, rather than the other way around) — Abraham inoculated his belief system with checks and balances, immunizing it from the dangers of self-serving arrogance.
* * *
Indeed, a cryptic detail we read in this weeks chapter reveals for us Abraham’s foresight:
Following Sara’s death and Isaac’s marriage, Abraham remarries Hagar, mother of Ishmael, who is now called Keturah, “for her deeds were [now] as pleasing as the ketoret [incense].” [1 Genesis 25:1 and Breishit Rabba on the verse.] They have more children, and when those children grow up Abraham “gave them gifts” and “sent them eastward to the east country.”
What type of gifts were they? Says R’ Yirmiyah bar Abba: Abraham gave them the knowledge of “unholy utterance.” Rashi explains that this means he gave them the secrets of the unholy arts of sorcery and demonology. However this is completely inexplicable: Why in the world would Abraham, the man of G-d, who certainly taught his children the ways of G-d, give his very children unholy arts?! And why would that be called “gifts”?!
Commentaries therefore explain that since Abraham sending his children to the east where idolatry was prevalent, he wanted them to know the wisdom and methodology of the idolaters, so not to be deceived by them and to defend themselves against these practitioners. Furthermore, with these “gifts” Abraham empowered them to transform the unholy arts into holiness. .
Why did Abraham go to such lengths to send his children to the east laden with gifts? Because Abraham was forging the way and setting the stage for the future: that when the day will come his children in the east will be able to sanctify and reveal the divine even in the impure world.
This action of Abraham is completely consistent to his previous actions in preparing, like a good father, all his children for the challenges to come. In previous articles and I elaborated on Abraham’s vision preparing the ground for all the great empires to come, as well as imbuing Ishmael and Esau with the tools they would ultimately need to fulfill their purpose in existence.
That covers the west and the middle east. Now, when it comes to the children he has with Keturah/Hagar, Abraham finishes the process by sending them to the east with the “gifts” and tools to do their work there.
So there you have it. Abraham, “father of a multitude of nations,” prepares all his descendants to transform the universe — from west to east — into a divine home. Perhaps this can be related to what Jacob would later be told: “You shall spread out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south.”
And thus in he final analysis, with all due respect to Kipling, who felt that east and west could never meet, they indeed could and will meet. Kipling was looking at from his limited human perspective, and from that vantage point it does seem that east and west are diametrically opposed.
Indeed, the conflict between the two manifests in so many ways. East and west. Right and left. Circle and square. Digital and analog. Transcendent and immanent. Linear physics and quantum mechanics. Indeterminism and determinism. Energy (or spirit) and matter. Function and form. Soul and body. Every system, every philosophy, every person struggles in some way with balancing the two diametric poles of life. Right brain and left brain. Creative and mechanical. The abstract and the tangible. Beyond structure and structure. Unconscious and conscious. Heaven and earth.
But can ever the twain meet? Abraham’s answer to us is: Unequivocally yes. Not only can they meet; they can be integrated into one seamless fusion.
Abraham’s mission of sending his children “to the east” contains the answer to the world’s greatest quandary: How can we bridge the schisms between people, communities, nations, cultures and faiths? How can we achieve harmony between the conflicting voices within our psyches? And what is the secret to finding peace in the Middle East, the West and the East?
The answer in one word is Bittul. When every entity is able to suspend its own personality and position, when we each can transcend our boundaries in the face — and service — of something far greater than us, then we can interface and fuse the two into one integral unit.
In the far-reaching words of the great Kabbalist, Ibn Gabbai: “Just as He [G-d] has the power of the infinite so too does He have the power of the finite, for if not you would be diminishing (limiting) his capacity.”
May we do our part and may we all be blessed to see the complete peace between the clashing forces, with the final personal and global redemption.
———
Tags: humility, Islamism, war
Posted in Good & Evil, Biblical, Weekly Parsha, Bereishit, Faith, Soul & Mystical, Israel, Religion, Beliefs & Concepts, Abraham, Torah Personalities, Sarah, Exile, Ishmael, Social, Chayei Sarah, Spiritual, Moshiach & Redemption, Torah, Esau, Racism, Terrorism, Current Events | 3 Comments »
November 6th, 2014
The Extraordinary Within the Ordinary
Watch a beautiful sunset. Listen to a stirring symphony. Smell a delicate fragrance. Taste a delectable wine. Touch the soft cheek of a child. Those are our five senses at work – taking in and experiencing the aesthetics of our universe. But what else enters through our sensory doors? How stimulated – overstimulated – are we by the multitude of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches inundating our daily interactions? And what impact does it have on us? Are we products, perhaps even victims, of the forces seducing our senses? Take television: Does anyone know the far-reaching effects that visual stimulation has on our psyches? How much is it desensitizing us to “see,” “hear” and experience the more sublime aspects of our lives – the invisible and ethereal?
So when we observe the world around us, the people, events and experiences of our lives, what should we be looking for? When we are seeking a loving relationship – or standing before a person we love – how do we assure that we are looking at the important things that matter, and not at superficial externals? And how do we attain such perspective when we are swamped with the endless flow of information assaulting our senses, numbing and distorting our priorities?
This week’s Torah portion contains a fascinating answer to these questions.
The chapter opens with the words “And G-d appeared to Abraham.” What did Abraham see? What does it mean to “see” the Divine?
When we look at any particular object what do we see? First we see the physical features of the object – its shape, color, size and position. We may also notice its functions and the benefits they serve. With more focus, we can discern subtle elements and other aspects that may not have been ostensibly noticeable. Upon further study we develop a “deeper look” at the object and learn its unique composition of elements and molecules, and its biological and chemical makeup. Further down and in we discover its atomic structure, which in turn is comprised of sub-atomic particles. How far down the “rabbit hole” can we go?
Left to our own mortal resources we can only go that far. But with help from an unexpected place we can actually come to perceive – to see – the essence of the object, and even beyond that.
When the Kotzker Rebbe was a young child he was once asked: “Where is G-d?” To which he replied: “Wherever you let Him in.”
To see the Divine is to see the Essence of all reality, and to recognize that this Essence is beyond all reality. “He is the space of the universe, but the universe is not His space.” In some ways it means to see the forest from the trees; the roots from the symptoms; the causes from the effects.
