The Leadership Model | Parsha with the Chief - Lech Lecha

We often think leadership is only for those in official positions. But actually, we're all leaders. Because leadership is about how we impact the lives of others. We're leaders in family and community, at work, in society and wherever our actions touch others.  I want to share a model of leadership that can change your life. In this talk on Parshat Lech Lecha, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores a Torah model of leadership that transcends titles and hierarchy. Drawing on Pirkei Avot, he contrasts two figures, Noach and Avraham. Both faced ten generations of moral decline, yet their approaches to leadership were worlds apart. Rashi teaches that Noach "walked with God" while Avraham "walked ahead of God." What does that difference mean? And what does it teach us about how each of us can lead, influence, and build a better world? The Midrash and Sforno reveal a revolutionary idea about the difference between following instructions and taking responsibility. Through Avraham's example, the Torah shows that true leadership begins not with power, but with partnership. It begins with the courage to step forward, to serve, and to illuminate the path for others. Key Insights: Leadership is for everyone. It's about how we influence others in every sphere of life. Noach and Avraham: two models, one transforms history. What made the difference? "Walked with God" vs. "Walked ahead of God." Rashi's contrast reveals the essence of leadership. From servant to partner, and the Torah's radical vision of taking responsibility. Leadership begins with courage and responsibility, choosing to step forward and serve.

How do you reverse a negative trend in your life before it's too late? And how do you catalyze positive change to transform your life for the good? The key is to understand the dynamics of change itself.  The story of Noach teaches that just as decline unfolds step by step, so too can redemption. Each action, each decision, creates the world we live in, for good or for bad. Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores how societies rise and fall, and how individuals can transform their lives. Not through revolution, but through accumulation. The generation of the Flood becomes the ultimate case study: collapse and redemption share the same mechanism. Both happen gradually, then suddenly. The same process that destroys can also rebuild.  Drawing from Pirkei Avot and the Rambam's account of the origins of idolatry, the Chief reveals that catastrophic change is cumulative, not instant. Small shifts, repeated over time, shape destiny. Wrongdoing doesn't just invite punishment; it destroys the world inherently. On the other hand, when we do what's right, we become God's partner in building the world. Since Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world, mitzvot are not just commands, they are the architecture of existence itself. Our choices create the moral fabric of the world. Every mitzvah, every act of chesed, every moment of Torah study accumulates to build integrity, compassion, and holiness. Key Insights: Change is incremental, not revolutionary - it happens gradually, then suddenly. The trend matters more than the moment - small shifts define destiny. Actions create reality, not just consequences - hashchatah shows that wrongdoing destroys the world inherently. Hashem created the world through Torah - mitzvot sustain creation itself. Collapse and redemption share the same mechanism - the process of destruction can become renewal. We shape our moral universe one choice, one act, at a time.

Almost two years to the day since the October 7 attacks, Israel has achieved peace through strength, and South African Jews have stood firm against the ANC government. These past two years have taught us powerful lessons about moral courage, unity, and a formula for securing the future. The remaining hostages have been returned. The war in Gaza has ended. Israel stands victorious, a nation tested in fire, guided by faith, and strengthened by purpose. In this address, delivered before thousands at the South African Zionist Federation gathering, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein reflects on what this moment means, for Israel, for the Jewish people, and for the moral future of the world. This is not just a political milestone. It is a spiritual reckoning, a moment to give thanks to Hashem and to recognize the leadership that made it possible: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stood firm against pressure; President Donald Trump, whose mediation brought the hostages home; and the countless men and women whose courage and sacrifice secured this victory. Two years after condemning President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC for standing on the wrong side of history, I return to the same stage to remind the world: Israel's survival is not an accident of power. It is a testament to divine providence, faith, and moral conviction. Key insights: How Israel achieved peace through strength Why Israel's victory is moral, not just military How South African Jews stood firm against the ANC The global moral test revealed by this war The formula for securing the Jewish future The spiritual meaning of victory and redemption in our time #Israel #October7 #MoralClarity #FaithAndCourage #JewishUnity #TorahWisdom #WesternValues #HumanDignity #Netanyahu #DonaldTrump #CyrilRamaphosa

