- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Shlach Lecha
773
Every person in a position of leadership and responsibility, especially younger people who are in such positions, experiences the same pitfall that Moshe experienced in this week’s parsha. I remember that as a fledgling young rabbi I attempted to bring a well known yeshiva into our community and establish there a branch of its main institution. Our community then badly needed such an educational institution in its midst. I presented the plan at a public meeting called by me to advance this plan. I thought to myself "Who could oppose a yeshiva, so desperately needed by our community, from establishing itself in our midst?" So in my naiveté I did not prepare adequately for the meeting nor did I make phone calls to the supporters of the yeshiva to show up and be prepared to fight the battle. I was supremely confident that everyone saw the issue my way and through my vision for the community. I was therefore shocked to hear the torrent of verbal abuse and opposition to the yeshiva project voiced at the meeting and the whole plan collapsed. I had assumed that everyone would see the matter through my eyes and hold my vision to be correct. Years later and in a different community I was able to establish a yeshiva, also over many naysayers, but this time I was prepared and had a much better feel as to how true human nature works. I could not assume that anyone else would see the situation quite as I did and therefore this time I prepared the meeting properly. Moshe assumed the best and was unprepared for what actually occurred. Naysayers always abound. We always have to prepare properly to overcome them and their objections.

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