Just before Moshe passed
away, he asked G-d; “...to appoint a man
over the assembly”[1]
who would take over from him.
The Kotzker Rebbe pointed
out that the expression ‘a man’ is crucial
to the concept of leadership.
He wrote: “(The
expression) ‘man’ is used instead of ‘angel’
(or scholar or sage) to emphasize (normative)
humanity, which would enable people to
relate to him. This is similar to (the Torah recording that) ‘Moshe went down from the mountain (i.e. from his lofty position) towards the people’.”[2]
All too often we look to
create an artificial form of exalted leadership. This is true in political and
especially religious leadership roles. We tend to demand and fashion an aura of
near deification surrounding our spiritual leadership.
Kotzk taught that the aim
was to seek out leaders who were as human and approachable as possible.
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