It is a Jewish custom to study Pirkei Avot - Ethics of our Fathers after Pesach. One of my favorite interpretations of a Mishnah in Avot highlights the difference between Rabbinic leadership vs. Rabbinic scholarship.
In Chapter 2:9 we learn about the five disciples of Rabban Yochanan the son of Zakkai, Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkenos, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, Rabbi Yossei the Kohen, Rabbi Shimon ben Netanel, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach. Their teacher would recount their praises: Rabbi Eliezer is a cemented cistern that loses not a drop; Rabbi Yehoshua - fortunate is she who gave birth to him; Rabbi Yossei - a chassid (pious one); Rabbi Shimon fears sin; Rabbi Elazar is as an ever-increasing wellspring. The Mishna continues, “[Rabbi Yochanan] used to say: If all the sages of Israel were to be in one cup of a balance-scale, and Eliezer ben Hurkenus were in the other, he would outweigh them all. Abba Shaul said in his name: If all the sages of Israel were to be in one cup of a balance-scale, Eliezer ben Hyrkenos included, and Elazar ben Arach were in the other, he would outweigh them all.”
How these two seemingly contradictory statements could both be true is the subject of an analysis given by the Rebbe on this Mishnah. Rabbi Eliezer, the cemented cistern, excelled in his retention of the Torah and tradition taught to him by his teachers. Rabbi Elazar excelled in his creativity in generating new teachings. Each of these qualities is valuable and necessary. When Rabbi Yochanan speaks as a Jewish leader he highlights Rabbi Eliezer – because to be a leader one must possess the humility and loyalty to the tradition, a quality personified by Rabbi Eliezer. Abba Shaul, on the other hand, quotes Rabbi Yochanan as a scholar – and with regard to scholarship the quality of creativity is more valuable. Thus Rabbi Elazar is highlighted for he is the “ever increasing wellspring.”
These two qualities are not mutually exclusive and there were Jewish leaders who embodied both of them. However, there were times when the leading Rabbi or sage was not necessarily the greatest scholar but he was the greatest leader because of his humility and loyalty to the teachings and traditions of his teachers. There is room and need for incisive and creative scholarship but it does not automatically render a person a leader unless they possess the traits needed to fill that role.
In these turbulent times, our leaders and those who aspire to Jewish leadership would do well to remember this important lesson of the criteria needed to be leader.
Please stay tuned for details regarding Shavuot programs in the coming week.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin