What, You Want Me to be the Leader?

The success of a society depends on the integrity and character of the leaders

Can you remember back to school, when you were chosen to be the first in line? How did it feel to be the leader and have everyone else follow you? This was literally positional leadership. You were the leader because you were the first person in line.

The kind of positional leadership we may think of today is someone at the top, who is in charge, telling people what to do. This person could be appointed or elected and they may be a good leader or a bad leader.

Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue.

Good leaders have good character. Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law advised him to “appoint people who fear HaShem, people of truth, and who aren’t interested in monetary gain”. The parsha of שופטים(Shoftim) judges, talks about the appointment of judges and (police)officers שוטרים(shutrim). דברים(Devarim) 20:16–20, Appoint yourselves judges and (police)officers for your tribes in all your settlements that HaShem your Lord is giving you, and make sure that they administer righteous judgment for the people. Do not bend justice and do not give special consideration [to anyone]. Do not take bribes since bribery makes the wise blind and perverts the words of the righteous. Righteous, righteous shall you pursue so that you will live ad…