Yes, You Can!
In life, the difference between success and failure often depends on our perception of reality and our willpower to make it happen.
One of the signs of an effective leader is how well they are able to empower their constituents to take ownership over their responsibilities.
A manager may want to micro-manage their employees to guarantee optimal results. However, empowering our team members and giving them the tools to take their own initiative enables them to use their own creativity to accomplish perhaps even more than what we had envisioned in the first place.
But how do we ensure that our team is dedicated to the mission of the company? How can we be certain that our team will always look out for the best interest of the business and not take advantage of their freedom or forfeit the responsibility entrusted to them?
A fascinating episode is recounted in this week’s Torah portion Shlach. At that point in history, the Jewish people were traveling through the desert heading towards their ultimate destination, the land of Israel. To prepare accordingly, they request from Moses to send out twelve men, leaders of their tribes, to spy out the land so that it will be easier to conquer. Moses turned to G-d with their request and was granted permission.
As Rashi, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105, Troyes, France), points out, “G-d said ‘Shlach Lecha (send out for yourself)’, according to your own understanding. I am not commanding you, but if you wish, you may send.” G-d wanted them to see the land for themselves so that they would become enthused about the greatness of the land and take ownership over their mission to conquer and settle it.
However, ten of the spies return with negative reports declaring that although the land was beautiful, the people living there were too powerful to conquer. They concluded, and subsequently convinced the rest of the Jewish people, that the only logical thing to do was to remain in the desert. As a result of their report, G-d decreed that the Jewish people would have to remain in the desert for another forty years. Ultimately, only the next generation would merit to enter the land.
The Torah describes the spies as men of wisdom and spiritual stature. After witnessing the great miracles that occurred to them both in Egypt and in the desert on a daily basis, how could they commit such an error to say that they could not conquer the land? What made them lose their faith at this particular time?
In Kabbalah it explains that the spies were not animated by fear of physical defeat. Instead, they feared a kind of spiritual defeat. In the wilderness, each of the Israelites’ needs was met by a direct gift from G‑d. The possession of the land of Israel meant a new kind of responsibility. Their fear was that their preoccupation to work the land and make a living might eventually leave the Israelites with progressively less time and energy for the service of G‑d.
And yet, the spies were wrong. The purpose of a life lived in Torah is the sanctification of the world. The end to which every Mitzvah aims is to make a dwelling-place for G‑d in the world. This implies two contrary thrusts. On one hand, we must occupy ourselves in the material concerns around us instead of seeking to divorce ourselves from them. On the other hand, we should not see these material concerns as ends in their own right, but merely as mediums to carry out G‑d’s intent in establishing a dwelling.
While maintaining a strong faith in G-d is a vital foundation for our daily lives, Judaism expects us to use our own intellect as well to develop an understanding and enthusiasm for our life's mission. But to ensure that our intellect arrives at the objective truth, and not just supply us with evidence that bolsters any subjective perspective, it needs to be based on G-d given morals and a firm distinction between what is wrong and right.
The mistake the spies made was that they added, and therefore went contrary, to their mission. They were instructed to figure out “how” to best conquer the land, not “if” it was possible. By adding their own conclusion they jeopardized their whole mission.
As long as team members believe in the mission of a particular business, organization, or community, and dedicate themselves to the mission assigned to them, we can be sure that they will ultimately make the right choices and fulfill their responsibility in the proper manner.
Over Three Thousand years ago, at Mount Sinai, the Jewish people were entrusted with a special mission of transforming the world into a home for G-d through the study of Torah, fulfillment of Mitzvot and ultimately usher in the final redemption which is the purpose and goal of creation.
As the Midrash states that the ultimate purpose for which the universe was created is that “the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds”. In other words, the mission statement of Judaism is not to remain isolated from the outside world and remain in a metaphoric desolate desert (as the spies wanted). Rather, our mission is to elevate the most materialistic aspects of our lives and the world around us and infuse them with a higher, G-dly, purpose. Ultimately, the cumulative service of all the generations results in the transformation of the world into a dwelling place for G‑d with the coming of Moshiach.
According to teachings of our Sages, we are now holding at the final moments before the coming of Moshiach. It is up to each of us to do one more Mitzvah to tip the scale. The question is not “If” it can be done but rather “How” we can make it happen sooner.
