Laminatze'ach mizmor l'David bvo ailav Nasan Hanavi...
"To the conductor, a song of David when Nasan Hanavi came to him.."

Perek 51 of Tehillim is a chapter of song composed by David HaMelech after Nasan Hanavi had rebuked him and informed him of the impending punishment for his sin with BasSheva.

Why did David HaMelech compose a mizmor, a song?  Should he not have become saddened and depressed when he found out how Hashem viewed his behaviour??  Would it not have been more appropriate for him to cry out in agony and sorrow?  He had just heard that he was about to be punished!!

The Shaim MiShmuel quotes the Alshich, who says:
Human nature is such that a person always looks to rationalize and justify his behaviour. Thus, he becomes desensitized to the implications of his wrong-doing, and never gets around to correcting it.  In the case of David HaMelech, he knew that BasSheva was his pre-destined soul mate, plus, she was already divorced.  Until the Navi came and informed David of Hashem's attitude to his deed, how was David ever to figure out that he had made a mistake?  When Nasan came to David and reproached him, David had great cause to rejoice.  Now that he knew where he truly stood, and what he had done, he could begin to repent, he could begin to repair the damage he had wrought through his misdeed.  This was very good reason to compose a jubilant song.

YEDIAS HACHET, clear awareness of error is a most important clause for correction of our mistakes. Our readiness to acknowledge and to confront our weaknesses is most vital for our commencing an authentic teshuvah process.

What are the obstacles???

Like we heard in the name of the Alshich, no one naturally relishes the notion of admitting their weaknesses and their mistakes to themselves.  The yetzer harah is most resourceful in finding any and every way to distract a person from Yedias Hachet.

In this vein, it is related that the churban was made possible by the neviai hasheker, the false prophets, who covered over the decadence of the society by saying that everything the people were doing was fine, and therefore everything was fine, shalom shalom v'ain shalom.  They obstructed the possibility of yedias hachet, and thus prevented the nation from repenting.  These false prophets were actually the leaders in the time of the churban, they occupied positions of power and prestige.  What they accomplished is that they distracted the people from the real focal points of problem, that is their behaviour.

What of the neviai emes?  Where were they?  Why were they not visible at the forefront?  Why was their message of warning not audible?

The Baal Shem Tov teaches that there are three categories of galus, ascending in severity:
1. Yisrael in exile by the nations of the world.  We are ridiculed and derided as being cast off by G-d.
2. The Bnai Torah exiled and ridiculed by the Amai Ha'aretz.
3. The authentic and sincere Talmidai Chachamim ridiculed and shamed by the insincere, disingenuous talmidai chachamim.

The three categories are all linked.

One of the most terrible and tragic occurrences in the time of Churban Bayis Rishon was the murder of Zechariah HaNavi.  When Nevuzaradon saw the blood of the Navi frothing, he killed eighty thousand young Kohanim.  Zechariah had been murdered on Shabbos, on Yom Kippur in the courtyard of the Bais Hamikdash.  The murderers were Amai ha'aretz and resha'im gemurim, thoroughly evil characters.

However, the one who gave the first SLAP to Zecharyah Hanavi was a ROSH SANHEDRIN.  He approached the Navi, exclaiming, "You are an ignoramus who prophesies!"

He poisoned the atmosphere.
Only when he was through, did the amai ha'aretz come and finish off the job.
Afterwards, the goy, Nevuzaradon stepped in, and did his part.

But why??
Why was there a concerted effort to muffle the words of the Navi Ha'emes?

As the Alshich says, people are afraid of confronting themselves and their weaknesses.

We look to escape.  We are afraid of true, authentic leadership, because if the leaders are truly our representatives, then they will be there to help us face ourselves.  It might hurt.  We would rather escape than confront.

This being so, it follows that pseudo leaders, who fail to exert leadership, are where they are, because they are catering to their followers' search to deny the real issues, namely seeing themselves and their deeds in need of repair,  and acknowledging that they have made bad mistakes.  These neviai hasheker are difficult to identify.  Their costume is highly professional.  They sit in positions of prestige, and profit from the population's quest to cover over and ignore their own shortcomings.  This is because they provide a very much sought after service, namely, they cater to those who are looking not to shake up their existential complacency by arousing feelings of guilt and hence discomfort.  Therefore, they enjoy popularity and are able to maintain their places..

Ultimately, those whom we look up to and to whom we pay any form of homage are a reflection of our inner aspirations.

The Rosh Sanhedrin who gave Zecharyah Hanavi the initial slap across the face could not have done it unless he felt confident that he had the public behind him, and that he was carrying out their job.

A fright.

We all make mistakes.
We all have egos.
The only difference between a tzaddik and a non-tzaddik is that a tzaddik is open with himself about his weaknesses.  He is perpetually ready to recognize his limitations and to start again.  And the central figure whom the tzaddik seeks to improve and to change is HIMSELF.

Only when we are ready to truly acknowledge our weaknesses and mistakes, do we prepare to be receptive to and deserving of leaders who will help us with Yedias Hachet, the key to Teshuvah and Geulah..

Va'ashivah shoftayich kevarishona v'yoatzyich kevatchilah...
And I will restore your judges as at the first and your counsellors as at the beginning..(Haftarah)

Amen.