who can put up with each individual according to his personality.” You, G-d, know better than any human that no two people on this planet are exactly the same. Every person thinks differently, acts differently and reacts differently than every other person. Therefore, I ask You to appoint a leader who will have patience with and be able to tolerate each person according the needs of that person’s individual personality.
The Spinka Rebbe told Rabbi Luban that the key to success in the Rabbinate is to be able to tolerate (be ‘sovel’) the personality needs of each and every individual. One does not need to agree with everyone else’s point of view. As a matter of fact, a Rabbi should generally NOT agree with everyone else’s point of view. He should lead, not follow. “He should go out before them and come in before them...” (26:17). But he must be able to tolerate every single individual — even those with opinions diametrically opposed to his own.
There is a common expression — “I can’t be ‘sovel’ this person” — which means “he drives me up a wall — I can’t stand him!” These words cannot come from the lips of a Jewish leader. A leader must be ‘sovel’ the opinions and personality of each and every one of his followers.
The Kotzker Rebbe asked why the portion dealing with appointment of Moshe’s successor appears at exactly this point in Chumash, in Parshas Pinchas. Why, he asks, is it not found towards the end of Sefer Devarim, perhaps in Parshas VaYelech?
The Kotzker Rebbe answers that Moshe Rabbeinu did not wake up one day and discover that he needed to have a successor. For a very long time, he had a strong opinion of who the next leader of Klal Yisrael should be. He thought his heir apparent was Pinchas, son of Elazar, son of Aharon the Kohen.
Then the incident occurred in Shittim, at the end of Parshas Balak. Pinchas took a sword in his hand and he was jealous on G-d’s behalf. His act of zealotry saved the Jewish nation. He stopped the plague. He was given the Covenant of Peace. What a great resume he had!
However, at that point, Moshe realized that Pinchas could not be the leader. The zealot cannot tolerate the foibles of every mortal. The zealot does not say “I hear what you have to say. I may disagree, but I understand what you are saying.” He acts on his convictions. He takes a sword in his hand.
Is zealotry sometimes necessary? Yes. Can a zealot be the Kohen Gadol? Yes. But can he be the leader, the Rabbi of Klal Yisrael? The answer is no. That he cannot be.
So, it was appropriate that right here in Parshas Pinchas, Moshe turned to Hashem and told him “I need someone to succeed me and I need to move on to ‘Plan B’. My first plan, that Pinchas would be the next leader of the Jewish people, will not work. This is not a job for him. What I need is someone who will serve in the Image of the “G-d of the spirits of all flesh”. I need someone who appreciates, can live with, and work with all individuals, people with totally disparate spirits, interests, and personalities.
This, the Spinka Rebbe told Rabbi Yaakov Luban, is the most important thing for a person entering the rabbinate to realize. (R’ Frand)
