Likutay Moharan - Volume 2 - Torah-teaching 27

Likutay Moharan II, Torah 27: One Who Is a New Leader or Ruler

One who is a new parnas [leader] or manhig [ruler] (called rogirer [governor]), and he leads with integrity and uprightness, and sees and considers to impose the burdens on each one as is fitting for him, according to what he evaluates each one with uprightness, to make heavy on this one and to lighten on that one as is fitting—through this, he nullifies the four evil traits, namely: avodah zarah [idolatry], gilui arayos [licentiousness], shefichus damim [bloodshed], and lashon hara [evil speech]. And the secret is that the neder [vow] that one vows must be paid immediately, and one who delays his neder causes these four traits mentioned above, as it is stated in the Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah, Parsha 37): It is learned from Yaakov that because he delayed his neder, he came to these four: avodah zarah, as it is said, “Remove the foreign gods” (Genesis 35:2); gilui arayos, “And Dinah went out” (Genesis 34:1); shefichus damim in Shechem; lashon hara, “And he heard the words of Lavan’s sons” (Genesis 31:1). And it is stated that because Moshe saw the burdens of the Children of Israel, as it is written: “And he saw their burdens” (Exodus 2:11), that is, he paid attention to their burdens, that they were imposing heavily on them, and the work pertaining to a man was given to a woman, and vice versa. And Moshe considered this and reversed the matter and gave to each one the work fitting for him, what is fitting for a man, and so forth. And similarly among men themselves, he considered to give to each one what is fitting for him. And Hashem, blessed be He, said to Moshe that through this you will merit to release a neder, as it is said also, “Between a man and his wife” (Numbers 30:17). It is found that through considering to evaluate each one as is fitting, through this one merits the release of nedarim [vows], and through this one is saved from the four traits mentioned above.