Abraham did two critical things to reach a point that he was able to see the Divine, to the point that “G-d appeared to him.” Firstly, he left his comfort zones (see The Greatest Journey Ever Taken) and embarked on a lifelong journey away from his subjective inclinations toward transcendence. Secondly, Abraham dedicated his life – and passed on his legacy to his children and generations to come – to focus not on the means, but on the end: To look beyond the seductive distractions of surface life and see what lies within; to search for the essence of things, rather than react to their symptoms. To seek out the purpose of existence and turn that purpose into the driving force of our decisions, rather than allow our existential needs and concerns to determine the course of our lives. Notwithstanding the conventions of the time, not conforming to the pressures around him, not enticed by the sights and sound of the universe, Abraham looked beyond and within them for a higher presence. This higher awareness then translates into action – to living a life of virtue, righteousness and justice.
Once Abraham demonstrated his commitment, once he “paid the price” and did his part piercing through the outer layers and peering deep inside for the deeper reality, then the Higher and Inner Reality reciprocates, “and G-d appeared to him,” revealing the essential forces that shape all of existence, far beyond those that Abraham could ever discover on his own accord.
The great 13th century sage, Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman), also known as Nachmanides, states a critical axiom – one that would change the landscape of Jewish education were it only emphasized in our schools:
“Know this fundamental principle: All the journeys and events that happened with the Patriarchs [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] come to teach us about the future…they were shown what would happen to their descendants. For this reason the Torah documents in detail the experiences that transpired with the Patriarchs. No one should think that these are superfluous details; they actually pave the way and map out all the future events that would transpire with their children throughout history. There is nothing that happened to Abraham that would later not occur with his children (Ramban, Lech Lecho 12:6).
How do we apply this principle to the opening of this week’s Torah portion: “And G-d appeared to him,” to Abraham?
Indeed, a well known story suggests that Abraham’s Divine revelation was unique to him alone. When the Rebbe Rashab was a young boy, he went to his grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, to receive a blessing in connection with his birthday (Cheshvan 20). When he entered his grandfather’s room, he began to cry. His grandfather asked him why he was crying and he explained that in cheder (school), he had learned that G-d had revealed Himself to Abraham and he was upset, why G-d did not reveal Himself to him. The Tzemach Tzedek replied: “When a righteous Jew at the age of 99 decides to circumcise himself, he is worthy that G-d reveal Himself to him.” The Rebbe Rashab was satisfied with this answer, and stopped crying.
And yet, the Rebbe Rashab did cry, and according to Nachmanides, there is nothing that happened to Abraham that would later not occur with his children, Abraham’s Divine revelation in some way can and will happen to his children.
Abraham paved the way for us to have a similar experience: To see the inner forces that shape our outer realities.
But in order to see your life in this special way, you too have to commit to the same two things that Abraham committed to: One, you must travel away from your own subjective trappings and remove the immediate pressures that block you from seeing what lies within. This includes controlling the flow of images, sounds, tastes, touches and smells, which enter your being and clutter your life. Two, you need to focus on the inner forces and the purpose of it all, ensuring that the means that lead you there are not confused with the end goal. Too often we get so consumed with the tools – earning a living, shopping, preparing – that we are left with no time, energy and space for the purpose of all these tools. Sometimes we may even forget that there is a purpose, like embarking on a journey and then forgetting the destination.
This commitment to the higher goal, as opposed to the means, in turn manifests in a life driven by virtue and selflessness, rather than instant gratification and immediate needs.
Once you demonstrate your commitment to this approach, new doors will open up from within. And then – and only then – will you begin to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Every detail of your life begins to burst with enormous energy. You learn to savor every sight, every sound, every taste, every touch, every smell.
You can look at a wild flower and see a flower, or you can see, as Blake put it, Heaven. You can listen to a bird sing and hear a song, or hear the music of angels. You can gently caress the finger of your beloved and touch a finger, or you can touch eternity.
A new perspective emerges in your life, teaching you how to bridge the visible and the invisible, the sensory and the supra-sensory – how to use your senses to reach beyond your senses and experience new dimensions.
And above all, your new vision allows you to release fresh energy from every experience you encounter: In a life driven by self-interest every situation is numbed and deadened by “what’s in it for me?” In stark contrast, a life driven by seeing the Divine opens your eyes, ears, taste, touch and smell to experience yourself and others in unprecedented ways. You learn to see new things, and see old things in new ways.
Every situation then becomes an opportunity to generate innovative power to help others and improve the world – directing every detail of your life toward the sublime, revealing the Divine purpose in everything, fulfilling the very objective of existence.
Tags: sight, transcendence
Posted in Biblical, Weekly Parsha, The Ramban, Bereishit, Soul & Mystical, Miracles, Middle Ages, Religion, Abraham, Beliefs & Concepts, Vayeira, Modern, Torah Personalities, Social, Tzemach Tzedek, Spiritual, Torah, Rebbe Rashab, Science & Technology | 5 Comments »
October 30th, 2014
Can We Trust the Media?
I am not the type that gets quickly (or even slowly) agitated. But an article in today’s New York Times agitated me to no end.
The article was about a victim of an assassination attempt, whom the editors coined, well, an… agitator.
Here is the opening lead of the article: “An Israeli-American agitator who has pushed for more Jewish access and rights at a hotly contested religious site in Jerusalem was shot and seriously wounded Wednesday night by an unidentified assailant in an apparent assassination attempt.”
What knee-jerk reaction did you have when reading this? As soon as you label someone with a loaded and inciting name like “agitator” — especially at the outset of an article — you have already declared him guilty in some way, and in effect prejudiced the reader.
Here you have a glaring example of slanting a story with one provocative term. By using the word “agitator” as the lead line, essentially, a reputable newspaper — no less one on the caliber of the venerated NY Times — is explaining, if not justifying, the attack After all, doesn’t an agitator deserve to be attacked? Didn’t he bring it on to himself?
By allowing its own biased perspective influence this article the great NY Times has become an agitator in its own right — imposing its position on its readers.
Would the Times dare describe a gay or civil rights activist (under attack) with the name “agitator”?!
Objective reporting would seem to dictate that you first report the facts (one man attempted to assassinate another) before commenting on the personality and character of the intended victim.
