(יב) הִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה:
(12) Hillel and Shammai received from them. Hillel says, "Be of the disciples of Aharon, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and bringing them closer to Torah."
(11) But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?”
(א) בֶּן־שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים יְהוֹאָ֥שׁ בְּמָלְכֽוֹ׃ (פ) (ב) בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֤בַע לְיֵהוּא֙ מָלַ֣ךְ יְהוֹאָ֔שׁ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ צִבְיָ֖ה מִבְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃ (ג) וַיַּ֨עַשׂ יְהוֹאָ֧שׁ הַיָּשָׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י ה' כָּל־יָמָ֑יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹרָ֔הוּ יְהוֹיָדָ֖ע הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
(1) Jehoash was seven years old when he became king. (2) Jehoash began his reign in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. (3) All his days Jehoash did what was pleasing to HaShem, as the priest Jehoiada instructed him.
Yehoah was a child king, ascending the throne at age 7. The circumstances of his coronation were dramatic and tragic.
His grandmother, Athalia (the daughter of Izevel) was an evil lady who schemed to sieze the throne and rule the country. To achieve this objective she massacred all the male heirs of the Royal Judean family. She also did sever damage to the Beit Hamikdash and promoted Baal worship nationally. Despite the massacre, baby Yoash was saved and raised in secret. At yet, at the tender age of seven Yehoyada the High Priest staged a revolution within the precinct of Beit Mikdash. He presnted Yoash to the gathered throngs and publically crowned him as king of Judea and Athalia was killled. Yoash ascended the throne.
For the next period, as Yoash grew up, it would appea that the Kohanim were the strongest politacal group in the country, backing , protecting and guiding Yoash. Yoash clearly identified with their worldview and was greatly indebted to them. It is then, not a surprise when Yoash turns his attention as an adult to a serious rennovation and rebuilding of the Beit Mikdash.
Reb Meir Schuster was the best Aish HaTorah mekarev of all time. When asked how he had the confidence to approach people he would say: "I'm terrified of people, but something had to be done!"
Rabbi Schuster, in his unassuming yet confident way, would walk up to people and begin by engaging them with the simplest of questions; “Are you Jewish?” “Do you know what time it is?” These questions became doorways to conversations that eventually led to other questions; “Have you ever experienced a Shabbas meal?” “Would you like to meet a wise man?” And so Rabbi Schuster would meet people—first dozens, then hundreds and eventually thousands—and he would arrange for them to be hosted for a Shabbas meal, or to take their first taste of Judaism at Aish HaTorah, Ohr Somayach, Neve Yerushalayim, Dvar Yerushalayim, the Diaspora Yeshiva or wherever he felt was the appropriate place for that particular young man or woman. For forty years, day in and day out—day after day and night after night—Rabbi Meir Schuster was a fixture at the Kotel. (http://rebmeirschuster.org/about-reb-meir)
More Capable Than You May Think/So What Are We Doing Here?
מסילת ישרים פרק ג
הא למה זה דומה? לגן המבוכה, הוא הגן הנטוע לצחוק, הידוע אצל השרים, שהנטיעות עשויות כתלים כתלים, וביניהם שבילים רבים נבוכים ומעורבים, כולם דומים זה לזה, והתכלית בם הוא להגיע אל אכסדרה אחת שבאמצעם. ואמנם השבילים האלה מהם ישרים ומגיעים באמת אל האכסדרה, ומהם משגים את האדם ומרחיקים אותו ממנה. ואמנם ההולך בין השבילים הוא לא יוכל לראות ולדעת כלל אם הוא בשביל האמיתי או בכוזב, כי כולם שוים ואין הפרש ביניהם לעין הרואה אותם, אם לא שידע הדרך בבקיאות וטביעות עין שכבר נכנס בם והגיע אל התכלית שהוא האכסדרה. והנה העומד כבר על האכסדרה הוא רואה כל הדרכים לפניו ומבחין בין האמתיים והכוזבים, והוא יוכל להזהיר את ההולכים בם, לומר:
זה הדרך לכו בו! והנה, מי שירצה להאמין לו, יגיע למקום המיועד. ומי שלא ירצה להאמין וירצה ללכת אחר עיניו, ודאי שישאר אובד ולא יגיע אליו:
כן הדבר הזה: מי שעדיין לא משל ביצרו, הוא בתוך השבילים, לא יוכל להבחין ביניהם. אך המושלים ביצרם שכבר הגיעו אל האכסדרה, שכבר יצאו מן השבילים וראו כל הדרכים לעיניהם בברור, הם יכולים ליעץ למי שירצה לשמוע, ואליהם צריכים אנו להאמין.
Messilat Yesharim Chapter 3
To what is this analogous? To a garden-maze, a type of garden common among the ruling class, which is planted for the sake of amusement. The plants there are arranged in walls between which are found many confusing and interlacing paths, all similar to one another, the purpose of the whole being to challenge one to reach a portico in their midst. Some of the paths are straight ones which lead directly to the portico, but some cause one to stray, and to wander from it. The walker between the paths has no way of seeing or knowing whether he is on the true or the false path; for they are all similar, presenting no difference whatsoever to the observing eye. He will not reach his goal unless he has perfect familiarity and visual acquaintance with the paths through his having traversed them and reached the portico. He who occupies a commanding position in the portico, however, sees all of the paths before him and can discriminate between the true and the false ones. He is in a position to warn those who walk upon them and to tell them, "This is the path; take it!" He who is willing to believe him will reach the designated spot; but he who is not willing to believe him, but would rather trust to his eyes, will certainly remain lost and fail to reach it.
So too in relation to the idea under discussion. He who has not yet achieved dominion over his evil inclination is in the midst of the paths and cannot distinguish between them. But those who rule their evil inclination, those who have reached the portico, who have already left the paths and who clearly see all of the ways before their eyes - they can advise him who is willing to listen, and it is to them that we must trust.
Insert Menachos 51 - חינוך כלים