Our Gemara tells about the pushka set up by Yehoyada the Cohen to collect funds for the renovation of the Beis HaMikdash in his times. This story is told over in Melachim II:12 and Divrei HaYamim II:24. The king at that time was Yehoash, and he has a very interesting story, with important lessons to be learned.

He became king at a young age after being hidden in the Beis HaMikdash for six years (see Divrei HaYamim II:22:12, according to the Midrash the Holy of Holies) to evade his father’s enemies and his assassins. The verses are ambivalent toward Yehoash, first describing him as doing “What is correct in the eyes of Hashem” (Melachim II:12:3 and Divrei HaYamim II:24:2), a distinction given to only seven kings. Yet, ultimately he is criticized for idolatry, suffers heavy military losses and a palace coup (Melachim ibid 18-22). 

Furthermore, the Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 8:2) tells us that he held himself to be a deity, as he was hailed by the princes of Yehudah as a supernatural being for having survived by living in the Holy of Holies for six years and emerged unscathed.

Mesilas Yesharim (ch. 23) uses his life story as an object lesson to the dangers of surrounding yourself with “Yes Men”. Often, powerful or wealthy people end up becoming trapped in their own echo chambers being told by their so-called advisers what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear. Yehoash was misled by the false praise of sycophants and his own ego until he actually believed the rhetoric about him. 

Mesilas Yesharim warns that choosing appropriate advisers and peers is even more important than choosing the food you eat. The food you eat can merely poison your body, but the people whom you decide to trust can poison your soul. 

No one likes criticism, especially from those who are close to us. Yet, those who are close to us know our weaknesses the best and could educate us about our foibles if we wanted to hear them. But that is, of course, oh so hard. Ask your spouse or your Child, “What is it really like to have me as a spouse, or a parent?”

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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