Candle Lighting: 7:45 PM EST Montreal - Tzedakah & Mitzvah Reminder: Power reveals character. The Torah demands that power also be restrained by character.
This week’s Parshah Shoftim sets out the laws for appointing a King. But its model of leadership stands in sharp contrast to the world’s usual view of power.
The king is not told to surround himself with luxury, accumulate wealth or place himself above the people. Instead, he is commanded to write a Torah scroll for himself and read it every day. Why? So that he remains humble, faithful to the mitzvot and does not see himself as above the people he leads.
When we are aware of our responsibilities we should know we need to be humble, to self-examine and maintain our moral compass. Leadership is not a license to elevate oneself. It’s an obligation to serve others with integrity.
This message is especially timely as we enter my birthday month of Elul which is a time of reflection and return. Each of us leads…in our families, workplaces, friendships and communities.
The question is not whether we have influence, but how we use it.
May we learn from the Torah’s model of leadership that we remain teachable, grounded and accountable especially when we have the power to choose otherwise. This practice cultivates inner peace and strengthens our capacity for outer fairness.
Shabbat Shalom * Am Yisrael Chai * Peace