Would the Times ever dare open an article with stating that “a promiscuous woman was sexually attacked by a man,” suggesting somehow that the victim was at fault?! Never. It’s simply a form of yellow journalism to present a loaded case without allowing the reader to decide based on the facts.
Regardless whether you agree or disagree with Yehuda Glick’s positions, civil people can all agree that assassins, actual or potential, are the true agitators. As such an appropriate lead to the article should have read: Alleged terrorist or Muslim aggressor wounds Israeli activist.
Deja Vu
This episode brought back memories from another “biased” NY Times story, which I personally witnessed. During the Crown Heights riots in the summer of 1991, when blacks were wantonly attacking Jews and vandalizing their stores and homes, culminating in the cold blooded murder of Yankel Rosenbaum, the Times covered the events in its own inimitable style. In the name of so-called fair and balanced reporting the Times wrote that first a car in a Jewish motorcade hit and killed a young black child, Gavin Cato. Then a group of blacks killed Mr. Rosenbaum– as if the two were identical events. In fact, they were as different as can be: The first tragic death was by all accounts an accident; the latter — a deliberate and per-mediatated murder.
In an attempt to set the record straight, I submitted at the time an op-ed article laying out the events of that evening as I personally witnessed them. Needless to say, the Times did not accept my submission.
It seems that my grandfather was right after all. Years ago, when I was a a teenager, he told me that everything written in the newspaper is a lie, even the date on the masthead, because the paper was printed last night…
At the time I argued with my grandfather, presenting my “progressive” perspective that he mistrusted all news outlets since he was coming from the primitive Soviet Union, where propaganda ruled the media, and a newspaper can call itself “truth” (Pravda in Russian means truth; the Communist Yiddish paper was called “emes” — truth in Yiddish, never mind that it was spelled ayin, mem, ayin, samech) — imagine a newspaper in the USA being called “The Truth.” But today, in the modern and evolved free world, where freedom of press is a divine right, we can trust the media. “Zeide,” I said, “we live in a new world. Today the media can be trusted.”
Never mind that his son-in-law, my father, was a journalist. On second thought, this may have been part of the reason why my grandfather was jabbing the media.
But today, as I have grown into a grandfather myself, I have come to think that my zeide may have had a point.
Lest you think that I have become a suspicious grouch or a conspiracy theorist, distrusting every story I read, let me assure that this is not the case. Much can be said for our open society and the free flow of information and news. But people are still people, and so are editors and writers, with all their prejudices and opinions. We must therefore underscore that we should take everything we read — even from established and respectable sources — with a grain of salt.
Part of our open media is that we can keep each other honest and accountable.
Let us all remember, and the media above all (due to the responsibility that they carry in delivering the news to the public): We are all biased and subjective, carrying within prejudices and per-conceived notions. The honest person, the man or woman of integrity, is not the one that is objective, but the humble one — the one that acknowledges his or her subjectivity, and feels accountable for presenting a skewed (even slightly) story, due to a personal or self-interest-based viewpoint. (Another example of this are those journalists and pundits that felt proud of their involvement in the Oslo talks, hoping to achieve glory, and when those talks failed, their injured pride caused them to dig in and maintain obstinate and untenable positions about Israel and the two-state solution).
And recognize that sometimes the ones accusing others of being media agitators may be the greatest agitators of them all.
Tags: anti-semitism, Islamism, media, victim-blaming, Yehuda Glick
Posted in Bereishit, Weekly Parsha, Israel, Lech-Lecha, Social, Torah, Current Events | 8 Comments »
October 29th, 2014
Everything G-d created in His world He created to express His glory
— Mishne Avot 6:11
In the early 1950’s, a couple and their young daughter had a private audience with the Rebbe. After the wife and husband had asked for advice on various issues, the Rebbe turned to the six-year-old girl and asked if she had any questions. Her parents tried to hush her up as she began to speak, so as not to take the Rebbe’s valuable time. But the Rebbe encouraged her to go ahead. The little girl, with a concerned look on her face, asked the Rebbe whether he thought that atomic energy was good or bad. “In your kitchen at home, there is a knife,” the Rebbe said. “Is the knife good or bad?” The little girl replied, “It depends what it is used for. If it is used to cut food, then it is good. If it is used to hurt someone, then it is bad.”
“That is a good and true answer,” the Rebbe told her, “ and the same could be said for atomic energy or any other technology that man has developed.”
During many of his discourses, broadcast around the world via cable and satellite relays, the Rebbe would encourage the use of modern communications to unite mankind. He explained how people across the globe, normally divided by space and time, are suddenly unified, creating an opportunity for them to study together, pray together, and resolve to do one more good deed, thereby forming a universal wave of togetherness. “One might think, ‘What can I possibly accomplish sitting in this tiny corner on this huge planet of billions of people?’” the Rebbe said. “Today, we see how one person lighting a candle in his tiny corner can illuminate the entire world.”
Technology: Vice or virtue?
The computer age and the information revolution have given all of us enormous power and the ability to reach virtually anyone at any time. Yes, technology allows us to live more comfortably and work more efficiently, but can we understand how it makes our lives more meaningful?
On its own, science is neutral; it attempts to give us an objective view of our physical universe and its natural forces, but it does not draw a conclusion as to how we should use these forces. It does not deal with good and evil or with questions of morality. At its best, science acknowledges its own boundaries, recognizing that it is neither the basis nor the code for moral doctrine.
Technology, as with all forces in our lives, can be used either constructively or destructively. Developments such as television, computers, and lasers, and discoveries in nuclear energy, medicine, and biology — these are all instances of G-dly forces that are manifested in nature. Man has been charged with tapping those resources to refine and civilize the world, to transform our material surroundings into a proper home for spirituality and G-dliness.
We can choose to acknowledge the “hand inside the glove,” understanding where the power truly comes from, and use these forces as tools to lead a more meaningful life. Or we can choose to be distracted by the glove, to see technology only as a means unto itself, using it for indulgent, selfish, perhaps even destructive purposes.
Why is it important to understand technology?
The sweeping technological changes that have taken place during the past several generations are in keeping with the prediction some two thousand years ago in the Zohar, a classical text of mysticism, stating that in the year 1840, there would be an outburst of “lower wisdom,” or advancements in the physical universe, and an increase in “sublime wisdom,” or spirituality, would begin to usher true unity into the world, leading toward the final redemption.
