What Are Eyes and Ears For?

If we would realize the power of our five senses (“gates”) we would posts guards to secure them all the time. Guarded human “gates” would cause all the world’s ills to disappear.

Posting Guards at the Gates

This week’s parsha is about Jewish leadership. It begins with the judiciary, and continues with the monarchy, priesthood and the institution of prophecy. Each “branch off government,” discussed in this parsha, was a co-equal partner in leading, shaping and molding the Jewish nation.

In light of the emphasis on leadership in this week’s parsha, and in light of the dearth of good leaders in modern society, it is appropriate to focus on what the Jewish people look for in a leader. It is also important for us to look for the qualities of leadership and incorporate them into our own lives.

We can gain some insight into this matter when we examine the introductory verse of this parsha:

“Judges and officers you shall appoint in all of your gates, which G-d your G-d has given you, tribe by tribe, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.”

What does the Torah mean when it says “gates?” The simple explanation is that it refers to cities that were usually surrounded by walls and had gates at their entrance.

The question is why doesn’t the Torah simply state, “in all of your cities?” What symbolism is there in the term “gates?”

Personal Gates

One classic answer is that it also refers, metaphorically, to each and every one of us. We must “appoint” judges at the seven entry points of our bodies. We must guard our two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and our mouth that only the proper things enter into and come from them. It is crucial that we filter out the undesirable stimuli from pour system.

We can take this message a step further. A good leader is one who has mastered this feat and has absorbed only the positive influences so that his decisions are not tainted by ideas and mindsets that are alien and anathema to Jewish values.

How does one know whether an idea that asks to be allowed entry into our consciousness if it is kosher? To be sure, there are obvious thoughts that any sane and civilized person knows that they should be rejected without an argument. But there are so many grey areas that are extremely difficult to ascertain as to whether they come from the realm of holiness or perhaps from the “other side.”

This is where true leadership can be tested. While the appointment of “judges” is a necessity for all, it is even more crucial for a leader.

Seeing the Future

A leader needs vision to see the consequences of decisions and actions taken today. The Talmud (Tractate Tamid ) records how Alexander the Great asked of the Sages, “who is a wise person?” Their response was, “One who sees the future.” The Talmud (Bava Basra) also states that a wise person is preferable to a prophet. Both see into the future; the former by using his own capabilities with the assistance of Divine inspiration, the latter by Divine revelation. The ability to see the future utilizing one’s own efforts is a hallmark of leadership.

Seeing With Both Eyes

A leader—and indeed every person, but particularly a leader—must have two eyes.

This need for two eyes can be understood in at least three ways:

First, while a leader needs to see into the future, he also has to have the other eye focused on the here and now.

It is said that Korach—the rebel who fought Moses and Aaron and sought to become the leader in their place— was “deceived by his own eye.” While he had one healthy eye, which enabled him to look into the future to see the glorious destiny of his descendent, the prophet Samuel, he could not see in front of his face and realize how his rebellious actions were ill conceived and catastrophic.

Second, a leader has to perceive G-d’s greatness with one eye, and realize his own insignificance with the other eye. It does not suffice to have a sophisticated spiritual view. It must be balanced by a healthy dose of humility.

It is said of Bilam, the heathen prophet, that he was blind in one eye. While he was endowed with the power of prophecy to have a higher spiritual consciousness and see G-d’s greatness, he was incapable of seeing his own limits. He was completely blind to his own flaws and lowly character.

Third, there are two different ways to look at the things around us. As the Rebbe Rashab (the fifth leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement) told his young child (who later succeeded him as the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe): “look at another Jew with your right eye and use your left eye to view a candy.” In other words, see the positive in others and use your critical eye primarily for worldly pleasures.

Put yet in other terms: We must utilize our power of penetrating analysis to see beneath the surface to see the hidden qualities of the other person, while viewing the material aspects of life with a superficial eye.

Hearing the Inaudible

The same can be said for hearing.

A good leader hears more than what is audible to others.

A good leader hears the pain and true emotions of others. He hears much more than the story the audible words tell.

In addition, the Talmud tells us that every day there are heavenly voices that emerge from Mount Sinai that are intended to inspire and uplift us. Yet only the most spiritually sophisticated hear these celestial messages.

The ideal Jewish leader hears the voice that gives direction for his particular generation.

While the Torah teachings never change, the focus and emphasis may and often do change from one period to another. For example, in certain times the need for Tzedakah might be greater than in other times. The sensitive leader picks up the voice that comes from Sinai that informs him what message he should transmit to the Jewish people and indeed to the entire world at that particular time.

Indeed, every Jew, the Baal Shem Tov taught, hears the voices from Sinai subliminally. We must learn how to listen for these Divine messages that are embedded in our subconscious and that inspire us to aspire to greater fidelity to the teachings of Sinai.

Smelling Righteousness

The sense of smell is even more crucial and sensitive for a good leader. The Talmud, based on a verse in Isaiah (Chapter Eleven), describes Moshiach—the ultimate Jewish leader—as one who can “smell righteousness.” This talent will render him the ultimate judge.

Commentators explain that the sense of smell is more difficult to deceive. While one can imagine seeing or hearing something that isn’t there, it is harder to imagine smelling something that doesn’t exist. The sense of smell is less susceptible to deception.

Applying the sense of smell to Moshiach then indicates that Moshiach will have an intuitive and innate sense of right and wrong. No one will be able to pull the proverbial wool over his eyes.

Guarding Our Mouths

The “guard” that one must place at the mouth— particularly the mouth of a leader—is to ensure that nothing untoward is uttered. The power of speech is phenomenal. And it must be protected.

More importantly a leader (and every Jew must aspire to leadership) must guard his mouth so that it does not remain closed when it should be open. He should not play safe and be silent for fear that he might slip and say something improper. The mouth—especially of a leader— must always be open to teach and guide others. The leader leads primarily by the power of speech.

It is also crucial to guard what comes into the mouth. Ingesting kosher food, our Sages teach, has the power to refine one’s sensibilities and speech.

The challenge to safeguard all of our portals is easier said than done. How does a person know how to focus their vision, hone their sense of hearing, smell and speech so that we are governed properly? What gave the great leaders of the past—and Moshiach in the future—the power to transform the world through their leadership?

Seeing and Hearing Yourself or Seeing and Hearing G-d?

One answer was provided for by the Chassidic Master, Rabbi Meir of Zhitomer, (known for his work, Or Hameir), based on a verse in the Book of Psalms:

“They have eyes but they cannot see; they have ears but cannot hear; they have a nose and cannot smell.”

He retranslates the words “They have eyes…” as “their eyes are for themselves, therefore they cannot see; they have ears for themselves, therefore they cannot hear; their nose is for themselves and therefore they cannot smell.”

When all of our senses are directed to enhance our own selfish interests, they lose their ability to connect us to reality. All of our senses when they are tainted with selfcenteredness provide us with a warped sense of reality.

When, however, we seek to see, hear etc. things from G-d’s perspective, our senses then become sharp and they do not give us a false reading as to what is going on. We see the Divine and good in everything and everyone; we hear the sounds of Sinai and we develop an intuitive sense of right and wrong.

These are the characteristics of Moshiach, the ultimate leader. But they also pose a challenge for all of us to change the focus of our lives. By doing so we reveal the spark of Moshiach within us, which, in the aggregate will turn into a major conflagration, that will burn the remnants of Galus and empower Moshiach to unleash all his G-d given abilities to take us out of exile and usher in the final Redemption, at which time the blind will see and the deaf will hear. May this be imminently!

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