What is the purpose of life? It's the most important question of all. Why was the world created? Why do human beings exist? What does Hashem want from us? The Torah begins with Bereishit - the story of creation - to answer these questions.  In this talk, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein explores the Torah's vision of purpose through the lens of Pirkei Avot and the great commentators. Their insights reveal that creation was not random, but intentional - shaped by moral and spiritual purpose. The Mishna teaches that God created the world with Ten Statements, when He could have done it with one — showing that every part of creation reflects deliberate design and meaning. Nothing was created by accident. That same care and intention extend to us. Through the choices we make, each of us becomes a partner in creation, building or destroying our own personal world. This stands in stark contrast to those that see the universe as a product of chance or indifference. The Torah teaches us the truth: our Creator who acts with care created us with purpose, which brings the potential for meaning into every moment of existence. When we understand this, life itself changes. Every action becomes an opportunity to fulfil the purpose for which the world was made. Key insights: • Why the Torah begins with creation, and what that reveals about purpose • How Pirkei Avot uncovers the moral design within creation • Why God created the world with Ten Statements, and what it teaches about divine intent • How human choice determines the meaning of our personal world • How understanding purpose transforms every moment into mission #PurposeOfLife #Bereishit #TorahWisdom #PirkeiAvot #JewishPhilosophy #Meaning #Creation #ChiefRabbiWarrenGoldstein #FaithAndPurpose #Hashem

Human vulnerability is profound and inescapable. And yet, one of our deepest psychological longings is for safety and security. We need to know everything will be okay. But the world offers no guarantees. How do we make peace with being fundamentally vulnerable? Sukkot provides the answer. We leave our secure homes for the sukkah, a temporary dwelling that must be fragile enough to let rain through. After Yom Kippur's vulnerability, we paradoxically make ourselves more vulnerable, and find joy in it. Drawing on Pirkei Avot and the story of the Jewish people's birth in the desert, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein reveals how the sukkah teaches us to transform vulnerability from threat into gift. When we understand that this world's purpose is growth rather than comfort, vulnerability becomes the key to humility, empathy, gratitude, and meaning. Key insights: Why the sukkah commemorates the Jewish people's most vulnerable moment What the desert journey teaches about human vulnerability Why this world's purpose differs from the world to come Why justice belongs to the next world, not this one How vulnerability cultivates humility, empathy, and gratitude How purpose and meaning create true happiness Why radical acceptance of vulnerability leads to joy #Sukkot #Vulnerability #JewishWisdom #PirkeiAvot #TorahWisdom

Yom Kippur is a celebration of the human capacity to change. Making mistakes is part of being human. But Yom Kippur tells us something radical: our mistakes don't overwhelm us. Failure is not the end of the story. You can rewrite your past. Growth is born in struggle.  It is not a day of humiliation, but of hope. It's not a day of fear, but of transformation. Yom Kippur commemorates Moshe bringing down the second set of tablets from Mount Sinai. Hashem forgave the sin of the golden calf and gave the Jewish people the chance to begin again. We all get a second chance. The deeper challenge is to take that second chance, and turn it into something uplifting, rather than something shameful. Drawing on Pirkei Avot, Kohelet, the Rambam, and Chazal, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein shows how teshuva (repentance) is not just a way to fix what went wrong, but it is the very purpose of life. We explore why Hashem built teshuva into the fabric of creation, and how Yom Kippur reveals the dignity of human struggle and the possibility of spiritual renewal. Key Insights: Yom Kippur commemorates the ultimate second chance: forgiveness after the golden calf Teshuva is not a concession, but the essence of life and the highest human calling The struggle of being human is not a flaw, but the context for greatness Hashem built teshuva into creation as a divine act of compassion One moment of teshuva in this world outweighs all the pleasures of the next Yom Kippur is one of the happiest days, because we are capable of change