The increase in both types of wisdom — wisdom of the mind and wisdom of the soul — has surely come to pass; where we have fallen short is in integrating these spheres of knowledge. Only by balancing the scientific with the spiritual can we transform the dream of an ideal future into a functional blueprint for society, for true communication can begin only when human minds and souls interact. With communication comes understanding; with understanding comes compassion; and with compassion comes a natural movement toward universalism.
So the current technological revolution is in fact the hand of G-d at work; it is meant to help us make G-d a reality in our lives. And as time goes on, science will show itself more and more to parallel the truths of G-d, thereby revealing the intrinsic unity in the entire universe.
The divine purpose of the present information revolution, for instance, which gives an individual unprecedented power and opportunity, is to allow us to share knowledge — spiritual knowledge with each other, empowering and unifying individuals everywhere. We need to utilize today’s interactive technology not just for business or leisure but to interlink as people — to create a welcome environment for the interaction of our souls, our hearts, our visions.
There is much to learn from the technological revolution, as long as we understand its role in our lives and see it as a final step in our dramatic search for unity throughout the universe. After all, developments in science and technology have taught us to be more sensitive to the intangible and the sublime: the forces behind computers, telephones, television, and so on are all invisible, and yet we fully recognize their power and reach. Similarly, we must come to accept that the driving force behind the entire universe is intangible and sublime, and we must come to experience the transcendent and G-dly in every single thing — beginning, of course with ourselves.
With all our human capacity for technological advancement, we must never forget our higher objective. We must strive to enhance our scientific search for truth by constantly expanding our spiritual search for the divine.
ACTION
Understanding science and technology as divine tools for our personal and spiritual growth is critical for our well-being. It is well and good to learn to program a computer, but unless a student also acquires a sense of discipline and integrity, he or she might just as easily use that skill to wreak technological havoc as to obtain a job.
The best students — and the best teachers — recognize that there is much to be learned by inspecting the failure of cultures before ours. By doing so, it becomes painfully clear that no amount of wisdom or technology can overcome a value system that encourages selfishness or evil. We must strive, therefore, to transcend humanity by constantly expanding our spiritual search.
The responsibility that comes with technological knowledge extends beyond how people use their skills at work or in their studies; it also shapes the choices they make when interacting with others online. Discipline and integrity mean respecting other people’s privacy, questioning the reliability of information before sharing it, and recognising that personal data should never be treated carelessly.
Technology can make learning and communication easier, but these benefits depend on individuals understanding the consequences of their actions and making thoughtful decisions. Developing good digital habits is therefore part of the same process of personal growth, encouraging people to use modern tools with consideration rather than allowing convenience or curiosity to override sound judgement.
Protecting personal information is another part of using technology responsibly, particularly when everyday activities involve online banking, private messages, research, or sharing sensitive details. A secure internet connection can help reduce certain risks associated with browsing, especially when using unfamiliar or public Wi-Fi networks. A VPN for Windows PC, for example, encrypts internet traffic between the device and the VPN server, helping shield browsing activity from others on the same local network.
Browsec provides VPN services intended to offer a more private browsing experience, although a VPN cannot prevent every form of tracking or protect against all online threats. Understanding both its benefits and limitations encourages users to make informed decisions about their digital safety, reinforcing the idea that technological progress is most valuable when it is accompanied by awareness, responsibility, and respect for others.
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Tags: technology, action, Rebbe, good and evil, science, morality, communication, spiritual and material
Posted in Excerpts From Toward a Meaningful Life, Social, Science & Technology, The Book: Toward a Meaningful Life | No Comments »
October 29th, 2014
A child’s character education should take priority over his academic education. All educational efforts are basically meaningless unless built on the solid foundation of good character — The Rebbe
A couple visited a rabbi to seek advice about how to educate their twelve-year-old son. The rabbi answered them: “You have come to me twelve years too late. A human being is like a tree. If you make a scratch on the branch of a full-grown tree, you affect only that branch. But if you make even a minuscule scratch on a seed, the tree will never grow straight, if it grows at all.”
What is the real meaning of education?
If there is one single factor within our control that can directly determine who we are as people, it is education. There is only one way to produce healthy and wholesome adults, people who will lead selfless and meaningful lives, and that is to educate our children.
Education is not just learning the skills to make a living; it is learning to understand life itself. Life is the recognition of G-d and the mission that He, G-d has charged us with — refining ourselves and sanctifying our world.
Imparting information is but a small and rather simple component of education. A true education — an education for life — consists of teaching children that they have an uncompromising responsibility to G-d to live morally and ethically, which will sustain them individually and create a better world for their children and for generations to come.
How should we educate?
The question of how to educate is really the same as asking, How should we communicate? How should we do business? How should we live?
The answer is always the same: through love. Without love, education is at best incomplete and at worst, destructive. Love means sensitivity — not to your ideas and your standards, but to your student’s and, most important, to G-d’s. Once young people grow familiar with an existence that is greater than themselves and acquire an aptitude and intellectual taste for the spiritual, they become attuned to their purpose in life. They become children who relate to their parents with respect and affection. Children who will not take property that doesn’t belong to them. Children who reach out to help other people, and are generous with their time and love.
How should this generation be educated?
Because a child is impressionable, he will be impressed by whatever is around him. Today, there are more obstacles than ever — television, crime, the lure of drugs — to a proper education. And after fighting through all these distractions, there is precious little time and energy left to cultivate our children’s souls. It is not enough to pat your daughter and son on the head and send them off to school; education is an around-the-clock duty. We must be as vigilant as when the child was a newborn — always on the alert, always ready to serve the child’s spiritual needs.
Without the acceptance that morality is derived from G-d, morality — and, therefore, education — is guided by nothing more than human whim and conscience. History has shown us that a society can be extremely well educated and yet, if not guided by G-d’s precepts, it may be steeped in immorality and evil.
So a system of morally sound education is one of the primary responsibilities of society. While there must be a certain group of people whose primary responsibility is to implement education, each member of society must take an active role. For parents of young children especially, the responsibility is clear. Think how disturbed we would be to learn about a parent who had a sick child, but refused to take the child to a doctor. If that is the case for the child’s body, shouldn’t we feel the same concern for a child’s mind, for his soul?
