Two weeks ago Rabbi David Wolpe published a piece in LA’s Jewish journal entitled, “Why I Keep Politics off the Pulpit.”
In the article he observes that rabbis are forever being pressured to take stands on political issues.
He writes, “If it is a left-wing cause, I will be rebuked for neglecting prophetic ethics, which is the guardian of the widow and the orphan (and the climate and the transgendered). If it is a right-wing cause, I will be reminded of the primacy of peoplehood and objective moral law (and the sanctity of unborn life and the free market).”
And later, “I know outstanding rabbis on the left of the political spectrum and others on the right. You can love Torah and vote for Trump. You can love Torah and think Trump is a blot on the American system. What you may not do, if you are intellectually honest, is say that the Torah points in only one political direction.”
And finally, “All we hear all day long is politics. Can we not come to shul for something different, something deeper? I want to know what my rabbi thinks of Jacob and Rachel, not of Pence and Pelosi."
I want to share my thoughts about the question, should rabbis talk about politics from the pulpit. Spoiler alert – my answer is yes. But I want to clarify what I mean. And I want to use Moses as a guidepost, since his leadership is central to the Torah and there’s a lot to learn from it.
Number one. If rabbis believe in the concept of תורת חיים torat hayim, that Torah should influence how we live our lives, then rabbis need to talk about their sense of how Torah should impact contemporary issues.
Of course the rabbi will approach Torah in the way that he or she believes is appropriate. Most rabbis I know do that, including Rabbi Wolpe. The Talmud asks the question, since Torah can be so confusing, since there can be arguments for and against key issues, how do know what to do? And the answer given is, “Make your ear like a hopper (that sifts grain).” (Talmud Bavli Hagiga 3a-b) Which I expand to mean: read, analyze, be prepared for criticism, reconsider and refine as needed.
When we apply principles to life, that’s the essence of politics, as understood by philosophers going at least as far back as Aristotle. He described politics as the effort to create laws and policies that result in the common good. We tend to think colloquially of politics in terms of “I support this leader” or “I don’t like that leader.” And while that may be important in the right context, it can also be too myopic.
When I speak politically in this setting I generally try to discuss issues, rather than individuals, and specifically I try to share my sense of how Jewish tradition should guide us as we approach these issues.
Sometimes I do think it’s important to single out particular current policies, promulgated by specific people, because I believe, given my understanding of our imperative as American Jews, that we should consider a particular approach or, on occasion, that we should advocate for a particular outcome.
I admit that it’s my understanding, my read, of Torah that I’m sharing. But I think that’s ok. It surely is in keeping with rabbinic leadership going back centuries and appears to be consistent with Moses’s leadership. Moses spoke to the people about issues that were relevant in that moment and he had certain themes that reflected his understanding of how the Israelites should face and shape the world. One thing he emphasized, again and again, was the protection of those most vulnerable in the community.
So rabbis in my view should discuss their take on how Judaism ought to impact contemporary reality. That’s not only fine, it’s an essential part of the rabbi’s role. A rabbi who doesn’t do that will probably leave people scratching their hands and wondering – doesn’t he or she have opinions about what’s going on? And isn’t this ancient stuff supposed to be relevant?
Fine and proper, but here’s point number two. The rabbi should not forget that he or she has an advantage by virtue of getting to speak regularly to large groups of people in settings that don’t routinely provide for back and forth discussion. And therefore a rabbi shouldn’t act as a bully.
In this regard, there are pitfalls that a rabbi should avoid.
The rabbi shouldn’t insult people. Seems obvious. This includes not insulting individual politicians and it certainly includes not insulting people in the community based on their views and whom they vote for. When the people complained to Moses for water and Moses said, שמעו נא המורים Shim’u na hamorim! "Listen you rebels!" - he lost credibility and authority in the moment and sustained residual losses in the long term.
Rabbis are human. Some of us like to watch Stephen Colbert and we can argue about whether Stephen Colbert should be insulting people. But rabbis are not late night comedians and rabbis should avoid the personal. And surely rabbis should not give members of the community reason to feel that they are being labeled, explicitly or implicitly, in ways that are demeaning or insulting.
Here’s another pitfall. The rabbi is likely to have a particular narrative about how Jews should approach the world or a particular issue. And the rabbi in my view should embrace and share that narrative because the rabbi isn’t supposed to be a referee – the rabbi is supposed to be a leader and a leader has leanings and opinions.
But the rabbi should be aware that there are people in the community who have different overarching narratives and there are surely people who have different views when it comes to specific issues.
There is a pitfall whereby the rabbi hammers away at his or her narrative and ignores people who think differently. And that alienates people.
I’m going to refer once again to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Righteous Mind, in which he explores liberal thinking and conservative thinking. Liberals tend to emphasize justice and equality. Conservatives care about that too, but they also care about purity and loyalty.
So here’s the thing. A rabbi who tends to be liberal, who tends to see religion as an agent of change, who tends to get fired up by the need to fight for justice and equality, should be aware that people who think conservatively will tend to see religion as an agent of preservation and will tend to focus at least as much on loyalty and purity.
Notwithstanding the emphasis on justice and equality that appears throughout the Torah and which Moses underscores in his discourses in the book of Deuteronomy, plenty of the Torah speaks to purity and loyalty.
