On Thursday, September 8^th, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away. The Queen’s passing not only begins a new chapter in the annals of the British monarchy, it poignantly concludes the story of the life of a woman who reigned for a remarkable seventy years. Queen Elizabeth was the face of Great Britain, she was its regal emblem, and her reign kept alive the vital link between the present and the past. She served her nation in World War Two, enlisting in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, making her the first woman of the royal family to be an active duty member of the British Armed Forces. Her first prime minister was none other than Sir Winston Churchill, and the first US President she officially met as Queen was Dwight D. Eisenhower, though she met Harry S. Truman as Princess. She gave her people hope in times of national sorrow, and strength in times of national weariness. Queen Elizabeth served her country every day of her life, and her commitment to that service made her truly beloved to her people and the world over. Indeed, the word “service” defines the Queen’s remarkable legacy. 

On the occasion of her coronation on June 2^nd, 1953, the twenty-five-year-old Elizabeth made the following statement: “I have, in sincerity, pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life, and with all my heart, I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.” And even before that, on the occasion of her twenty-first birthday in 1947, she proclaimed to her people, “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service…” As a leader, Queen Elizabeth always understood that, while she may be the Queen, her ultimate role was to be a faithful servant to her people, never seeking to use her position for gain, but only to serve and elevate others. 

It seems that people in positions of power have the temptation to take advantage of those they are charged to lead. While leaders like Moshe, Yehoshua and David help us understand that the true calling of a leader is not to be served, but to serve, the Torah nevertheless instructs us to guard ourselves against such temptations. In our parsha, we learn, “You shall not have in your house alternate measures, a larger and a smaller. You shall have completely honest weights and completely honest measures…” (Devarim 25:14-15). Here, the Torah is addressing merchants who deal with people in business, and warns them against dishonesty via false weights and measures. According to Rashi, based on the Sifrei, should a person seek to take advantage of others by virtue of their authority, by virtue of being the trusted experts in the matter, in the end, “You will have nothing, (meaning, you will become impoverished, being deprived of your property, as you have deprived others of theirs.” A true leader understands that seeking to profit off of the hard work of others not impoverishes others, in the end, it will impoverish them as well.  A true leader has a servant’s heart, and seeks the welfare of those whom they are charged to serve – never seeking personal gain, but only the benefit of those who have given them their trust. 

Though she had many faults, Queen Elizabeth never sought to personally gain from the sacrifices made by her people. Rather, she sought to elevate them because of those sacrifices. In this way, Queen Elizabeth served as a model leader, and fulfilled the most important aspect of what it means to have authority: Never take advantage of the trust others have bestowed upon you, and never take for granted your position of authority. At a young age, she understood that her success was due to the people she served, not the other way around. 

This week marks the true end of an era with the passing of the Queen – a woman who saw London in ruins during World War Two, weathered the Cold War, stood by her nation in times of crisis, and celebrated with them in times of triumph. More than anything, her passing gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on our lives, our experiences, our links to the past and our hopes for the future. Queen Elizabeth was a true servant-leader, always putting the interests of her people first – never seeking to gain, but always looking to serve. However we may feel about the British royals, let us at least take a moment to situate ourselves within the reign of this remarkable woman, and pray that her commitment to genuine service be the guidepost for those who follow her, and that we all take to heart the responsibilities we have as leaders – to elevate, inspire and guide others in the service of our greater good. 

Shabbat Shalom!

- Rabbi Dan

Shabbat Morning Drasha: "An Eternal War: Don't Give Up on Yourself!"

Shabbat Afternoon Shiur: "Learning Tefillah with Rav Schwab: Morning Blessings"