ACTION
Ensure that your child receives a moral education. Enroll your son or daughter in a school that puts emphasis on character development and morality, based on the principles that this country is founded on: In G-d we Trust.
As adults we should not project unto our children our own skepticism and doubts. Remember, it is children who can best relate to the simplicity and magic the essence of G-d
We must look at our children and tell ourselves again and again: Here is a fertile soul, an open heart and mind, that I have been given by G-d to nurture and teach. This child’s life will affect many others, and I must teach him as best as I can.
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Tags: children, Rebbe, Toward a Meaningful Life, morality, education, action
Posted in Excerpts From Toward a Meaningful Life, Soul Gym, Social, Soul Gym, The Book: Toward a Meaningful Life, Education | 1 Comment »
October 29th, 2014
“A sound and healthy body is dependent on a sound and healthy soul” — The Rebbe
The Rebbe often spoke of how optimism, reinforced by a trust in G-d, is just as important to the healing process as medicine and doctors. In 1977, the Rebbe suffered a serious heart attack. One day later, he insisted on giving a talk, as he had done on that particular day for the previous 38 years.
“You must take care of your health,” the doctor insisted. “If not, there is a twenty-five percent chance of a relapse.” The doctor asked if the Rebbe understood what he had said.
“Oh, yes,” said the Rebbe with a smile. “You said that even if I don’t take care of my health — which, I assure you, I will — there is a seventy-five percent chance that there won’t be a relapse.”
What is the importance of a healthy body?
Your body belongs to G-d, who gave it to you to care for, as a vehicle to carry your soul through life. Just as you would not harm another person, just as you would not harm anything that G-d has created, you should not harm your own body. It is your duty to eat well, to rest, to stay in shape, and to treat your body with respect in every way. Physical fitness is not arbitrary or optional; it is part of your responsibility to G-d. On the other hand, worshipping the body is destructive. The body is a vehicle for the soul; its value lies there, not as an end unto itself.
Many people today are health-conscious. We understand that being healthy makes us feel better, makes us more productive, and ultimately lengthens our lives. We realize that when we are healthy, we can concentrate on family and work, and the other things that are important to us. But most significantly, a healthy body allows you to concentrate on your soul, enabling you to fulfill your divine mission in this world and live a meaningful life.
What is good health?
Good health is far more than a physical body that functions properly, much more than a temperature of 98.6 degrees. Good health is a sound soul in a sound body. Modern medicine has begun to discover the dramatic effect that a person’s spirit can have on the healing work process. People with healthy, optimistic spirits, for example, have been shown to have stronger immune systems; psychologically, too, we are increasingly learning that a person’s physical health is directly affected by his or her faith in G-d. Conversely, even a small defect in the spirit creates a profound defect in the body.
Just as the body is nourished by certain foods, the soul needs spiritual nourishment. This nourishment includes an awareness of one’s mission in life and an awareness of G-d, who has empowered us with the abilities to fulfill that mission. A healthy soul connects to G-d through study, prayer and virtuous acts. As you fulfill your moral and spiritual obligations, your soul is fed with divine energy, just as your body is fed with material energy through the process of digestion.
The interrelationship between body and soul
Although we have doctors, the responsibility to care for our body and soul lies primarily within ourselves. Initially, of course, preventive medicine is the best option; this includes acknowledging the root of a problem and not just its symptoms. The medical community is just now discovering what the Torah has always taught: that identifying the root of a problem and explaining it to a person can help avoid the problem, or to heal it at its source.
The next time you exercise and feel re-energized, realize that you have just re-energized a precious piece of G-d’s property. As you breathe in deeply, or eat a healthy meal, realize that you are investing in a valuable commodity. But also remember that the health of your body is dependent on the health of your soul. And it is your responsibility to nourish them both. When your body or soul cries out, recognize the symptoms for what they are: an urgent request for you to address their needs, be they spiritual or physical.
ACTION
Every aspect of your physical fitness has a spiritual component.
When you eat, you must acknowledge that the food is not meant for simple indulgence, but to generate the vitality necessary to lead a meaningful life.
When you go to bed with a humble recognition of G-d and a serious appraisal of your day’s activities, the soul is allowed to drink from the regenerative spiritual waters of sleep.
We play a critical role in facilitating the healing process in others. This is why we must visit the sick. Besides the fact that it is an obvious moral obligation, visiting a sick person shows them that they are cared for, which bolsters their confidence and hope. This, in turn, helps strengthen their determination to heal.
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Tags: balance, Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Rebbe, Toward a Meaningful Life, body and soul, healing, health, spiritual and material
Posted in Excerpts From Toward a Meaningful Life, Social, The Book: Toward a Meaningful Life, Medicine | No Comments »
October 29th, 2014
We are experiencing a revolution of knowledge and technology. All this is a prelude to the final redemption, when there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor strife, because goodness will flow in abundance and all delightful things will be as available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d — The Rebbe
When the Rebbe first assumed leadership of the Lubavitch movement, in 1951, he declared that the long process of human history was finally coming to fruition. “This generation is the final generation of exile,” he declared, “and the first generation of redemption — personal redemption and universal redemption, leading to the perfection of society and a world filled with the awareness of G-d. Everything now depends on us.”
Throughout his leadership, this would remain the Rebbe’s essential theme: the role of the current generation in making G-d a reality in our lives, in making this world a welcome place for Him to dwell.
Where are we headed?
Can we expect that our future will be better than our past? Will this world ever become a better place?
Imagine that you have lived your entire life in a dark tunnel. Your parents and grandparents lived here too, and so did their parents and grandparents. You have been told that long ago, your ancestors lived in a very different, well-lighted place, but can you really believe some old tale about the possibility of life on the outside?
But no matter how accustomed you have become to the darkness, you still feel restless and insecure. You realize that, although the darkness may be a part of life, it is not life itself.
As we stumble through life, we have all wondered if we will ever find peace within ourselves and lead a truly meaningful life. After all, even though human nature craves a higher purpose, what is the point of working so hard to live a virtuous life if it is not leading anywhere?
