Leadership -- Responsibilities of Leaders and Society

(1) Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99). Who is the mighty one? He who conquers his impulse, as it says, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person and the ruler of his spirit than the conqueror of a city." (Proverbs 16:32). Who is the rich one? He who is happy with his lot, as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come. Who is honored? He who honors the created beings, as it says, "For those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me will be held in little esteem" (I Samuel 2:30).

(4) He was accustomed to say: Make His [God's] will like your will, so that He will make your will like His will. Nullify your will to His will, so that He will nullify the will of others to your will. Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the congregation. Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place. Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard. Do not say, "When I will be available I will study [Torah]," lest you never become available.

(10) They said three things. Rabbi Eliezer says: The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own, and do not be easy to anger, and repent one day before your death. And warm yourself by the fire of the Sages, but be cautious around their coals that you should not be burned, for their bite is the bite of a fox, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, and their hiss is the hiss of a Seraph, and all of their words are like burning coals.

(17) Every argument that is for [the sake of] heaven's name, it is destined to endure. But if it is not for [the sake of] heaven's name -- it is not destined to endure. What is [an example of an argument] for [the sake of] heaven's name? The argument of Hillel and Shammai. What is [an example of an argument] not for [the sake of] heaven's name? The argument of Korach and all of his congregation.

...Another thing: When it says [in Scripture]: "The more they increased (k'rubam), the more they sinned against Me: I will change their dignity to dishonor" (Hosea 4:7). What [does it mean] "they increased (k'rubam)"? Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said: "It is natural that people should imitate their leaders. How? If the Patriarch gives permission to do that which is forbidden by the Torah, the chief of the court says to himself: 'If the Patriarch permits this, why should I forbid it?' The Justices say: 'If the chief of the court has given permission, why should we forbid?' And the people say: 'If the Justices have given permission shall we consider it forbidden?' It is clear that it is the initial sin of the Patriarch which has caused the entire generation to be sinful...

Our Rabbis have taught : It happened that a disciple came before R. Joshua and asked him, "Is the evening-Tefillah voluntary or obligatory?" He replied, "It is voluntary." Then he came before Rabban Gamaliel and asked him the same question. He replied, "It is obligatory." He thereupon said to him, "But has not R. Joshua told me it was voluntary!" Rabban Gamaliel said to him, "Wait until the shield-bearers enter the House of Study." When the shield-bearers had assembled, the questioner stood up and asked, "Is the evening-Tefillah voluntary or obligatory ?" Rabban Gamaliel replied, "It is obligatory." Rabban Gamaliel said to the Sages, "Is there anyone who has a different opinion on this matter?" R. Joshua said to him, "No" Then Rabban Gamaliel said to him, "But has it not been reported to me in thy name that it is voluntary ?" And he added, "Joshua, stand up that it may be testified against thee." R. Joshua stood up and said, "If I were living and he dead, the living would be able to deny the statement of the dead ; but seeing that I am alive and he also is alive, how can the living deny the statement of the living ! " Then Rabban Gamaliel sat and commenced his discourse while R. Joshua remained standing, until all those present began to murmur and cried to Huspit the interpreter, "Stop !" and he stopped. They said, "How long is [Rabban Gamaliel] going to continue heaping indignities upon [R. Joshua]? Last year he slighted him on the question of the New Year ; he slighted him on the question of the firstborn in the incident of R. Sadok; and here again he has slighted him. Come, let us depose him! Whom shall we appoint in his stead ? Shall we appoint R. Joshua ? [No ;] he is a party in the incident. Shall we appoint R. 'Akiba ? [No ;] perhaps Rabban Gamaliel will plague him because of his lack of ancestral merit. Let us, then, appoint R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah, for he is wise, rich, and he is of the tenth generation from Ezra. He is wise, so if anyone puts difficult questions to him, he will be able to reply to him ; and he is rich, so if it be necessary for someone to attend at the palace of the Emperor, he will be qualified to do so ; and he is of the tenth generation from Ezra, so he possesses ancestral merit and Rabban Gamaliel will not be able to worry him on that score." They attended upon R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah and asked him, "Would the master consent to become the head of the College?" He replied, "I will first go and take counsel with the members of my household." He went and consulted his wife, and she said to him, (28a) "Perhaps they will soon depose thee!" He answered "[Let a man] use the cup of honour for one day, and to-morrow let it be broken." She said to him, "Thou hast no grey hair!" That day he was eighteen years of age; but a miracle was wrought for him, and eighteen rows of hair turned grey. That is what R. Eleazar b. 'Azariah meant when he said, "Behold I am like one seventy years old," and not "I am seventy years old."