J3: Leadership

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Hero worship

Every society has its heroes and leaders. They are usually the most successful people in any given field. Pop icons, sports stars, successful businessman, film stars, famous artists etc. What is interesting is how we, the public, tend to respond to them. Because these people have achieved great success in one field, we tend to think they can lead in other fields to. Thus a popular singing group will be taken seriously when they give their political opinions, or a film star will be admired for their ability to paint. Have you noticed how many adverts use heroes to endorse the products they are trying to sell. The advert is saying: Hey, look at this person, they are really successful, they are a leading light in their field. Do you want to be like them? Well then use this product and you can be. No one is brilliant at everything and it is a mistake to invest in anybody more abilities than they really have.

False messiahs

Sometimes, to relieve hunger pains, a starving person will dream of a huge banquet. Similarly, the thirsty will dream of gushing wells and the poor, endless wealth. This is what happened to the Jewish people in many times of distress. Often when there was a desperate need for peace, security and freedom from persecution, our people would begin to dream of a world where these dreams would come true. They saw one traditional idea, one condition, that could bring all these things. It was the coming of the Messiah (Moshiach).

The Messiah is a very complex part of Judaism and is easily misunderstood. It was natural for Jews in dire straits to desperately long to be saved by one. The trouble begins when the issue is forced and someone who may very well be a great leader is turned into the Messiah. This has happened many times in Jewish history. Shabbtai Zvi (1626-1676) was such a figure. Born in Turkey he grew up in a world that was very hostile to Jews. He was an imposing and persuasive man whom Jews all across Europe began to believe in. At the age of 22 he declared himself to be the Messiah and promised to lead his people to freedom. His story is a tragic one. Eventually, the Sultan of Turkey forced Shabbtai Zvi to choose between converting to Islam and death. By choosing conversion he shocked and disappointed much of the Jewish world.

Less than a 100 years later, another man arose, Jacob Frank, who also believed himself to be the Messiah. He too was followed but ended up becoming a Christian. The Torah has some very strict laws about distrusting false messiahs and yet, so alluring is the need to be saved, that in difficult times our people often seem to fall into that dangerous trap. False messiahs are a lesson in the inevitable disaster of becoming too caught up in a charismatic leader and losing a sense of reality.

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