Setting the Example

From Aish.com

Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9)

Practice What You Preach

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses instructs the Jews on additional commandments they need to observe. He tells them that when they appoint a king, the king:

“…shall write for himself two copies of this Torah … it shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life.” (Deuteronomy 17: 18-19)

A LIFE LESSON

God wants the king to have a Torah – with all its commandments – in his personal possession at all times. Why would a king, the very person in charge of telling others what to do, have to do this?

It is because all too often we’ll see people who are in charge decide – whether consciously or not – to have one set of rules for themselves and a completely different set of rules for everyone else.

Why is it that people “in charge” so often believe that one set of rules should apply to them and another set to everyone else? The reason is when you’re the one barking out orders, it’s very easy to forget that you too have a boss to answer to – one named God.

This is precisely the reason God wants every king not only to possess two Torah scrolls, but actually to keep one with him at all times. Every place a king goes (except in unclean places) the Torah goes with him as well. Clearly, there are many perks with being a king, and a king is certainly entitled to all of them. But his underlying behavior must be to abide by God’s rules, not his own.

The powerful message is very clear. There cannot be one set of rules for a leader and another for his followers. God tells the Jewish people that kings and their followers must all live by the same rules.

We see this happening in our own lives all the time. Parents instruct their children never to lie, but when the same child answers the telephone, the parent may quietly whisper, “Tell him I’m not home.” This is the exact behavior that God wants us to avoid at all costs.

And in everyday situations, sound advice you readily give to others you should also start taking for yourself. Practice what you preach. Live by the same words you give to friends, family, and co-workers, and don’t feel you’re above any of it. This will force you to grow in ways you’ve never imagined, and that’s exactly what God had in mind.

Change of Command

Last Saturday I read the following article by Adam Lieberman, I couldn’t help but reflect on the past 18 years of Changes in titles, roles, and responsibilities. I am grateful for the many people that I have had the opportunity to work with and serve with.

From Aish.com

Pinchas(Numbers 25:10-30:1)
A Leader Must Always Lead
In this week’s Torah portion, God showed Moses the Land of Israel and told him that he wouldn’t be allowed to bring the Jewish people into the Land. Moses immediately said:

“May … God … appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them … and let the assembly … not be like sheep that have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:16-17)

A LIFE LESSON

When Moses was told by God that he wouldn’t be able to lead the Jewish people into the land of Israel, his knee-jerk response was not focused on his own fate, but rather to make sure that the Jews would still have someone in his absence who would continue to lead them. This is why Moses was one of the greatest leaders ever.

The ability to focus on other people’s needs when the “going gets tough” and not on your own wants and desires is the true definition of leadership. Being a leader is not about the recognition or accolades you might receive, but rather it’s the constant focus on the specific needs that are most important to those who are following you. Therefore, if for one reason or another you’re no longer able to lead them, you will automatically put their fears and concerns as your primary focus.

The world is littered with countless numbers of cases where, once someone was asked to stop doing something, he ceased to care about the people whom his work was effecting. It makes you wonder if he really ever truly cared about them in the first place. The true colors of a leader are on full display when he leaves his leadership position and to see if he ever gives even a passing thought to all those who believed in him, his vision, and his dream.

The powerful message Moses taught us all is to fight the urge to initially take a demotion or firing personally. There will certainly be time to think about the impact of how this decision affects you. But right now your concern must be about those who trusted you.

Make no mistake; it certainly takes a lot of class to have your focus be on others when your ego, self-esteem, and your self-worth are seemingly all on the line. But it’s precisely this knee-jerk response which separates a good leader from a great one.
Published: Saturday, July 08, 2006

What’s Up With That?

For those of you not familiar with West Point Lingo, WooPoo U, was another way that Cadets would refer to their Alma Matter when trying to be inconspicuous amongst the civilian population.  Believe it or not, when you live in such an environment 24/7, sometimes that is the last thing you want to talk about when you leave the gates of West Point.

Interestingly enough, here I am going on 18 years since throwing up my hat on Graduation Day and I am still defined by that experience and constantly being asked to share about what life was like at West Point as a Jewish Cadet.  We are just coming off of the week of reading the Torah Portion of Yisro which describes what is considered THE defining moment of the Jewish People–The receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai.  Since that defining moment, we have been retelling the story of leaving Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai and recounting those defining moments in our daily prayers, around the Passover table with family, and with our various communities in which we live.

 As one of perhaps 800 or so Jews to have Graduated from West Point, as much as I have tried to see or act differently in the past, I have come to realize that West Point was, is,  and will always be one of my Defining moments as a Jew.  This Blog is geared toward synthesizing those lessons learned at West Point with those lessons from The Torah and to unite those who come to interact with this Blog (woopoojew.wordpress.com) with an appreciation of both.  I look forward to walking that path together!