יחזקאל, פרק ל״ד, פסוק ג׳

True leadership requires selflessness and a deep commitment to the welfare of the community. Yet, those placed in power often fall into the trap of viewing their position as a tool for personal gain rather than a public trust. The primary approach among commentators is that a stark metaphor of a shepherd and a flock illustrates how the nation's leaders ruthlessly exploit the people. Instead of protecting and guiding those under their care, these leaders act with profound selfishness and cynical greed, using their authority solely to enrich themselves at the public's expense.

These officials extract the absolute best resources for their own comfort. By taking the finest fat of the flock, they are essentially robbing the wealth of the nation's richest citizens, seizing their property unjustly. They strip the wool to craft luxurious clothing for themselves, and they slaughter the healthiest, most well-fed sheep simply to satisfy their own appetites.

However, while they drain the people of their resources to fuel their private indulgences, they completely abandon their actual responsibilities. They neglect the broader needs of the nation and ignore public welfare entirely. Ultimately, they fail in their most basic duty to sustain, manage, and care for the well-being of the community as a whole.