LIKE THE FACE OF A DOG

Hauntingly reminiscent of prewar lampoons in Nazi Germany, depicting fanged, menacing, demonic Jews, here contemporary Jewish leadership is likened to a dog. * Naturally, the Torah has something to say about leadership. In particular, the state of leadership on the threshold of redemption: “The face of the generation is like the face of a dog (characterized by brazenness and chutzpa).”

By Rabbi Boruch Merkur 

As if our people haven’t produced enough heroes, enough martyrs, Mrs. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, of blessed memory, from the congregation of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, rabbi and shliach of Chabad of Poway, California, has now joined the ranks of Rebbi Akiva and the other k’doshim. Rabbi Goldstein himself was a victim of this senseless hatred and brutality, miraculously surviving but losing two fingers in the gunfire.

At the same time, on the other coast, media standard The NY Times furthered the cause of normalizing anti-Semitism, G-d forbid, emboldening the hearts of the wicked with a blatantly anti-Semitic cartoon.

Not quite the blind leading the blind, The NY Times’ cartoon features a Jew – the face of Binyamin Netanyahu on a dog(!) – leading the blind – Trump, wearing blackout shades and a black yarmulke. Netanyahu is actually on Trump’s leash, but he is his seeing-eye dog, his guide and leader. (He is in our pocket and there’s a suggestion of our hand in his, as well.) Hauntingly reminiscent of prewar lampoons in Nazi Germany, depicting fanged, menacing, demonic Jews, here contemporary Jewish leadership is likened to a dog.

Naturally, the Torah has something to say about leadership. In particular, the state of leadership on the threshold of redemption (Mishna Sota 9:15): “The face of the generation [at the end of the exile, prior to Moshiach] is like the face of a dog (which is characterized by brazenness and chutzpa —Kehati).”

Consider the fascinating, familiar interpretation of Musar founder Rabbi Yisroel Salanter:

Here the Mishna describes a vacuum in leadership. A dog typically runs ahead of its master. It appears to the dog that the master follows wherever it wishes to go, but the fact is that the dog is led by the master. “The face of the generation” are the leaders of the generation, whose task is to walk before the “machaneh (the encampment),” to lead and guide the nation. But in the final generation of exile, before Moshiach comes, the conduct of the leaders resembles that of a dog: Although a dog walks ahead of its master, it does not lead; the dog is led by its master. Likewise, in lieu of guiding the public, this generation’s leaders are governed by public opinion.

Commenting on this Mishna and shedding light on the pitfalls of leadership in exile, the Rebbe writes in a satirical tone:

Our Sages say that “one who flees from honor is pursued by honor.” This is not the case though regarding one who runs away from honor but peeks behind to see if it is following him. Thus, our Sages say, “the face of the generation is like the face of a dog,” a dog that runs before its master but looks back to see if its master is walking with him.

(Likkutei Sichos Vol. 11, pg. 334)

Of course, we have seen true leadership, even heroism, in Rabbi Goldstein, showing the courage and integrity to lead by example in a crisis. He was not deterred even in the face of personal sacrifice or in consideration of the popularity of his message to the world: Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated by Jews. We will strengthen our resolve and commitment to what we believe in. It is a cause worthy to die for, may it never come to that.

In this spirit, in the spirit of seeing a sterling counterexample of leadership in our times, the Rebbe derives a positive message from this grim Mishnaic premonition:

All the seemingly negative prophecies mentioned there [in the Mishna] are “blessings in their core.” The blessing in describing the generation of Ikvisa D’Meshicha as “the face of a [hungry] dog” is that (especially through the avoda of disseminating the wellsprings of Chassidus outward) it evokes in the entire generation a hunger for the word of G-d (“A time is coming, declares my L-rd G-d, when I will send a famine upon the land – not a hunger for bread or a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of G-d” —Amos 8:11). The people will hunger to the point that “they don’t know what it means to be full,” whatever he has is not enough. He is in a constant state of [begging for more, saying] “give, give.”

(Likkutei Sichos Vol. 9, pg. 105)

***

There may be a symbiotic relationship between Israel and Trump, between Jews (as well as our moral compass) and what remains of the free world, but to whatever extent leadership today resembles the blind leading the blind, the ambivalent, false leadership of a dog, we have the power – by spreading the teachings of Chassidus – to transform this shortcoming into an insatiable hunger for true leadership and direction, for the word of G-d. We have the power to unveil how the true Master of the world provides insight to our leaders, as well as to ourselves in our personal sphere of influence. May G-d finally and immediately unveil the true and ultimate leadership of Moshiach Tzidkeinu. ■