We normally view the third mitzva of the Ten Commandments, enumerated in this week’s Torah portion of Yisro, as a prohibition to not say Hashem’s Name in vain. This is specifically when falsely testifying, as it says, “You shall not take the Name of Hashem, your G-D in vain, for Hashem will not absolve anyone who takes His Name in vain,” “לא תשא את שם ד’ אלוקיך לשוא כי לא ינקה ד’ את אשר ישא את שמו לשוא” (Shemos 20:6). However the medrish, Pesiksa Rabasi diRav Kahana (22:4,5), asks a compelling question and gives 2 answers. The medrish asks how this pasuk teaches us a prohibition against swearing falsely; isn’t there another pasuk that clearly says: “You shall not swear falsely in My name” (Vaikra 19:12)? Therefore, it must be that the third mitzva of the Ten Commandments is something else? The medrish answers in the name of Rav Bibi that the mitzva here is that one shouldn’t be נושא, carrying his tefillin on him and wrapped in a tallis and going around sinning. The Zera Ephraim explains that one shouldn’t trick people into thinking that they are a good person by always wearing tallis and tefillin, while actually committing sins, or going to commit sins, while wearing them. The words נושא and תשא are from the same root word, and by tricking people by wearing tefillin and purposefully, discreetly sinning at the same time, it is as if the person is putting down Hashem’s name and making Hashem look unimportant. It is therefore understandable how this can be a severe sin, deserving of being put in the Ten Commandments. (Click here for Hebrew text.) The medrish also quotes Rebbe Zeira, who says this mitzva is referring to not taking a position of leadership when you are not deserving of it or able to handle it. Based on the Be’ur and Zera Ephraim, we see this from the pasuk that because the word תשא can be referring to נשיאות, leadership, the pasuk is saying ‘don’t take on leadership for naught when you aren’t befitting for the job.’ Even though the words of the pasuk are talking about not taking Hashem name in vain, just as Chaza”l teach that the pasuk of “את ד’ אלוקיך תירא” “You shall fear the L-rd your G-D” includes fearing sages or Rabbis, so too this pasuk is referring to not accepting upon yourself leadership as if you are a sage or rabbi when you are really not deserving of the position. The medrish goes on to say, “Rebbe Menachma said in the name of Rebbe Yaakov who said in the name of Rebbe Mani, from where do we see a similar pasuk? From the pasuk in Mishley (25:8) ‘אל תצא לר[י]ב מהר’ [which literally means don’t go out to argue so quickly,] but the word is written לרב, [meaning don’t rush to be a rabbi so quickly]. One should never run after leadership. Why is this so? For what will you do in the end if your acquaintances humiliate you? What if they come and ask you questions? What will you answer them [if you don’t know or don’t know how to find out the answer?] Some say it was Rebbe Menachma in the name of Rebbe Tanchum from the Yeshiva of Rebbe Chiya who said in the name of Rebbe Mani, who said in the name of Rebbe Yossi bar Zevida… One who ‘destroys his essence (נפש)’ that’s who [leadership] is made for. Like Moshe, which the pasuk (Shemos 32:32) relates him saying, ‘And now if You would but forgive their sin! But if not, erase me now from Your book that You have written.’ Or like Yehoshua where the pasuk (Yehoshua 7:8) relate that Yehoshua said ‘If you please My L-rd [what shall I say now that Israel has turned the back of its neck before it’s enemy.’ He blames it on himself ‘My L-rd’ not Their Lord. And like Dovid where he says, as quoted in Divrei Hayamim Alef (21:17), ‘Hashem my G-D let Your hand be against me and my father’s house, but against Your people there shall not be a plague.’ Rebbe Abahu said [referring to Hashem talking], I am called holy and you are called holy, if you don’t have all the attributes that I have, then you shouldn’t accept upon yourself leadership.” The Zera Ephraim adds that Moshe Rabbeinu was befitting to accept leadership because he didn’t lead for his own benefit, as we see that he was willing to destroy his essence for the sake of the Jewish People, unlike what Korach and his followers falsely suspected, that he ruled for the sake of his own benefit. It makes sense that it can be a very severe sin, even deserving to be part of the “Big Ten,” to accept a leadership role which he can’t handle. This is because it is a lie that could destroy many people’s lives, if one cannot handle a leadership role. But a person, even on a level of Moshe Rabbeinu, who is fit to lead, who has the charisma, intelligence, and organization to successfully lead a people – why should he be sinning such a grave sin just because he is doing it for his own motivations? Be it honor, wealth, or whatever selfish reason it might be? If it works it works! It must be that a person, no matter how talented he is, cannot be a good enough leader if he is not selfless, willing to risk everything for his followers! If that’s the case then it will have major ramifications, just like one who isn’t fit for the job, because he is not fit for the job and therefore to take on such a role selfishly, is transgressing the third of the Ten Commandments. Good Shabbos, Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder |