Power Corrupts

Hi,

"When Shimon haTzaddik died, he told them he would die that year… When he was dying, he said, "My son, Chonyo, shall serve in my place." Chonyo's brother Shimi, who was two and a half years older than Shimi, was jealous. He said to Chonyo, "I will teach you the order of service." He dressed Chonyo in a leather tunic and girded him with an ornamental belt and led him to the altar. He then told the other kohanim, "See what this one vowed and fulfilled for his beloved! 'On the day I will serve as high priest, I will wear your leather tunic and ornamental belt!'" The other kohanim wished to kill Chonyo; he fled, and they pursed him. He went to Alexandria in Egypt, where he built an altar and brought offerings for idolatry. When the sages heard of this, they said, "If this is the way one who never held power will act [upon losing it], how much more so one who did hold it!" This was R' Meir's version.

"R' Yehudah said: That was not the story. Rather, Chonyo did not accept the position, for his brother Shimi was two and a half years his senior. Nonetheless, Chonyo became jealous of his brother Shimi, and he told him, "I will teach you the order of service." He dressed Shimi in a leather tunic and girded him with an ornamental belt and led him to the altar. He then told the other kohanim, "See what this one vowed and fulfilled for his beloved! 'On the day I will serve as high priest, I will wear your leather tunic and ornamental belt!'" The other kohanim wished to kill Shimi, but he then told them all that had happened. They wished to kill Chonyo; he fled, and they pursed him. He went to the palace, and they pursued him; all who saw him, said, "This is the one!" He fled to Alexandria in Egypt, where he built an altar and brought offerings for Gd, as Isaiah 19:19 predicted, "On that day there will be an altar for Gd in Egypt, and a monument for Gd at her border." When the sages heard of this, they said, "If this is the way one who fled from power will act [upon losing it], how much more so one who seeks it!""

(Talmud, Menachot 109b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The seductive nature of power

Hi,

"R' Yehoshua ben Perachyah said: Initially, if anyone had told me to take a position of authority, I would have bound him up and thrown him to the lions.

"Now [that I have been made the Nasi, the leader of the Jews in Israel], if anyone would tell me to descend from my position I would pour boiling water over his head!"

[R' Yehoshua ben Perachyah is describing the seductiveness of political power.]

(Talmud, Menachot 109b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Honesty and Justice

Hi,

"So speaks Gd: A wise person shall not honor himself for his wisdom, and a powerful person shall not honor himself for his power, a wealthy person shall not honor himself for his wealth.

"Rather, for this an honored person should honor himself: Take insight and know Me, for I am Gd, who performs kindness and justice in the land. These are the elements I desire; this is the word of Gd."

(Jeremiah 9:22-23, the last verses of the Haftorah for Tisha b'Av morning)

I hope you fasted well,
Mordechai

The point of being elevated

Hi,

"When Gd elevates a person in status, he should not take pleasure in his own ascent. Rather, his essential focus should be on elevating others, guiding the nation of Gd in the path of Gd, and elevating sparks to Gd."

(R' Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Kedushat Levi to Parshat Vayyigash אנכי אעלך גם עלה)

Have a great day,
Mordechai