The leadership vacuum and YOU!
We are guilty of robbing the world of the great leaders it needs. On a personal level, we simply aren’t living up to our own potential as leaders. And on a communal level, we fail to empower others to be the leaders they can be. This is due to a simple mistake; we see people for what they are now, not for what they can become.
Well, the sceptic will say, is it that simple? Didn’t the great Rabbi Yisrael of Salant say, “It is easier to master all 2,711 pages of the Talmud, than to change one character trait.” If this is the case, can we expect that people will really change?
The answer is that we aren’t talking about change, but growth. True change is very difficult, but growth and development are accessible to all.
Maharal explains that man is entirely potential. This is illustrated in the name given for man — Adam, which shares a root with the word Adamah, earth. The earth has the potential to grow billions of fruits, vegetables and plants, so too, does man have such vast potential.
Sfas Emes explains that when a person’s efforts bear fruit, he himself gains power. This isn’t simply a result of the positive feeling success engender, rather, it is an essential aspect of reality.
When something exists only in potential, it isn’t yet part-and-parcel of the person. However, when the potential is actualized, the fruits of success become an integral aspect of the personality. This person is now of an entirely different caliber, with a brand-new range of possibilities ahead of himself. The level of potential is now much greater, and when this potential is actualized, it builds the person to an even greater level.
This idea is found in the Torah in a very profound way. Facing the great danger of an angry Esau, Jacob needs to flee. Alone, he lacks the power to stand up against Esau. However, when Joseph is born, YJacob feels confident that he can face Esau.
The name Joseph has double meaning. With the letter yud at its head, it’s meaning is to add. But when written assaf, it means to gather. This is because Joseph represents focused (gathered) efforts, that grow and add more and more power to the person.
Joseph’s birth brought Jacob’s potential out into the world of actuality. Jacob represents a pure kernel of truth, while Esau represents a multitude of falsehood. With the power of Joseph, who expands and develops that kernel of truth, Jacob can meet Esau head on and win.
Whether we are seeking to grow ourselves, or we are looking to grow others, let us remember the power of Joseph.
We can’t possibly see the true potential of a person, as it is many steps removed from the present. Only by achieving the more immediate objective, can we see the next horizon. Step number one is to focus; asking, where is the next growth phase? Alongside focused efforts, we need to have faith in the process. We need to know with certainty that the person we see today, is but a seed of what they can and will be.
Life is the greatest teacher. King Solomon’s encounter with Ashmedai, King of the demons, shows us how to live and learn.
Check it out at King Solomon and the Stoics
Originally published at http://rabbishmulihalpern.com.
