| Dear Friends, Several of my friends work for the same company, and one of them was recently promoted to COO. I know him as a talented and and motivated worker, yet it quickly became clear that he lacked the skills to be a good boss. He was rude, yelled at associates, and stepped on lots of toes. I found myself wondering, "What lesson can I apply from this to my own life?" In corresponding with another rabbi, it happened that the Rebbe, of righteous memory, asked for forgiveness. The rabbi was taken aback. He felt that a man of the Rebbe's caliber did not need to apologize to others. To illustrate that everyone can make mistakes and must own up to them, the Rebbe responded that even Moses admitted his mistakes, as Rashi (Leviticus 10:20) famously quotes, "[Moses] admitted and was not ashamed..." If a leader like Moses was able to recognize his shortcomings, I thought, how much more must I. Now, in the Jewish month of Elul, while preparing for the High Holidays, it's imperative that I take some time to think about my own shortcomings and admit my errors in judgment. Indeed, if we all follow Moses' humble lead, the world will become a kinder, better and more G‑dly place. Happy introspection! Dovid Zaklikowski,
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team |
