Paradox of Judaism: Rigidity and Flexibility

When it comes to exercising leadership, one must have rigid standards. One cannot bend because the people are asking for changes. One cannot follow the way the wind is blowing to determine what standards to establish for society. The same can be said for one’s internal “government” and leadership role. Our mind was designed by G-d to rule over our emotions. In this pursuit there can be no equivocation.

Two Kinds of People

There are two types of people. Some people are very rigid. They do not like change. Everything must be done precisely the way it was always done. The rigid individual is strict and demanding.

Because rigid people are temperamentally so, they are most comfortable to live within a system that is similarly rigid.

Some people, on the other hand, are very flexible. They thrive on change because they have an instinctive capacity to adapt to these changes. The flexible individual is also more tolerant of others who do not play by the rules.

Because flexible people are temperamentally so, they feel most comfortable to live within a loose and unstructured society.

In their extreme forms both of these traits can be destructive. The rigid extremist can find no room for accommodation and tolerance. He can be unforgiving and even brutal.

Similarly, flexibility in its extreme form can lead to a complete breakdown of standards within that individual and also affect society as a whole. Flexibility, in its extreme form, will inevitably lead to permissiveness and promiscuity.

Balance

Common sense dictates, thus, that there must be a balance between the two. But, common sense does not necessarily inform us how to create this balance. Only the Torah, the guide to life given to us by the Creator of life, can shed light on how to combine these diametrically opposed characteristics. We must therefore, explore the Torah’s view of these two traits and how they can be successfully synthesized.

This week, the Torah portion is a composite of two separate portions: Matos and Masei. The word Matos means the Leaders of the tribes. But, literally, the word Matos means “staffs.” A leader – like a staff – is often rigid and unbending, because the leader must have high standards for himself as well as what he demands of others.

The name of the second portion, Masei means “journeys,” referring specifically to the journeys of the Jewish nation from Egypt to the Land of Israel, and symbolizing the notion of flexibility and change as we travel through the vicissitudes of life.

Matos and Masei: Be Rigid and Flexible!

To appreciate when rigidity and firmness are in order and when flexibility and change should be followed, we should reflect on the context of this week’s two Torah portions.

When it comes to exercising leadership, one must have rigid standards. One cannot bend because the people are asking for changes. One cannot follow the way the wind is blowing to determine what standards to establish for society.

The same can be said for one’s internal “government” and leadership role. Our mind was designed by G-d to rule over our emotions. In this pursuit there can be no equivocation. The standards of logic must not be compromised because the emotions feel like going in a different direction. If I know that something is wrong, I dare not give in to my fickle and often destructive emotions.

When, however, we look at our status today, we must never feel the need to remain fixed to that level. Every day we must journey from one level to a higher level. We must never tell ourselves, if the level I am at today is good, let me lock myself into it. Everyone must grow. What was good yesterday is not good enough for today.

This idea of continuous change and growth is especially valid for one who views life as a continuous process that leads inexorably to the realization of a goal. This goal, according to Jewish teaching, is Moshiach and Redemption. From this vantage point every day is different. Every day brings us one day closer to the Redemption, and therefore, we must grow spiritually in a way that is commensurate with our proximity to Redemption.

Moshiach is referred in the Psalms (110) as a staff-Mateh because he will be a king who will exercise his authority over himself and all of the world. He will reveal the inner strength of our soul, referred to as the eisan of our soul.

But Moshiach is also the leader who will lead us from one level to the next and continuing endlessly from strength to strength. Moshiach is the ultimate synthesis of Matos and Masei.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Matos-Masei by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.