Simcha Raz

“One of the students of the Hafetz Hayyim was appointed to serve as the rabbi in one of the townships. of Lithuania. Since the man was young and inexperienced in the rabbinate, he asked his great teacher to instruct him as to how he should conduct himself with the members of his congregation. The Hafetz Hayyim said to his student: In the portion of Mattot, Moshe our Teacher calls to the children of Reuben and Gad, and says to them: “You shall be guiltless (without sin) before Adonai, and before Israel”. Every rabbi and teacher should inscribe these words on the heart and should behave according to them always. First and foremost, the rabbi has to be a symbol and example, and teach the members of the community Torah and commandments, and fulfill all obligation toward Heaven, as it is written: “You shall be guiltless before Adonai”. Afterwards, the rabbi must fulfill all obligation toward other people. If, however, one should want first to please the members of the congregation and only after that to fulfill one’s obligation toward Heaven - that person will fail in both and the members of the congregation will not be pleased….”
― Simcha Raz, The Torah's Seventy Faces: Commentaries on the Weekly Sidrah