King of the Hill - Shoftim

Rosh Chodesh Elul
Parshat Shoftim

Wouldn't it be great to be a king or queen of our own country? We would have unfettered resources, unlimited opportunities, and we would be able to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, and no one could say a word. What wouldn't we give to be "the king of the hill?!

In this week's Torah portion of Shoftim, we read about the special Mitzvah for the Jewish people to anoint a king over Israel. We are told the criteria and type of person this king should be. But then the Torah starts telling us the things a king should not do. For example, they may not have too much money, too many horses, or marry too many wives. They also must have a Torah scroll written and it must accompany them wherever they go and guide their every step.

One may wonder, why the need for all the rules? Why crimp his style? He is a king for crying out loud! He is supposed to have a lot of money and possessions, that is what kings do!

As an educator, I approach each school year with excitement and a bit of uneasiness. Even after doing my shtick for twenty four years now, I still wake up with nervous excitement and anxiety on the first day of the school year. At first, it was that I would do a good job and my superiors would be happy with my performance. Now, it's the myriad of things that can go wrong in the school, and this year, we can add to that, all the new COVID-19 protocols and procedures. 

But there is also something uniquely wonderful about being an educator. No matter how exhausted or stressed out one is leading up to the first day of school, once it begins, everything is good. Things settle down, and teachers do what they are trained to do, and they do it so well. The smile on the children's faces, the nervous glances of the parents, the excitement and questions of the teachers to administration, all of this speaks to me and tells me "do your thing... this is what you were created to do".

The last half of the year has been extremely trying and difficult. Perhaps the most challenging aspect has been, the lack of consistency and ability to have a status quo. The rules are always changing. What was good yesterday, is not good today. What was safe two days ago, is now deemed dangerous. We want things to go back "TO NORMAL" as soon as possible. 

But there is an advantage and blessing to all this craziness too. We have been more involved in our children's lives these last months. We have been tested and we have become stronger. We have been forced to do things that we never imagined doing. We have worked from home, zoom, been more mindful of our health and relationships, and really started thinking about our social environment and the people we spend time with. Most importantly, we have been surprised and uplifted by the resiliency of our children. They are so much stronger than we have ever imagined. They have adapted and pivoted and continue to laugh and live, sometimes to our utter confused minds.

Perhaps, this is what the Torah is trying to tell us in these passages about a king. A real king is someone who can be a king even when they don't have all the trappings of royalty. A real leader is someone who uses every single tool in their toolbox to deal with the challenges they face. Yes, it might be frustrating. Yes, it is certainly annoying, but a king does not let them stop at all. Perhaps this is why the Torah calls us "a nation of priests and kings". We have the ability to meet every challenge with poise, dignity and grace. Even when the trappings of luxury and "normal life" are taken away, we have the ability to rise up and be a nation of priests and kings.

As we begin another (most interesting) school year, let's resolve to not underestimate our children or ourselves. We are all kings and queens!  We can and must be pushed to excel academically and grow in the realm of Middot Tovot-positive character traits. All we need to do is believe in ourselves and our children. And yes, even a king or queen needs rules, boundaries and limits. It is what enables them to look inward, search deep and truly become the king of the hill.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov!
Rabbi Y. Marrus