Leadership That Changes Lives
The information and story below was forwarded to me by a dear friend... and I found the lesson very inspiring! I titled this blog post as this lesson is titled.
Leadership That Changes Lives:
An American Rabbi was visiting Israel. While there he was invited out to dinner. On the way, he stopped to buy flowers for his host from a street vendor. “How much are the flowers?” He asked.
The vendor said “100 shekels.”
When the Rabbi reached into his wallet to pay him, the vendor said:
“No. No. No. That’s not how it works. I’m supposed to say ‘100 shekels,’” and you’re supposed to say: “100 shekels!? Lama? Ma kara? Why? What Happen? They are only worth twenty five.” Then I’m going to say: “25? You must be kidding! You are taking the bread from the mouths of my little children. But since you are a guest, I give you break and only take 90.” And then you are supposed to say: “Higzamta! Not an agora more than 40.” Eventually after a little more back and forth, we settle on 50. That’s how it works here.”
So the Rabbi reached into his wallet again and pulled out 50 Shekels.
But the vendor said, “From my students, I don’t take money” and gave him the flowers for free.
Every soul is a student. And each is a teacher. Each of us has influence on others. And there’s an insight in the Torah that tells us how important that influence is.
The Torah distinguishes between two kinds of leaders: prophets and kings. The kings were always fighting each other, waging war against external enemies, or facing schemes from their enemies within. Monarchs had power, and people fight for power.
But the prophets were leaders of an entirely different kind. They led almost against their will. When G-d summoned Isaiah, Isaiah said: “I am a man of unclean lips”. Jeremiah, when called, replied: “I can’t speak; I’m just a youth.” Jonah tried to flee.
As for Moses, the greatest of all prophets, hero of the Exodus, at the burning bush, when G-d said “lead”, Moses kept saying: “No. Who am I? They won’t believe in me. I’m not a man of words. Send someone else”.
Yet who do we remember all these centuries later?
Most of the kings are long forgotten, yet the words of the prophets continue to inspire, which is odd, since they had no power. They commanded no troops, and headed no government, but what they had was more enduring than power. They had influence. And as the philosopher Kierkegaard, who sowed the roots of existential psychology once put it: “When a king dies, his power ends. When a prophet dies, his influence begins.”
Not all of us have power. But we all have influence. Whether we're dealing with friends, family, employers, employees, in the street or at home, we influence every relationship we have, there are no exceptions. Influence is the most basic fabric running through life.
But we often are unaware of how we use our influence. We make the people around us better or worse than they might otherwise have been. Worse if we infect them with our cynicism; better if we inspire them with, friendship, and acts of kindness.
When we sit around the Seder table (or Shabbat table) with our friends and family, especially with our children, talking about Jewish history and destiny, we are doing what the prophets did. We are using words to change lives for the better. This is not the power of the king. This is the influence of the prophet.
That quiet leadership of influence that we demonstrate every year at the Seder table is the leadership that seeks no power. It is the leadership of influence that changes lives.
Chag Sameach Happy and Sweet Pessach,
Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky
Leadership That Changes Lives:
An American Rabbi was visiting Israel. While there he was invited out to dinner. On the way, he stopped to buy flowers for his host from a street vendor. “How much are the flowers?” He asked.
The vendor said “100 shekels.”
When the Rabbi reached into his wallet to pay him, the vendor said:
“No. No. No. That’s not how it works. I’m supposed to say ‘100 shekels,’” and you’re supposed to say: “100 shekels!? Lama? Ma kara? Why? What Happen? They are only worth twenty five.” Then I’m going to say: “25? You must be kidding! You are taking the bread from the mouths of my little children. But since you are a guest, I give you break and only take 90.” And then you are supposed to say: “Higzamta! Not an agora more than 40.” Eventually after a little more back and forth, we settle on 50. That’s how it works here.”
So the Rabbi reached into his wallet again and pulled out 50 Shekels.
But the vendor said, “From my students, I don’t take money” and gave him the flowers for free.
Every soul is a student. And each is a teacher. Each of us has influence on others. And there’s an insight in the Torah that tells us how important that influence is.
The Torah distinguishes between two kinds of leaders: prophets and kings. The kings were always fighting each other, waging war against external enemies, or facing schemes from their enemies within. Monarchs had power, and people fight for power.
But the prophets were leaders of an entirely different kind. They led almost against their will. When G-d summoned Isaiah, Isaiah said: “I am a man of unclean lips”. Jeremiah, when called, replied: “I can’t speak; I’m just a youth.” Jonah tried to flee.
As for Moses, the greatest of all prophets, hero of the Exodus, at the burning bush, when G-d said “lead”, Moses kept saying: “No. Who am I? They won’t believe in me. I’m not a man of words. Send someone else”.
Yet who do we remember all these centuries later?
Most of the kings are long forgotten, yet the words of the prophets continue to inspire, which is odd, since they had no power. They commanded no troops, and headed no government, but what they had was more enduring than power. They had influence. And as the philosopher Kierkegaard, who sowed the roots of existential psychology once put it: “When a king dies, his power ends. When a prophet dies, his influence begins.”
Not all of us have power. But we all have influence. Whether we're dealing with friends, family, employers, employees, in the street or at home, we influence every relationship we have, there are no exceptions. Influence is the most basic fabric running through life.
But we often are unaware of how we use our influence. We make the people around us better or worse than they might otherwise have been. Worse if we infect them with our cynicism; better if we inspire them with, friendship, and acts of kindness.
When we sit around the Seder table (or Shabbat table) with our friends and family, especially with our children, talking about Jewish history and destiny, we are doing what the prophets did. We are using words to change lives for the better. This is not the power of the king. This is the influence of the prophet.
That quiet leadership of influence that we demonstrate every year at the Seder table is the leadership that seeks no power. It is the leadership of influence that changes lives.
Chag Sameach Happy and Sweet Pessach,
Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky
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