LESSON 6 Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers) 1:9 and 1:10
By Rabbi
Marching To Your Own Beat...Or Not
Introduction
Imagine for a moment that you are President of the United States. You possess power and prestige and are surrounded by countless minions and handlers protecting you, coaching you, and catering to your every need. It’s pretty awesome and amazing to be the leader of the free world – or is it? As Tom Canty, the pauper in Mark Twain’s classic The Prince and the Pauper, quickly discovered, the trappings of power can be an awful drag and can cramp one’s personal freedom and style.
Yet, man is not an island and one can’t ignore his or her responsibilities toward family and society. Is there a way to balance serving as a public servant or leader in any capacity, and simply doing your own thing and marching to the beat of your own drummer?
Text of Mishna
9) Shimon Ben Shatach says: interrogate the witnesses extensively; yet be cautious with your words, lest they learn from them to lie.
10) Shemaya and Avtalyon received the tradition from them. Shemaya says: love work; despise positions of power; and do not become overly familiar with the government.
Quick Questions
- Shemaya says: love work At what point does one need to draw the line between the virtue of hard work and the risk of burnout?
- Despise positions of power How are we to reconcile our leadership responsibilities, whether at home, at work, or in the community, with Shemaya’s advice?
- Do not become overly familiar with the government What is the pitfall in having friends in high places? In those instances that require me to rub shoulders with people in a position of power or authority – a customs official, the boss, dear mother- in- law, or the rich guy who seems to control our synagogue board—how do I protect myself from any possible harm?
Key Commentaries
Shemaya is guiding us in professional fulfillment and lifetime achievement. Never should one consider himself to be above good, hard work. On the other hand, working for those in power in an effort to curry favor with them is an exercise in futility. People in power will use you to further their own agenda, enslave you every waking hour to their own selfish interests, and discard you both professionally and personally when your usefulness runs out. (Rabbeinu Yonah)
Shemaya’s main theme is personal independence. In our Mishna, he addresses three areas where people must be careful to preserve and protect their ability to follow their own principles. Firstly, we are taught to love work, for this leads to economic independence. Secondly, we must despise positions of power, for leadership is essentially a glorified form of enslavement. Authority figures are liable to do things that they ordinarily wouldn’t consider in order to protect their power and prestige; these activities may even be contrary to the leader’s own principles and natural inclinations, and would never be done were there no political constraints. Lastly, the Mishna cautions us to avoid the influence of powerful friends and associates, for they often pressure others to conform to their views and wishes. One should learn to be content to live a private life, remain in a humble position, and to support oneself by dint of his own labors. (Rabbi S.R.! Hirsch)
Practical Applications
- Following the Chanukah story, the Hasmoneans wrongfully took hold of the royalty, a Judean-Davidic right that they were not entitled to, and which they lost after a relatively short period of time (see Nachmanidies’ commentary to Genesis 49:10).
- Never fall prey to the allure of the powerful. King Saul’s right hand man, Doeg, was ensnared in classic foot-in-mouth fashion right in front of his ruler, and the result was that he was compelled to murder an entire city of righteous priests (see Kings 1). In modern times, Presidential aide H.R. Haldeman is famous for having said, “I would run over my grandmother for President Nixon.” (R’ Yisroel Miller). And as 19 th century British statesman Lord Ackton asserted, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
- Our forefather Abraham, Deborah the prophetess, Maimonides, and the great Torah sage of a hundred years ago, the Chofetz Chaim, were all legendary leaders who never held any official positions. One can be a pillar of the community without ever informing others of the fact.
- In football, the quarterback with the gaudy statistics is never as well respected as his counterpart with lesser stats, but who has led his team to the Super Bowl. As a popular current mantra goes, “Just git ‘er done!” Sometimes this requires us to be the follower rather than the leader. There was a prestigious university that inquired of its applicants, “Are you a leader or a follower?” One applicant, after thinking about it, wrote, “I am a terrific follower.” She received the following response: “Congratulations, you have been accepted into our freshman class of 119 leaders and one terrific follower.”
Resolution
I will endeavor to maintain my moral independence, and to focus on fulfilling my responsibilities without becoming enamored of titles and the other superficial trappings of success.
Review Questions
How does the Mishna instruct us to relate to power and the powerful?
Points to Ponder
When I find myself in a position of leadership, how do I maintain my idealism and emerge as the independent-thinking hero?
If my close friend happens to achieve prominence and power, does our friendship automatically fall under suspicion?
How do modern-day rabbis and leaders integrate the timeless lessons of the Mishna into their lives?
