The suit of a leader

The closed night began slowly to retreat. The first glimpses of a timid dawn submissively invaded the halls of the Great Temple. However, the early morning did not yet overcome the friendly silence of the dark and empty streets. In the solitude of that moment, which is not yet day, one can hardly perceive the movement of a shadow that climbs the stone stairs to the altar. The Priest climbs the steps with humble and proud steps towards the first task. Anonymity is total. It won't be a ritual like the others. Only he, the leader, is at the height required to carry it out. His witnesses will be the night, the silence and his own soul. Dresses for the task are special, unique. After a short prayer, it inspires deeply and finally does it. He must start sweeping the ashes. The ones about the fire that had burned during the night that died.

The ritual of Terumat Hadeshen, the “Rise from the Ashes”, was the first thing that the priest performed (Leviticus 6:1-3). To open the day, the night must first be closed. Lighting new fires to light requires taking care of what was burned the night before. We are heirs of every morning, as well as the rubble of the past. The ashes had to be raised and placed in a special place. What remains of yesterday is as sacred as the dawn that breaks through.

One detail of the ritual of the ashes is that the priest had to wear some particular clothes. The text calls the mantle that would cover it: “Midó Bad”. A strange name since this garment is traditionally called “Ketonet”. But the word “Midó” carries a secret. “Midó” in Hebrew also means “his measure” (similar to the word in Spanish), so exegetes like “Rash” i explain that the mantle should have the exact “measurements” of the Priest.

The measurements of the leader's suit must be accurate. The suit should fit him properly. What it shows on the outside must be genuine with what is happening inside. The measurements are not those of the arena. But those of his soul, his character, his personality and his ideas. They are the measures of their capabilities, their coherence and their transparency. The leader must be and seem. His suit speaks of what he represents. What it shows must correspond to the measurements of what it really is. His actions from the first hour of the day, must carry the measures of his responsibility for what he has done here, with what he has been set on fire, as well as with his commitment to the fires to light for tomorrow.

We just finished the Purim party, the party of costumes and masks. In Purim we read a text from the Bible called “Meguilat Esther”, the “Book of Esther”. But the name of the book also carries a secret. “Megillah” in addition to “Book” means both: “discover”, and the name “Esther” means: “hidden”. The Book calls for discovering the occult. That which is hidden behind the masks. Recognize if what is shown on the outside speaks of what is really inside. If anything, the suit has the size.

Sometimes the leader's suit is too big. The ideas he expresses have nothing to do with the life he leads. The ideology he seems to wear, is not what he actually believes. As an example, the drama that is being experienced today in Ukraine. President Zelensky was until yesterday a television comedian. However, he put on the suit of the leader of his nation, he is not ashamed to sweep the ashes with his bare hands, and no one can say that his leadership gives him any laughter. Genuine, real, authentic, brave. It's not something we're used to. Maybe that's why he's the hero of the hour. Leaders don't usually take care of the ashes in which their people live, nor do they wake up silently to solve the fire they leave behind at night. The most dramatic thing is that wrapped in their masks they end up looking just sad TV comedians.

In Pirke Avot 2:5 we are taught that we should not demand genuinity from leaders alone: “In that place where there are no people, you must be the person.” It is in that mirror that we must face our staircase and our altar. Wake us up to the sun, to take care of yesterday's ashes. So, check our garments. Measuring how much of what we feel is what we say and how much of what we think is what we do. Take off our mask and put on at last, the costume of who we are.

Dear friends. Friends all.

Several costumes await us early every morning, in the very and unique silence of dawn. The costume of parents, that of siblings, that of couples, that of children. The suit of continuers and that of doers. The one about warriors and that of peacemakers. The one about Argentines. The one about humans.

The suit awaits us, the mantle of the leaders. One that only bears our measure, if we are genuine with ourselves. Every dawn awaits us the leadership of the most difficult and wonderful company of all. That of being the leaders of our own lives.

Ale Avruj is Rabbi of the Amijai Community, and Vice-President of the Latin American Rabbinical Assembly of the Masorti Movement

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