Page 36 - HaMizrachi #25 Chanuka 2020 USA

Eight Lessons in

Rabbi Sacks’ Leadership

by Rabbi Benji Levy

Chief Executive, Mosaic United

eflecting on the life of Rabbi was a true servant of the L-rd and a
Sacks, I would like to share one servant of the people.
Rlesson for each night of Chanu-
kah, adding one to his ‘Seven Principles 2. Leadership begins by
of Jewish Leadership’ through which his taking responsibility
1
light continues to shine:
Weaving this message throughout his
1. Leadership is service teachings, and allowing it to animate
the experience of learning Torah and
Moshe Rabbeinu’s achievements the journey of prayer through his 3. Leadership is
were vast and transformational and Koren commentaries, Rabbi Sacks vision-driven
he received many titles throughout seemed obsessed with taking respon-
the ages, from the greatest prophet to sibility: “When we see something Influencers usually have a platform
the teacher par excellence. Yet Rabbi wrong, we can complain or we can such as heading a large institution,
Sacks highlights only one label as his act. Complaining does not change the holding a significant office, leading a
‘highest accolade,’ namely: “a servant world. Acting does.” company or representing an organi-
of the L-rd.” Here Rabbi Sacks reveals zation. The greater the platform, the
the value he sees as most import- His theology was one of practice and louder the voice. Yet, in the last years
ant, “a leader does not stand above he did not shy away from dealing of Rabbi Sacks’ life – by far his most
the people. He serves the people and with issues of the day, openly defend- influential – he had none of that. I
serves G-d.” ing Israel’s right to defend herself know of no Jewish leader today that
and calling out antisemitism for what achieved close to what he did regard-
I had the honor of accompanying it is, fighting those that hated any ing broad authority. Part of what enliv-
Rabbi Sacks when he visited Austra- group, broadening his defense of the ened all he did was his tremendous
lia and I was surprised when (in more defenseless, and indeed calling on all vision, his capacity to invite others
than one shul) he sat among us rather of humanity to make space for one to share that vision and of course, to
than in the special area reserved for another. He publicly debated some of deliver: “Leaders are led by their vision
the Rabbi. Like Moshe, his humility his greatest philosophical detractors, of the future, and it is this that inspires
was real. He truly saw himself as a like Richard Dawkins, and took on others.”
mere messenger of a greater message. those that presented a real danger, like
He quoted C.S. Lewis, who defined British Prime Ministerial candidate From our birth as a nation to our
humility not as thinking less of your- Jeremy Corbyn. rebirth in our nation-state, our his-
self but as thinking of yourself less. toric perspective always beckons us
Rabbi Sacks was so occupied with In short, Rabbis Sacks’ responsibility one step further because “History does
thinking about others that he thought lay in his ability to respond – some- not give rise to hope; hope gives rise to
of himself less. And through this, he thing he did with distinction. history.” Rabbi Sacks was an agent of

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