The answer to all these questions is just one word: redemption. Redemption is the light at the end of the tunnel. Redemption is the belief that this world was created by design, and its purpose will indeed be realized — that goodness will prevail and that our lives can be meaningful. Without redemption, our lives would indeed be meaningless — a never-ending tunnel of darkness, with little awareness of an alternative existence and no hope of ever reaching the light.
How do we get out of the tunnel?
G-d created within each of us a divine spark which, when cultivated, allows us to illuminate the darkness and move on. How does one cultivate this spark? By recognizing the strength within your soul. By rising above your ego and acknowledging an absolute force that is far greater than yourself. And above all, by realizing that, amidst the darkness there is indeed a light to be found, which will instill every act of virtue with infinite meaning. To be redeemed means to be freed from an overbearing employer or a tyrannical regime; to be freed from a dangerous habit or an abusive situation; to be freed from the fear within ourselves and the confusion that clouds our vision.
Where do we stand now?
The sweeping technological changes that have taken place during the past several generations are in keeping with the prediction some two thousand years ago in the Zohar, a classical text of mysticism, stating that in the year 1840, there would be an outburst of “lower wisdom,” or advancements in the physical universe, and an increase in “sublime wisdom,” or spirituality, would begin to usher true unity into the world, leading toward the final redemption.
So the current technological revolution is in fact the hand of G-d at work; it is meant to help us make G-d a reality in our lives. And as time goes on, science will show itself more and more to parallel the truths of G-d, thereby revealing the intrinsic unity in the entire universe.
The divine purpose of the present information revolution, for instance, which gives an individual unprecedented power and opportunity, is to allow us to share knowledge — spiritual knowledge with each other, empowering and unifying individuals everywhere.
And the final step is what?
After the thousands of years of living in the tunnel and traveling through its darkness, we now stand on the threshold of the era of redemption. This means, in part, that people will perceive G-d in all their experiences. We will all see our material pursuits through the filter of sanctity — not as an end in themselves, but as means to a higher end. Revolutionary changes are taking place on all fronts — on a personal level and on a global scale, in technology, in politics, and in the human spirit.
We are now approaching the end of the tunnel, and we are beginning to feel and see the warm, bright light. Now, then, is not the time to be skeptical or selfish. Even the smallest things — a kind word, a dollar to charity, a few minutes of prayer — are immeasurably significant. We must do anything we can to throw even one ray of light into the darkness. Our journey is about to end; we are set to reach our destination, our rendezvous with G-d. The next move is yours.
ACTION
Add in acts of goodness and kindness.
Because the challenge is so large, you must start small.
Take an inspiring class or go to a lecture.
Learn about G-d and the purpose of creation.
Remember, the first step in escaping the darkness is acknowledging that it is darkness. Familiarize yourself with these ideas at your own pace, and you will begin to see a larger picture taking shape in your mind. Pause for a moment to reflect on the true priorities in your life.
Make your home a loving environment; make your office a place where generosity and compassion replace selfishness and aggression. And above all, share these ideas with your family and friends.
If one person can resolve to make these changes, then ten can. And if ten can, so can one hundred, and on and on. After all, we are intrinsically good; we naturally want to lead better, more productive, more meaningful lives. Commit yourself today and exhort others to do the same.
Buy the best-seller, Toward a Meaningful Life starting at $13.99, from our MLC Shop, Amazon or Kindle. Or sign up for our weekly email to receive a dose of meaning every Thursday night.
Tags: action, divine sparks, Moshiach, Rebbe, Toward a Meaningful Life, redemption, future, Rabbi Simon Jacobson
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October 29th, 2014
The purpose and intent [of a true leader] shall be to elevate mankind’s faith, and to fill the world with justice — Maimonides, Laws of Kings, 4:10
Everyone must be a leader — The Rebbe
At some point in our lives, we have all had a relationship with someone — a parent, a teacher, or employer perhaps — who greatly changed the way we look at life and the world. Someone who had high standards and truly stood for something. Someone who inspired and motivated us. Someone who taught us to set goals and instilled the confidence and spirit to achieve them. Such a person is a true leader.
Today, we are surrounded by people we may call leaders — in government, in business, in education, in the arts. But we are suffering from a scarcity of genuine leadership. Where are these people really leading us, and why?
After witnessing so much deceit and such frequent abuse of power, many people have stopped trusting their leaders. Still, no matter how cynical we may grow, we resign ourselves to the fact that we need someone to keep our various houses in order. Since we are so preoccupied with our own lives, we are willing to elect or appoint officials to manage the affairs of the land.
But is a leader merely a manager? What should we expect from our leaders? And do we really need leaders in the first place?
Yes, we do need leaders. On our own, we lack the vision, direction, and strength to reach our goals. We all begin our lives in need of guidance – even the most precocious child could not possibly be expected to make certain crucial decisions. Once we become adults, with the capacity to reason for ourselves, we are so overwhelmed by the pressures of daily survival that we rarely find the time and energy to focus on life’s larger issues. And when we do, our emotions and inherent subjectivity limit our vision and constrict our movement.
A leader provides a new perspective, inspiring us to abandon our narrow field of vision. When we are preoccupied with our self-interests – be they petty or great – a leader sends out a wake-up call, alerting us to seek the true priorities in life.
This sense of urgency is just as important in a leader as a sense of vision. Leadership today is sorely lacking the quality of urgency. Many of our leaders are effective managers, and some are even inspirational; we have CEO’s who can direct thousands of employees toward a single objective, and politicians whose rhetoric inspires millions of citizens to support them.
What these leaders don’t provide is simple – and essential: a vision of life itself. Genuine leadership must give people a long-term vision that imbues their lives with meaning; it must point them in a new direction and show how their every action is an indispensable part of a purposeful whole. It is not enough for our leaders to teach us to be productive or efficient; they need to inspire us to change or improve the world in a productive, meaningful way. And this creates a compelling sense of urgency: to fulfill this vision of life.
What Makes a True Leader?
With so many people purporting to be leaders these days, how do we recognize a true leader? To answer that question, we must step back and ask: What is it that a leader is really trying to accomplish?
A true leader wants nothing more than to make people stand on their own, as leaders in their own right. Instead of trying to blind us with his or her brilliance, a true leader reflects our own light back to us, so that we may see ourselves anew.
