LEVI

LEVI WAS REBUKED BY HIS FATHER YET HE IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY HIS FATHER TO BE THE ROSH YESHIVAH-HEADMASTER OF THE YESHIVA IN GOSHEN. HOW DOES THIS FLY WITH THE STATEMENT THAT LEVI'S ANGEWR IS CURSED AND THAT HE
SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM SHIMON AND SCATTERED AMONGST ISRAEL?
WHY WAS LEVI GIVEN THIS APPOINTMENT WHEN THE YISSACHARITES WERE APPARENTLY BETTER SUITED FOR THIS JOB?
WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT ALTHOUGH RAMBAM SAID THAT LEVI WAS APPOINTED BY YAAKOV THAT THE ACTUAL APPOINTMENT WAS SOMETIME LATER. THE POSITION WAS OPEN TO ALL OF THE BROTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN. IT WAS JUST APPARENT THAT LEVI WOULD DO THE BEST JOB IN THAT POSITION THAT THEY ALL AGREED ON HIS
HEADING OF THE ACADEMY.
HOW DID THIS TAKE PLACE? LEVI DID MUCH SOUL SEARCHING AFTER HIS FATHER'S CRITICISM. IN ACTUALITY IT HAD BEGUN EARLIER AFTER THE SALE OF JOSEPH . HE REVIEWED ALL OF HIS DEEDS AND FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH HE HAD THE BST OF INTENTIONS THE RESULTS WERE LESS THAN STELLAR.
HE EXAMINED HIS NATURE AND FOUND THAT HE HAD AN AFFINITY FOR HELPING ANOTHER FIND HIS WAY. HE WAS A NATURAL COACH WHO CAME ALONG TO SHOW
THE OTHER WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.
WHEN SHIMON PLANNED TO ATTACK FOR THE OUTRAGE OF DINAH IT WAS LEVI WHO CAUTIONED AGAINST AN IMMEDIATE ATTACK. IT WAS SHIMON'S TACTIC BUT LEVI'S PERSONALITY THAT CONVINCED SHECHEM OF THEIR SINCERITY. FURTHERMORE IT WAS LEVI'S COURAGE AND INITIATIVE THAT ALLOWED SHIMON TO LEAD THE ATTACK ON SHECHEM.
FROM HIS SELF EXAMINATION AND HIS FATHER'S CRITIQUE HE LEARNED THAT BY BEING CLOSE WITH PEOPLE HE NOT ONLY ENCOURAGED THEM IN THEIR WAYS-HE ALSO IDENTIFIED WITH THEIR PROBLEMS. BY PLACING SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN
HIMSELF AND HIS BROTHERS LEVI COULD MONITOR WHETHER A CAUSE WAS WORTH GETTING INVOLVED IN.
WHEN HE DID GET INVOLVED LEVI WAS A BLESSING . HE WAS LOYAL, FOCUSED AND ENCOURAGED THE OTHER PERSON TO REACH FOR THE MAXIMUM. HE WAS AN IDEAL TEACHER,GUIDE AND TRAINER OF LEADERS. THERFORE , LEVI TOOK YAAKOV'S ADVICE AND CLEARLY BECAME THE HEADMASTER . NOT BECAUSE HE WAS THE GREATEST SCHOLAR BUT BECAUSE HE WAS THE BEST TEACHER AND GUIDE!