Winter ‘26/Spring‘26

Drilling Our Own Hole: Leadership, Individualism, and the Heart of Community 

There is a parable from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Talmud, Vayikra Rabbah 4:6): Several people were sailing in a ship. One passenger took out a drill and began boring a hole beneath his seat. “What are you doing?” the others cried. He replied, “Why should you care? I am only drilling under my place.”

The parable employs deliberately absurd logic to emphasize its central message.

The parable highlights a key tension in modern life; prioritizing the individual over the collective. Contemporary culture reinforces the primacy of the individual. David Foster Wallace noted that our “default setting” is to see ourselves as the center of the universe. Advertising focuses on “you,” and social media asks, “What’s on your mind?” The message is clear; individual perspective is paramount.

True leadership, however, hinges on prioritizing collective well-being over individual preferences.

David Brooks (columnist and social commentator) calls our time the “Age of the Big Me,” reflecting a shift from self-sacrifice to self-promotion. Data supports this: In 1950, only 12% of high school seniors saw themselves as “very important,” compared to 80% in 2005. Individualism, therefore, is shaped by social conditioning rather than just personal inclination.

Jewish philosopher Eugene Borowitz argued that the primacy of the self is not new, but is absorbed from the broader culture. What appears innate is often shaped by cultural influences.

Jewish thought offers a different perspective. Rabbi Louis Finkelstein noted that, in ancient Israel, moral responsibility belonged to the clan, the tribe, and the nation rather than to the individual. Identity was collective; the “we” came before the “I.” This view does not erase individuality but places it within the community.

Building on the idea of collective identity, Parshat Vayakhel presents a leadership model grounded in collective responsibility. Moses gathers the people and invites them to contribute to the Mishkan. The Torah emphasizes the heart; “everyone whose heart was willing,” “wise of heart,” and “lifted of heart.” The Mishkan’s sanctity came not from materials alone, but from aligning individual intention with communal purpose.

Midrash Mishlei (rabbinic midrashic text) describes a debate about the source of wisdom. Rabbi Eliezer says wisdom is in the head, while Rabbi Joshua says it is in the heart. Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers 6:6) teaches that Torah is gained through an “understanding heart” and a “good heart.” Alan Morinis (contemporary Mussar teacher and author) notes that intellectual intelligence can be measured, but spiritual intelligence — the understanding of the heart — captures what is lasting and relational.

For leaders, this distinction is decisive. While the mind calculates and can justify self-interest — even to the community’s detriment — the heart understands our fundamental interdependence. Leadership demands this alignment with the greater good, not just personal gain.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (Founder of Chabad Hasidism) taught that while bodies are separate, souls share a common source. Essence unites even when form divides. The heart senses this unity before the mind can explain it.

Herman Cohen (German Jewish philosopher) argued that the ethical individual must be part of the collective. Participation in the group does not diminish the individual; it refines and elevates personal identity. Each Israelite artisan brought a unique skill to the Mishkan. No one did every task, but every contribution was essential. Individual agency gained meaning through shared purpose.

It is notable how many rabbinic, philosophical, literary, and sociological voices reach the same conclusion. Across centuries and fields, the insight is clear: Unchecked individualism weakens community, while shared responsibility strengthens it. This consistency is telling. When thinkers from different eras and backgrounds affirm the same principle, this indicates a fundamental human reality rather than merely an ideology.

Leadership is the art of integrating individual talents into shared responsibility for a greater purpose. When self-interest dominates, the collective suffers. Leadership thrives when personal strengths are harmonized with communal goals.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebuilding. The key question for any community is not whether individuals will excel, but whether their efforts serve a greater collective purpose. True leadership inspires willing hearts — those who look beyond personal interests and work to advance the whole community.