Moses was the quintessential leader. We see in Exodus that he was a shepherd – a rather modest beginning for the man who would speak to G-d. He kept watch as thousands of sheep wandered the fields. Moses noticed that one sheep was missing and went off to look for it, finding it at a distant brook. When the sheep had finished drinking, Moses lifted it onto his shoulders and carried it back to the flock.
When G-d saw this, he realized that Moses was a man of reason, empathy and selfless devotion, a man truly worthy to lead His people. After all, no one was watching Moses; he could easily have thought to himself, Why be concerned with one sheep when there are thousands?
In our secular society, we tend to think of a leader as a person who is well-connected, who is powerful or charismatic or wealthy. We judge our leaders by what they have. But a true leader should be judged by what he has not — ego, arrogance, and self-interest. A true leader sees his work as selfless service toward a higher purpose. As the sages say, “Leadership is not power and dominance; it is servitude” [1]. This does not mean that a leader is weak; he derives great strength from his dedication to a purpose that is greater than himself.
Each generation has its Moses, a leader who inspires absolute trust, who is totally dedicated to fulfilling his unique role. He understands and appreciates each person’s role in perfecting this world, and guides him or her accordingly; he rises above any individual perspective to take a global view, seeing how each person and issue fits into the entire scheme of the contemporary world.
A true leader shakes people from their reverie and tells them, “No, you don’t need to live a life of desperation and confusion. Yes, you do have the ability to find meaning in your life, and the unique skills to fulfill that meaning. You are an important link in a chain of generations past; you have a legacy worth preserving and a future worth fighting for.”
A true leader shows us that our world is indeed heading somewhere and that we control its movement. That we need not be at the mercy of personal prejudices or the prevailing political wind. That none of us are subservient to history or nature — that we are history and nature. That we can rid the world of war and hate and ignorance, and obliterate the borders separating race from race, rich from poor.
Centuries ago, kings and queens ruled the world, but we are today far removed from the very concept of absolute leadership. Indeed, leadership would seem to contradict our democratic tradition, which has taught us not to subordinate our lives to another human being. But we cannot afford to be so literal-minded: If the ideals of democracy were followed to the extreme, if the public demanded a referendum for even the smallest piece of legislation, society could not function. So our current political makeup is a pragmatic and acceptable compromise, allowing individuals a role in choosing their leaders while holding the leaders responsible to society.
Still, many people have lost faith in contemporary leaders. The solution is not to resign yourself to this sad state of affairs, but to search for and demand a leader of sterling character. The ultimate goal should be to have all the benefits of democracy and the benefits of a visionary leader.
It is important, especially today, to distinguish between leadership and demagoguery. A demagogue may inspire people, but his motives are impure and his expectations unrealistic. It is wise to be a bit skeptical when assessing a leader: Is he truly devoted to his mission or just seeking glory? Is he truly interested in the welfare of others or simply building a flock for his own aggrandizement?
A true leader does not want followers; he wants to teach others how to be leaders. He does not want control; he wants the truth. He does not impose his leadership on others, nor does he take away anyone’s autonomy. He inspires by love, not coercion. When it comes time to take credit, he makes himself invisible; but he is the first to arrive at the time of need, and he will never shrink away in fear. He is so passionate about your welfare that when you consult him for guidance, it is like coming face to face with yourself for the first time.
A true leader must be a living example of his teachings. When we see that a leader’s personal life embodies his philosophy, we too are inspired to learn that philosophy. Conversely, if we see that a leader does not live by his own words, we cannot trust him.
It is useless for a leader to be a visionary in the abstract; he must be a successful communicator whose vision can be translated into specific, applicable principles – not knowledge for the sake of knowledge, but knowledge that can actually help improve the world.
So a leader must be many things – selfless, devoted, visionary, courageous, and above all, humble. When G-d chose Moses to lead His people out of bondage in Egypt, Moses replied, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh?” (Exodus, 3:12). Indeed, “Moses was humbler than any man on the face of the Earth” (Numbers, 12:3).
We must recognize the characteristics of a leader – not only so we can weed out the demagogues, but so we can freely embrace a true leader when he does emerge. When people sincerely believe in a leader, they rise above their petty self-concerns. They become eager to accept his direction and input, and are inspired to accomplish far more than they could have on their own.
By recognizing the characteristics of a true leader, we set a standard for our leaders and, more important, for ourselves. Setting your sights on the summit, even when you have yet to arrive there, is the surest way of completing the journey.
After the passing of his father-in-law, the previous Rebbe, in 1950, the Rebbe initially declined to lead the Lubavitch movement, saying that one needs to have “special strengths” for such a task. A year later, on the first anniversary of his father-in-law’s death, he finally accepted and formally assumed leadership.
One of the rare occasions on which he addressed his role as leader was during a celebration for his eighty-third birthday, in 1985. “Immodesty is one of the most destructive attributes in human nature,” he said. “It is the root of all inappropriate behavior. How can we then allow people to gather here today in honor of one individual?”
The Rebbe explained that the gathering was not meant to honor an individual, but an entire movement toward righteousness. “Therefore, it isn’t relevant which individual heads the movement – only the movement itself,” he continued. “The success of the movement is dependent on the unity of all its followers, a unity that transcends their differences. However, in order to unite people who are diverse by nature, there needs to be one leader who is a servant to the cause, whose sole role it is to teach and inspire and perpetuate the activities of the movement.”
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[1] Talmud Horiot 10b. As G-d told Moses: “I have given you greatness only for them” (ibid., Berachot 32a)
Tags: Philosophy, Rebbe, Moses, Toward a Meaningful Life, responsibility, authority, leadership
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October 29th, 2014
Seek the welfare of the city…and pray to G-d for it, for in its peace, you shall have peace — Jeremiah, 29:7
The role of government is to balance communal and individual good. This is only possible when society is governed by the principles of morality and justice, law and order, under one G-d — The Rebbe
Over the centuries, the human race has experimented with many forms of government. Imperialist monarchies and despotism once ruled the world, giving way to such political and economic extremes as fascism and democracy, Marxism and capitalism. The twentieth century has been a particularly turbulent one. After two World Wars and the rise – and unexpected fall – of communism, we now have the luxury of hindsight to assess and learn from these various systems.
In each case, mankind continues to be plagued by the same basic conflict: individual rights versus the greater good of the community. The role of government is to strike a balance between the two, and yet no political system has been able to perfect this balance.
