“Tzaddik Yesod Olam, the Righteous is the Foundation of the World”
(Proverbs 10:25)
A cornerstone of kabbala and Judaism is righteousness (tzadaka). Nothing inspires me more than a righteous leader, even more than a competent leader or a purpose-driven leader. In leadership development, righteous leadership becomes predominant when we have mastered and integrated the lower kabbalistic worlds. Yet, at any level in our leadership we can improve our righteousness and to do so, it’s important to understand with clarity the concept and its implications.
According Maimonides, the core of Tzadaka: acting upon your duty
The Rambam, moreh nevuchim (guide of the Perplexed), Part III, Chapter 53 – tzedakah is an act of justice to our own soul, fulfilling its need for character refinement.
The term Tzedakah is derived from Tzedek, righteousness. It denotes the act of giving everyone his due, of showing kindness to every being as is appropriate. In Scripture, however, the expression Tzedakah is not used in the first sense, and does not apply to the payment of what we owe to others. Therefore, when we give the hired laborer his wages, or pay a debt, we do not perform an act of Tzedakah. But we do perform an act of Tzedakah when we fulfill our duties towards our fellow men; these duties develop within us a virtuous character: e.g., when we heal the wound of the sufferer. Thus, Scripture says, in reference to the returning of the pledge [to the poor debtor]: “And it shall be considered as Tzedakah for you” (Devarim 24:11).
Each leader has a unique purpose, core strength to uplift society. They see it as their duty to exercise this power. Not because of the reward, because it’s their obligation and responsibility. Their strengths are inherent, perhaps divine gifts, to use it in a wider context in society. The Lawyers firm who make up free time to help difficult cases without reward. The tech leader who sets up a fund for children from a disadvantaged background to get them the relevant skills.
Actions/implementations for c-level leaders
If you want to work on your level of righteousness you could do the following things:
- What’s your core task/responsibility in life towards society? In what way are you lifting up society? Tzadaka is not paying wages or trading. It’s accepting your duty, your task to uplift the world. Do you know your task and responsibility? Or are you so bogged don in key performance indicators, investments, building new products and high performance teams, that you don’t see your core responsibility?
- We are what we do and we become what we do. Righteousness is about action, about plans, realized projects, built teams and organizations. Bottom-line what you can show yourself? Acting upon it, makes us a righteous leader. It’s better to do 1000 small actions than 1 big actions.
- Some leaders live in an inversed universe: their desire to do the right thing is higher than their competence. Balance the two. Power and righteousness go hand-in-hand. Train your competence, your ability to add value as a leader. Stay earthbound. Master the worlds of asiyah and yesod. Increase your power.
- Tzadaka is actually food for the soul. When we conduct ourselves virtously, we do what is right for our souls, paying what is due unto it. And for this reasons every virute is thus tzadaka (source: The Rambam). In simple languages when we do the right things – how difficult that maybe – it gives us energy and strength.
A wise woman once taught me many years ago: im tzadakta ma titen lo? If you do the right things what will you give to the big boss? The divine? Righteousness is not for him, it’s for you: it’s your path to become a righteous leader, to integrate the behaviour and heal who you’re. A man of virtue, trust, fighting the right battles and built a better world. To act out the basic principle of Judaism: tikun olam (repairing the world) and tikun nefesh (and reparing the soul): righteousness binds them.
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