And it shall be upon Aharon when he comes to minister: and its sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before the Lord, and when he comes out, so that he not die. (Shemos 28:35)

In his book From Volozhin to Yerushalayim (1933), author Meir Bar-Ilan asked the gedolim of pre-WWII, “What is the purpose of a Rav?”. The answers diverged. Some Rabbis held that a Rabbi’s primary role is to answer halachic questions. Others emphasized caring for the needy, the poor, and the downtrodden. A third group stressed being approachable and friendly – making the congregation feel welcomed and uplifted.

In my view, all three are noble pursuits. Each Rav likely spoke based on his own life’s work, yet every one of these approaches has the power to raise the level of Jewish observance within the community.

The mesorah observes that the word “venishma” (ונשמע) appears exactly three times in Tanach. The first is “naase venishma” in Mishpatim (Shemos 24:7); the second is in this week’s parsha, “Venishma kolo… (28:35)” and the third is in the megillah when it says, “Venishma pisgam Hamelech.” (Esther 1:20). Each reflects a different mode of leadership – how the Manhigim of klal Yisrael influenced people across varying times and situations.

A simple reading might rank them as follows: The first venishma – accepting the Mitzvos – corresponds to the highest level – the role of answering halachchik questions. The second venishma (from this week’s parsha) corresponds to the second level, that of helping the downtrodden. The last venishma (from the megillah) corresponds to the “lowest” level – simply keeping everyone involved and satisfied. Yet life teaches that order can be inverted. I’ve seen many cases where just a simple “good morning”, “hello”, or a small act of kindness, has strongly affected people, helping them to reflect on their life’s direction.

For example, Mordechai, the leader of the Jewish people, initially could not prevent them from attending Achashveirosh’s feast, despite his warnings. But in the end, he succeeded in uniting Klal Yisrael and inspiring true teshuva. This breakthrough came about through his ability to connect to the people. When he tried to lay down the law about going to the party, he wasn’t successful, but when he gently guided them to the path of returning to Hashem, he was very successful.

Different people are moved by different facets of Yiddishkeit. The Chazon Ish (Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz 1878 -1953), once appraised three great baalei musar in his times as follows: Rav Dessler possessed “yiras shamayim in his mind”; Rav Elya Lopian had “yiras shamayim in his heart”; and Rav Chatzkel Levenstein simply “lived yiras shamayim.”

Each mashgiach made an indelible imprint on klal Yisrael, yet each reached and transformed different individuals. The lesson for us is powerful: Even if one way of connecting to Hakadosh Baruch Hu appears “greater”, if it doesn’t fit one’s nature or upbringing, it may not be the right one for you. Every person must find the derech in Avodas Hashem that fits them.

Baruch Hashem we live in a time rich with diverse mentors, and everyone can discover their own proper approach. The common enemy of all the approaches of Yiddishkeit is the Yetzer Hara, which is embodied in Amalek. Each of us needs to find the best way to eradicate their own personal Yetzer Hara.
This Shabbos, Parshas Zachor, is a time to recharge our hatred for the negativity which Amalek brought into this world. May we be worthy of eradicating Amalek completely, and through that merit, celebrate a genuine Purim in the rebuilt Beis Hamikdash this year.