Human beings are naturally diverse in their beliefs and ambitions. Such differences often produce conflict between individuals and throughout society. Suppressing this diversity would infringe on individual liberties, and is therefore unacceptable; and yet allowing every person unbridled freedom is also unacceptable, for each person would then be free to do as he chose, including harming another person or society.
Most governments have reacted to this paradox by opting for one extreme or the other. Totalitarianism argues for the good of the whole at the expense of the individual; it believes that the individual is inherently selfish, and that his needs will ultimately fragment a nation and undermine the common good. Ironically, it is under such regimes that individuals — that is, dictators — assume unprecedented powers. We need no reminder of the untold misery that this form of government, in most cases, has caused the human race.
Democracy, on the other hand, nurtures the very individualism that totalitarianism squelches; it declares that all men were created equal and possess the right to pursue their beliefs without hindrance. Democracy contends that it is better to have motivated free people and risk excessive self-interest than to destroy their drive by suppressing individualism for the common good.
Democracy would appear to be a far superior form of government than totalitarianism. But democracy contains an inherent flaw, in that its essential motivating factor is self-interest. Over time, the core values of a community can begin to crumble under the accumulated weight of millions of individual desires and needs. Ultimately, these conflicting interests can erode a society’s unified drive for meaningful achievement. Several democracies have struggled mightily with this dilemma, perhaps none more than the United States, the largest democracy in the history of the world. Consider the current battle in dozens of American cities where individuals’ freedom of expression have come in conflict with community standards of morality.
Since people are bound to have vastly different beliefs, who should define the standards of morality and justice that must rule all the people? At what point does a government intervene to keep an individual from harming himself or others? How do we avoid the abuse of power by government leaders?
The only government that can successfully balance individual and societal needs is a righteous government built on faith in G-d. The underlying flaw of all governments, whether fascistic or democratic, is that they are based on human rules. Any government built on human judgment is bound to revolve around the prejudice, subjectivity, and arbitrariness of individual humans or groups. But
G-d, who created all people equal, also gave them a system of absolute morality and justice.
A society that yearns to be righteous must be built on such ethical values.The very foundation of civilization rests upon the basic principles known as the Seven Noahide laws given at Sinai:
1. Belief in G-d.
2. Respect for and praise of G-d.
3. Respect for human life.
4. Respect for the family.
5. Respect for others’ rights and property.
6. Creation of a judicial system.
7. Respect for all creatures.
Without these laws as a bedrock of government, a society will either have despotism, where individuals’ lives are compromised and possibly abused, or anarchy, where every person pursues his or her own needs without regard for the law.
So how is it possible to balance individual freedom with the good of society? By looking beyond self-interest and recognizing that we are all part of the same family and community; by recognizing that we are all bound by the same divine laws and entrusted with the same mission in life – to civilize the world in a meaningful and G-dly way.
What steps should government take to ensure the welfare of its citizens?
The key to balancing individual and communal needs is education. For a government to be truly dedicated to the welfare of its citizens – their physical, emotional, and, above all, spiritual welfare – it must make education its primary objective without which all the other points are moot. A government and its leaders not only must teach citizens how to pursue rational solutions to complex problems but must teach them how to live. It must educate them that human conduct must follow the divine laws given to us all by G-d. This is the only guarantee that individual rights will be preserved without compromising the common good.
The United States epitomizes these principles. This is a country, after all, whose founders declared it “one nation under G-d.” Sessions of Congress are opened with a religious invocation; the Bible is used to swear in elected officials, and chaplains are appointed in the armed forces. Even this nation’s currency – the very icon of materialism – declares “In G-d We Trust.”
The majority of this country’s early settlers were religious refugees who firmly believed in G-d and the Bible, and were determined to protect their right to do so. This was not an abstract belief in a supreme being who dwelt somewhere in heaven; it was a belief that permeated every aspect of their lives, particularly the education of their children. They appreciated and understood this newfound religious freedom.
These core beliefs are the secret of the nation’s endurance. Having built itself on a firm and permanent foundation, the United States has become the most powerful of nations, in a unique position to positively influence every inhabitant on the face of the earth.
And yet we are currently witnessing a sad phenomenon. The spirit of the Constitution has been misinterpreted, with some parties taking “religious freedom” to mean freedom from religion. Even a non-denominational “moment of silence” in schools has been opposed.
When the founding fathers included “freedom of religion” in the Bill of Rights, they were ensuring the freedom of every man to worship G-d according to his own conscience; there can be no doubt that the Constitution was meant to preserve religious freedom, not to wean the nation away from G-d.
The principle of separation of church and state should not be misconstrued as a denial of G-d and religion. This separation is necessary so that government cannot impose any one religion on all its citizens; but such vigilance must not be carried out at the expense of the belief in G-d, which is shared by all denominations.
The United States is now faced with countless social disorders, many of which stem from the lack of belief in G-d and a corresponding lapse in respect for the divine laws of morality. Shouldn’t the Constitution be interpreted in a way that addresses this national crisis instead of avoiding it?
The only way to ensure that people adhere to a moral order is to instill in them a permanent sense of values. Punishing a person after he has committed a crime, for instance, is not attacking the cause of the problem, but its symptom. Clearly, a child who is brought up without the fear and respect for G-d in his heart will have no fear or respect for any authority – his parents, his teachers, the police. He must learn to accept the concept of a divine moral code that we all must obey. He must realize that the laws of man are rooted in something far more eternal: the Ten Commandments.
We must use every opportunity to cultivate this awareness.The moment of silence at the beginning of each school day is a good example. By no means is this a violation of the separation of church and state, for the child can use the moment however he or she wishes. But by encouraging this moment, we are telling the child that believing in a higher being is fundamental to all education, that knowledge per se is worthless without knowing how to use it for the good of society at large.
After all, there is another motto on U.S. currency besides “In G-d We Trust”; it is “E Pluribus Unum,” or “Out of many, one.” We must never allow our government to forget that every community is inherently made up of many individuals, and each individual should be encouraged to participate and contribute his individual strengths toward the greater good of the united community.
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Tags: America, Rabbi Simon Jacobson, government, Rebbe, Toward a Meaningful Life, God, responsibility, authority, justice, democracy
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