One thing I have learned over the years as a therapist is how absolutely powerful the human ego is. So powerful in fact, that it can blind great men and lead them to see only themselves in the big picture. No one is immune. Including Bibi (Binyamin Netanyahu).
Bibi reminds me of a baseball story I once read. While the name of the player eludes me, the story has stuck with me for decades. A pitcher who had been touted as a top prospect was interviewed after spending a few years of obscurity in the majors. When asked why he failed to reach his potential, the pitcher answered, ?I always wanted to be a home run hitter. I always wanted to hit my team to a win.? Here was a guy with the talent to win the Cy Young Award and he languished, because his ego was blinding his vision of who he was and what he could do. Instead of focusing on his G-d-given abilities and becoming a great pitcher, he wasted his energy being a hitter wannabee and subsequently, accomplished nothing near his true potential.
Bibi reminds me of this pitcher. Bibi Netanyahu is blinded by his ego and by far away fantasies. He continues to lick his wounds from his defeat at the hand of Ehud Barak. Bibi continues to make all sorts of outrageous promises in order to gain office again, because all Bibi can think about is the fame and fortune that he believes comes with being Prime Minister. Tragically, by doing so, Bibi is wasting his talents and languishing in the big leagues.
Bibi has the golden tongue. We live in a world where the tongue is indeed mightier than the sword. Our battles are not won or lost on the battleground anymore. The battleground takes place in London, Washington, New York, Moscow, France, Canada and a host of other world stages. Jerusalem is chicken feed compared to the power and influence that can be parlayed in front of the world forums that Bibi would have at his disposal as Foreign Minister. There is no other Israeli who receives standing ovations and front line headlines everywhere he goes, like Bibi does. There is no other Israeli who can represent our case and our cause, like Bibi does. There is no man alive today who can trot around the globe and weave his linguistic magic, thereby influencing the future of the State of Israel, like Bibi does.
There is just one catch. Bibi can only do this if he wants to. No one can force Bibi to ?be all that he can be.? No one can knock sense into Bibi that he should give up being the home-run hitter. No one can convince Bibi that he should enjoy being a star pitcher. Sure, star pitchers do not play every game. Then again, I cannot recall a World Series winner that did not have a star pitcher on the roster. Only Bibi can get that elusive dream out of his head and focus all of his energies on being the star on the diplomatic team of Israel. If the goal is for the Jewish People to win, then every player has to do his utmost at his position. Only Bibi can look in the mirror, take stock of his talents and then decide to forgo the ego desire to be Prime Minister and to pursue his chosen career.
Bibi, it is so sad seeing you chase after the Prime Minister?s chair. It is so demeaning to your reputation to insist on playing the game only if you can be the Prime Minister. I am one person who truly believes that Bibi Netanyahu can save more lives, effect more positive change in our future, as a Foreign Minister than as Prime Minister. There are many out there who feel the same way. It is a position that many hold across the political spectrum. Even on the Left, there are those who claim that when it comes to being an advocate for the State of Israel, nobody does it better than Bibi.
Bibi, I hope that G-d gives you the wisdom to see reality for what it is and the courage to channel your energies in the best way possible for our fledgling nation. Bibi, before the Likud primaries, decide to ?be all that you can be,? and take the position of Foreign Minister. You will not be sorry. And many of us will be forever grateful and in your debt.
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Chezi Goldberg is a Jerusalem-based counselor specializing in adolescents and families in crisis, and a regular columnist for the Jewish Press online edition.
Bibi reminds me of a baseball story I once read. While the name of the player eludes me, the story has stuck with me for decades. A pitcher who had been touted as a top prospect was interviewed after spending a few years of obscurity in the majors. When asked why he failed to reach his potential, the pitcher answered, ?I always wanted to be a home run hitter. I always wanted to hit my team to a win.? Here was a guy with the talent to win the Cy Young Award and he languished, because his ego was blinding his vision of who he was and what he could do. Instead of focusing on his G-d-given abilities and becoming a great pitcher, he wasted his energy being a hitter wannabee and subsequently, accomplished nothing near his true potential.
Bibi reminds me of this pitcher. Bibi Netanyahu is blinded by his ego and by far away fantasies. He continues to lick his wounds from his defeat at the hand of Ehud Barak. Bibi continues to make all sorts of outrageous promises in order to gain office again, because all Bibi can think about is the fame and fortune that he believes comes with being Prime Minister. Tragically, by doing so, Bibi is wasting his talents and languishing in the big leagues.
Bibi has the golden tongue. We live in a world where the tongue is indeed mightier than the sword. Our battles are not won or lost on the battleground anymore. The battleground takes place in London, Washington, New York, Moscow, France, Canada and a host of other world stages. Jerusalem is chicken feed compared to the power and influence that can be parlayed in front of the world forums that Bibi would have at his disposal as Foreign Minister. There is no other Israeli who receives standing ovations and front line headlines everywhere he goes, like Bibi does. There is no other Israeli who can represent our case and our cause, like Bibi does. There is no man alive today who can trot around the globe and weave his linguistic magic, thereby influencing the future of the State of Israel, like Bibi does.
There is just one catch. Bibi can only do this if he wants to. No one can force Bibi to ?be all that he can be.? No one can knock sense into Bibi that he should give up being the home-run hitter. No one can convince Bibi that he should enjoy being a star pitcher. Sure, star pitchers do not play every game. Then again, I cannot recall a World Series winner that did not have a star pitcher on the roster. Only Bibi can get that elusive dream out of his head and focus all of his energies on being the star on the diplomatic team of Israel. If the goal is for the Jewish People to win, then every player has to do his utmost at his position. Only Bibi can look in the mirror, take stock of his talents and then decide to forgo the ego desire to be Prime Minister and to pursue his chosen career.
Bibi, it is so sad seeing you chase after the Prime Minister?s chair. It is so demeaning to your reputation to insist on playing the game only if you can be the Prime Minister. I am one person who truly believes that Bibi Netanyahu can save more lives, effect more positive change in our future, as a Foreign Minister than as Prime Minister. There are many out there who feel the same way. It is a position that many hold across the political spectrum. Even on the Left, there are those who claim that when it comes to being an advocate for the State of Israel, nobody does it better than Bibi.
Bibi, I hope that G-d gives you the wisdom to see reality for what it is and the courage to channel your energies in the best way possible for our fledgling nation. Bibi, before the Likud primaries, decide to ?be all that you can be,? and take the position of Foreign Minister. You will not be sorry. And many of us will be forever grateful and in your debt.
--------------------------------------------------------
Chezi Goldberg is a Jerusalem-based counselor specializing in adolescents and families in crisis, and a regular columnist for the Jewish Press online edition.