5785/2024
As a high school Rebbi, I often feel the need to create a classroom environment that will have a healthy balance of formal education as well as time to “chill.” In other words, the students must know that we are in the room to learn Torah. Similarly, they must be told about the standards of the classroom as well as the learning goals of the shiur. Yet, those same students also need to know that there is room to breathe in the classroom, and they must feel comfortable in the learning environment. Like a teacher, all leaders must know what goals they are trying to accomplish. Yet, leaders cannot be too strict with the people whom they are leading. With this idea in mind, we can better appreciate how Avraham Avinu was an idea leader.
The Rambam describes how Avraham Avinu would debate with people about the existence of Hashem. Specifically, Avraham would convince them how there was only one God, and they would learn to follow in Avraham’s ways. The Rambam even writes that, “Avraham had tens of thousands of students who would listen to his teachings, and this group was known as “Anshei Beit Avraham,” or “the people of Avraham’s house.” In other words, it was clear to everyone what Avraham represented. This was a man who was there to teach the world about God. Everyone who followed Avraham understood what their leader’s message was. Yet, the same Avraham is most famous for his acts of chessed and his hospitality. Avraham could be known as the “honors shiur Rebbi.” Yet, he also knew how to relate to any member of society. Clearly, Avraham’s mission to teach the world about God did not get in the way of his ability to reach people. A man who was able to gain tens of thousands of followers must have mastered the art of connecting with people without making them feel scared, embarrassed, or uncomfortable in any way.
In contrast to Avraham Avinu, the four kings mentioned in the parsha represent the worst form of leadership according to Rav Hirsch. Rav Hirsch notes that, “Nimrod’s system was to exploit the collective energies of his nation for his own selfish ends, sacrificing the happiness of the individual on the alter of national honor… We read here a history not of nations but of kings.” In other words, the four kings failed at connecting with their society. They did not lead their people. Rather, they took advantage of the people whom they were supposed to be helping. Similarly, Rav Hirsch notes that the affluent societies of “the cites of the plain” failed in a different way. He writes that, “There are nations that avoid thinking for themselves, and unload their concerns onto the head of the king. This occurs particularly in nations where the citizens are busily preoccupied with themselves. People who purse comfort and wealth and ignore the idealistic interests of their community are ready to sacrifice rights and assets – so long as they are “excused from thinking.” Interestingly, in this case, the failure did not lie in leaders but rather in the members of the community. Evidently, in an ideal society, there is a role that must be played both by the leader and by the nation.
In the case of Avraham, we give Avraham the credit for representing something deeper than what society represented at the time. Yet, we also must give credit to those members of society who followed him. They were looking to learn. They were looking to grow. Interestingly, the Rambam describes Mashiach as someone who will “gather the scattered people and restore the observance of the mitzvot.” Like Avraham, Mashiach will have clear standards while connecting to the entire nation. This speaks to a nation who is looking to learn from the leadership of Mashiach. In the case of Mashiach we see a leader helping his nation grow. A role is being played both by the leader and by the people. May we all merit to soon play our role in following the leadership of Mashiach, who will represent true Torah standards while being able to make us feel comfortable as he helps us grow.