At the beginning of our Parshah we have a section concerning the special laws relating to the priests. These passages contain two interesting features. One is the repetition of laws found elsewhere in the Torah concerning the general populace and the other a postscript indicating that Moses conveyed the laws in this section not only to the priests but to the whole people. The Torah commands that the priests not shave the corners of their heads or beards and refrain from tattooing themselves. The interesting thing about these instructions is that they were already commanded to the whole of the people in last week’s Parshah. We may therefore ask why they have to be repeated especially for the priests. The answer is very instructive. The Torah places the priests in a special position. They have special regulations concerning them and also special privileges. They may come to see themselves as a caste above others, not connected to the rest of the people and not bound by the same rules as others. The Torah thus warns them against such an attitude. Their special status entails special responsibilities not special dispensation. They are bound by the same laws as the rest of Israel. The same rule is later promulgated with regard to the monarch. Like the priests his elevated status entails extra restrictions, not extra license. The Torah thus sets out clear parameters for Jewish leadership. Our leaders must be more exacting in their behaviour not less; stricter in their obedience of the law rather than disregarding it. Yet the Parshah also provides us with another lesson. This section contains a postscript saying that these laws were conveyed not only to the priests but to the whole people. Rashi on this verse comments that this is to instruct the courts to make sure the priests obey their regulations. In other words the priests behaviour is not only between themselves and G-d but a matter for the whole people. Jewish leaders are expected to obey the law but the responsibility for ensuring that they do so rests on the rest of us. If our leaders fall short of the standards expected of them it is for us to hold them to account. Leadership in the Torah is thus a matter of joint responsibility between governors and governed. This message is timely. Tomorrow is Lag B’Omer, a festival that commemorates a difficult time in Jewish history. Our sages saw the travails of this period as being caused, above all, by a failure of leadership. As we approach election day on Thursday we should reflect deeply on the lessons our Parshah has to teach us.

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