Dec 8, 2005 -- Shenk Shul in the Wilf Campus' Schottenstein Center was filled Dec. 1 with more than 300 students who came to experience a rare opportunity -- to listen to and ask questions of one of the foremost Jewish leaders in the world, Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth.

Students alternately laughed at the Chief Rabbi's good-humored musings and sat rapt during his occasionally sermon-like delivery.

YU President Richard M. Joel introduced Rabbi Sacks and referred to his visit as "a special moment."

"We live in a very paradoxical situation," the Chief Rabbi said. "Today, more Jews throughout the world are in universities than ever before in history. And more Jews are in yeshivas than ever before in history. At the same time, the connection between yeshivas and universities is weaker than ever before. This results in a dysfunction."

Chief Rabbi Sacks said only two institutions in the world are currently strengthening those connections: "Yeshiva University in the United States, and Bar-Ilan University in Israel."

The Chief Rabbi's combination of humor and breadth of knowledge allowed him to relate to the students and at the same time command their attention. He told students that there are two crucial concepts they will need for the rest of their lives: the concept of power and the concept of influence.

The two, though seemingly similar, are "diametrically opposed," he said.

"If you share power, you have less," he said. "If you share influence, you have more. If you teach and share your knowledge, you have more. It's an amazing thing. Power is a zero-sum game. There is only so much. The more you give away the less you have. But the more lights you light, now there's 10 times as much light."

The Chief Rabbi used the story of Hanukkah as an example of influence winning out over power. He said that during the Greek-Syrian oppression (of the Hasmonean period) the few defeated the many. The Maccabees defeated Greek power. That power had lasted 200 years. The influence of the victorious Jews lasted 2,000 years. That influence, the Chief Rabbi said, is seen today in the 1.3 billion Muslims and 2.1 billion Christians, more than half the Earth's population that observes a monotheistic tradition begun by the Patriarch Abraham. The Chief Rabbi's humor came to light when he said, "Now, we just have to make sure they (the billions of Muslims and Christians) do not suffer from the Oedipus Complex and try to murder their parents."

The Chief Rabbi said Judaism is a sane voice in the conversation of mankind.

"The world today is surrounded by fanaticism and extremism. We have to say that to welcome God, you have to welcome your fellow human being, not try to bomb him out of existence. When a terrorist is called a martyr, we have to say that a martyr is someone who is willing to die for his faith not someone who is willing to kill for his faith."

As he concluded his talk, the Chief Rabbi extolled students to share the light and returned to his point about power and influence.

"Do not ever long for power," he said. "Seek to be an influence. Do not be satisfied that you have your own light. You have to use the flame of love of Torah and use that to set other souls afire."