Mishpatim מישפטים

My Musing
What does it mean to fill a position of leadership? Is it something that is nice, such as a gift or a donation, but if it is not there it is not essential? Or is the position of leadership such that it is essential and one cannot walk away from it as opposed to a donation where one can simply choose not to contribute? The midrash uses the analogy of being a judge to a person who is like a gift. But it is not voluntary like a donation, it is obligatory.

מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת משפטים סימן ב
(שמות כא:א) "וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם"

"And these are the ordinances which you shall set before them."

"וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים" זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי כט:ד)"מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה"
מלכה של תורה "בְּמִשְׁפָּט", שהוא עושה מעמיד את הארץ.
"וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה", אם משים אדם עצמו כתרומה הזו שמושלכת בזויות הבית, ואומר, 'מה לי בטורח הצבור?!, מה לי בדיניהם?! מה לי לשמוע קולם?! שלום עליך נפשי' הרי זה מחריב את העולם. הוי " וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה".

"And these are the ordinances"' this is what scripture said, "The king by justice establishes the land; but a man of donations destroys it." The queen of Torah is "with justice", that it does the fulfillment of the earth.
"A man of donations", if a person puts himself as a donation, that is thrown to the corner of the house, and says, 'What do I need this for?, Why do I burden myself with the community?!, What is my business to be in their cases?, What do I need to listen to their voices?, Peace unto my soul.' This one destroys the world. That is "A man of donations"

מעשה ברבי אסי כשהיה מסתלק מן העולם נכנס בן אחותו אצלו. מצאו בוכה.
אמר לו, 'רבי, מפני מה אתה בוכה? יש תורה שלא למדת ולימדת? הרי תלמידיך יושבים לפניך. יש גמילות חסדים שלא עשית? ועל כל מדות שהיו בך היית מתרחק מן הדינין ולא נתת רשות על עצמך להתמנות על צרכי צבור'

There was an episode with Rabbi Asi that when it was time to leave this world, his nephew from his sister came to visit him. He found him crying. He said to him, "My master, why do you cry? Is there Torah you have not learned nor taught? Behold your students are sitting before you. Is there an act of kindness that you have not done? And on all the quality characteristics that are in you caused you to distance yourself from the judges and you did not permit yourself to be appointed to take care of the needs of the community"

אמר לו, 'בני, עליה אני בוכה. שמא אתן דין וחשבון על שהייתי יכול לעשות דיניהם של ישראל הוי "וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה".

He replied to him, "my son, over you I cry. Perhaps you will pass judgment that I could have judged the laws of the Israelites, that is "A man of donations will destroy"