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Leaders And
Followers

Parshat Toldot:
Genesis 25:19-28:9;
Malachi 1:1-2:7

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I

s it better to be a leader or a fol-
lower? Clearly both are necessary.
A leader can only exist if he or she
has followers, and followers are often
lost without a leader.
Our forefather, Yitzchak, seems to
be the ultimate follower. His father,
Avraham, was a trailblazer. He intro-
duced monotheism to the world and
with wisdom and nuance, recognize
demonstrated and created standards
when maintaining previous practices
for moral and ethical behavior.
will no longer prove effective
The Torah seems, however,
and beneficial.
to go out of its way to dem-
On the other hand, Yitzchak
onstrate that Yitzchak con-
stubbornly and valiantly
tinued and maintained that
maintained his father’s legacy
legacy. He mimics his father’s
even when it wasn’t popular.
every move. When there is
Digging his father’s wells that
a famine, he, like his father,
the local ruler Avimelech
heads south toward Egypt. He
and his people had filled in
only turns around when he
reaches Gerar, at the border of Rabbi Yechiel showed strength, courage and
Morris
commitment. Yitzchak power-
Canaan, at God’s insistence.
fully demonstrated that main-
In addition, Yitzchak, after
taining his family’s legacy and
they had been filled in, dug,
traditions were more important and
once again, every well that his father
had once created. Similar to his father, valuable than fitting in and gaining
acceptance by the local population.
he also raised two very different sons
Some people are born leaders.
who ultimately opted for two divergent
Others grow into that role. However,
and often conflicting paths in life.
not only is there often nothing wrong
According to the Midrash, Yitzchak
with being a follower, in many cases,
even had an uncanny physical resem-
that also can be the greatest compli-
blance to his father.
ment and role one can play. By main-
It would seem that our Torah, by
taining the legacy of those who came
conveying these similarities, is high-
before us, we demonstrate the great-
lighting the ultimate success of our
ness, success and value of their efforts,
forefather, Avraham. He wasn’t a “one
beliefs and accomplishments.
and done.” His efforts and lessons
We, of course, adapt and respond to
were, indeed, transmitted to the next
the challenges and opportunities that
generation.
each generation confronts, but we do
Yitzchak’s greatest task was not to
so responsibly and with caution.
create something new but, rather,
By continuing to emulate our
to maintain and strengthen what
Avraham had begun. By mimicking his parents and forefathers’ actions and
values, even when unpopular or seem-
father’s actions, he tangibly displayed
that he inculcated the values that were ingly old-fashioned, we vividly display
the timelessness and truthfulness of
imparted to him in his home. At the
their teachings, thinking and tradi-
same time, he heard and heeded the
tions.
word of God when instructed to turn
around and not to descend to Egypt as
Yechiel Morris is the rabbi of Young Israel of
his father had once done.
Southfield.
A responsible follower must also,

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December 1 • 2016

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