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the thought of being judged by God can feel unsettling. It brings discomfort. Even fear. But Divine judgment is actually one of the greatest gifts that Hashem gives us. Understanding why, reveals a perspective on Rosh Hashanah that turns everything we thought we knew, on its head. Drawing from Pirkei Avot and the deeper meaning of this Day of Judgment, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein shows how being held accountable by God is the ultimate affirmation of human dignity and the purpose of life. The King of Kings created a day of judgement to help us, and gave us the idea of Divine accountability because every choice we make matters eternally. This Jewish New Year, as the season of the High Holidays begins, discover why Divine accountability transforms how we understand our worth and purpose. Key insights: Why being judged proves your infinite worth How Pirkei Avot reframes divine accountability What makes Rosh Hashanah different from human judgment Why mattering to God changes everything about how we live The connection between judgment, teshuva, and eternal significance? #RoshHashanah #HighHolidays #YomHadin #JewishNewYear #JewishWisdom

Self-awareness is the gateway to success. When we see ourselves clearly - strengths and weaknesses, victories and mistakes - we know where to double down, and where to improve.  But how do we be objective about ourselves? Drawing on Pirkei Avot, with an illuminating idea in this week's parsha Ki Tavo, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein reveals three pathways to transcending our inherent subjectivity and achieving objective self-assessment. First, through genuine dialogue with others: learning to listen, respond appropriately, and admit ignorance when necessary. Second, through Torah study with others, which forces us to seek wisdom external to ourselves and develop the humility to receive criticism. Third, through cultivating awe of God and living with awareness that we will one day stand before Hashem and account for our actions, cutting through all rationalizations and self-deception. Key Insights: • Vidui (confession) includes declaring both our mistakes AND our successes — complete self-awareness requires knowing what we're doing right so we can amplify it. • Avot teaches us to avoid rationalising and spinning our own narrative when assessing ourselves • True dialogue requires listening before speaking, addressing points in order, and having the humility to say "I don't know." • Torah study with chavruta (study partners) naturally develops objectivity by forcing us to seek wisdom external to ourselves and receive input from others. • Living with yirat Hashem (awe of God) provides the ultimate objective perspective — imagining how our actions appear before the ultimate Judge who sees through all subjectivity. • The goal isn't perfection but rather developing— appropriate self-awareness in relation to others and to Hashem. #KiTavo #SelfAssessment #ObjectiveThinking #JewishWisdom #PirkeiAvot #TeshuvaTechniques #CharacterDevelopment #TorahLearning #SpiritualGrowth #YomKippurPreparation

Environment - physical and human - shapes our actions and worldview. What if you could design it to work for you instead of against you? The key is not to passively accept the environment as we find it, resigned to the status quo. The question we need to ask is this - how do we proactively shape our environment for success. This talk by Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein on the Parsha of Ki Teitzei, from the perspective of Pirkei Avot, explores the Torah's wisdom on building protective boundaries around what matters most. From the mitzvah to build a fence around your roof to the deeper principles of creating environments that foster growth and protect against harm. The parsha reveals how Torah approaches environmental design: not just physical safety, but moral, spiritual, and emotional culture, values and context that enable flourishing. Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein examines how ancient wisdom aligns with modern understanding about context, habit formation, and the power of surroundings to shape character. Key insights:  - Why building boundaries is a Torah obligation  - How environment shapes character and choices  - The connection between physical and spiritual fences  - What the Rambam teaches about protective structures  - How to design contexts that promote growth #KiTeitzei #Torah #Boundaries #Environment #JewishWisdom

Decisions that lead to growth, success, and lasting happiness depend on clarity. Clarity in how we think. Clarity in how we see. Clarity in how we judge people and situations.  But that clarity is constantly undermined by human bias, which distorts how we see the world and how we see ourselves. How do we overcome it?  This week's Torah portion Shoftim, together with Pirkei Avot, presents a practical Torah framework for recognising bias, restoring clarity, and making decisions that are grounded in truth and guided by values. Drawing from the laws of justice and the concept of prophecy, it reveals the hidden connection between character refinement and clear thinking. Why do even brilliant people fall for obvious lies? Why do we make the same mistakes repeatedly? Because bias isn't just about external pressure—it lives inside us, invisible and inescapable. But Torah offers more than diagnosis. Through the framework of prophecy as clarity, Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein shows how intellectual mastery and moral greatness can help us see reality more clearly.   Key insights: Why complete objectivity is impossible for humans How character flaws distort our perception of reality The difference between procedural and substantive justice What the Rambam teaches about prophecy and clarity How refining character leads to better decisions #Shoftim #Bias #DecisionMaking #Torah #JewishWisdom