Right after Shabbos, my son and a friend of his decided to stop by Meron before returning to yeshiva. When they were walking around, they saw the famous Israeli singer/song-writer Aaron Razel sitting and learning in one of the side rooms. For those that are not too familiar with the Jewish music world, Aaron and his brother Yonatan (https://613tube.com/watch/?v=vc06J4w5gY4) restored my faith in Jewish music. They don't sing "prefabbed" music with all sorts of weird things. Nor do they take non-Jewish music and try to "kosher" it (while making it sound worse than the original). Their songs are from the heart… even some of their "lighter" ones.
My son, being a boy, went up and asked if he could have a photo with him. Aaron replied that he has no problem, on condition that my son passes a test in Gemara. So, they sat there and learned for a little bit, with Aaron throwing a few softball questions, and my son was rewarded with a photo. Actually, two. The better one is of both of them sitting and learning together.
This is what I appreciate about such role models. Many people "talk the talk," but that's about it. Here you have a famous singer, who has many songs on the importance and love of learning Torah, and he's not just singing it. He's living it and he's showing it to others.
Which brings us to this week's parsha, which contains a census of the Jewish nation and the naming of all the tribal leaders.
Over the years, I've seen different types of communities. The ones that eventually fail are led by those who love to "talk the talk," but they themselves refuse to be role models for others. Yet, there are some, even though they remain small in numbers, they are still strong in spirit, because the leadership gives themselves to the community and they are living role- models for everybody.
A person who is in any form of leadership position should always recognize the fact that as a leader, it is their job to be a proper role model for the team. And the only way to be a proper role model is to actually believe and do what you preach. When people recognize that those aspects are in sync, you can make a lasting impression on them.
With that, I wish you an amazing Shabbos!