A rabbi can gravitate to one realm but he or she should recognize the other, truly recognize it, give it space, allow others to give it space, validate its teachings.
I want to take a few minutes to suggest where this leaves us and to conclude with a look at a crucial part of this morning’s Torah reading.
So where does this leave us? As in you and me.
I think it would be weird if after 13 years of my being here you had no sense of my take on contemporary issues, on political issues. It would feel awkward, stilted, like I was playing a part without being myself, if you didn’t have a sense of my narrative and my priorities.
So you know that I tend to be progressive when it comes to social and economic issues and I tend to channel the elements of our tradition that support those leanings. As my sons used to say when they were in middle school: "Well, duh."
But I try to be mindful of different narratives and perspectives – not just to give them lip service but to carefully consider them. And I try to provide opportunities for conversation, like my Jews and the News class and congregational discussions and of course the Kiddush where we shmooze about our agreements and disagreements. And I try, together with the professional and lay leadership, to be careful about how we address these issues and to determine if and when the synagogue should advocate for a particular issue.
Avoid politics? How can we? Again – Aristotle – human beings are political animals. But to talk about it in a way that is issue-based, a way that is authentic to one’s own approach while being respectful and engaging of other approaches – that, to my thinking, is appropriate leadership.
So 10 of the scouts came back from exploring the land and said, ארץ אוכלת יושביה eretz okhelet yoshveha – it’s a land that consumes its inhabitants. (Numbers 13:32)
Two said – with God’s help we can enter the land.
I’m going to end by applying this to our question – should rabbis engage in politics – on the bimah, off the bimah.
God knows it’s fraught. We could say – no way. The rabbi who does that will be consumed alive.
But then we don’t enter the promised land. Then the Torah stays in a closet. It doesn't impact life the way it should.
I say, with God’s help and with care, we can and should discuss politics.
Not politics as in every week our take on the lead article in the NY Times. Not politics as in “vote for this one and that one’s no good.”
But rather, politics as in, “how should we move in the world?” Politics as in, for Jews - “Here’s what I think a Jew should do. What do you think? Let’s puzzle this out and ideally move forward together.”
With courage and care, the rabbi and the congregation can and should advance torat hayim – the Torah that informs life. The Torah that makes life better.
If using our tradition, our principles, our narrative, to make real life better is politics, then we should talk politics all day long.
Originally shared with the Temple Israel of Great Neck community on June 17, 2017.
In the article he observes that rabbis are forever being pressured to take stands on political issues.
He writes, “If it is a left-wing cause, I will be rebuked for neglecting prophetic ethics, which is the guardian of the widow and the orphan (and the climate and the transgendered). If it is a right-wing cause, I will be reminded of the primacy of peoplehood and objective moral law (and the sanctity of unborn life and the free market).”
And later, “I know outstanding rabbis on the left of the political spectrum and others on the right. You can love Torah and vote for Trump. You can love Torah and think Trump is a blot on the American system. What you may not do, if you are intellectually honest, is say that the Torah points in only one political direction.”
And finally, “All we hear all day long is politics. Can we not come to shul for something different, something deeper? I want to know what my rabbi thinks of Jacob and Rachel, not of Pence and Pelosi."
I want to share my thoughts about the question, should rabbis talk about politics from the pulpit. Spoiler alert – my answer is yes. But I want to clarify what I mean. And I want to use Moses as a guidepost, since his leadership is central to the Torah and there’s a lot to learn from it.
Number one. If rabbis believe in the concept of תורת חיים torat hayim, that Torah should influence how we live our lives, then rabbis need to talk about their sense of how Torah should impact contemporary issues.
Of course the rabbi will approach Torah in the way that he or she believes is appropriate. Most rabbis I know do that, including Rabbi Wolpe. The Talmud asks the question, since Torah can be so confusing, since there can be arguments for and against key issues, how do know what to do? And the answer given is, “Make your ear like a hopper (that sifts grain).” (Talmud Bavli Hagiga 3a-b) Which I expand to mean: read, analyze, be prepared for criticism, reconsider and refine as needed.
When we apply principles to life, that’s the essence of politics, as understood by philosophers going at least as far back as Aristotle. He described politics as the effort to create laws and policies that result in the common good. We tend to think colloquially of politics in terms of “I support this leader” or “I don’t like that leader.” And while that may be important in the right context, it can also be too myopic.
When I speak politically in this setting I generally try to discuss issues, rather than individuals, and specifically I try to share my sense of how Jewish tradition should guide us as we approach these issues.
Sometimes I do think it’s important to single out particular current policies, promulgated by specific people, because I believe, given my understanding of our imperative as American Jews, that we should consider a particular approach or, on occasion, that we should advocate for a particular outcome.
I admit that it’s my understanding, my read, of Torah that I’m sharing. But I think that’s ok. It surely is in keeping with rabbinic leadership going back centuries and appears to be consistent with Moses’s leadership. Moses spoke to the people about issues that were relevant in that moment and he had certain themes that reflected his understanding of how the Israelites should face and shape the world. One thing he emphasized, again and again, was the protection of those most vulnerable in the community.
So rabbis in my view should discuss their take on how Judaism ought to impact contemporary reality. That’s not only fine, it’s an essential part of the rabbi’s role. A rabbi who doesn’t do that will probably leave people scratching their hands and wondering – doesn’t he or she have opinions about what’s going on? And isn’t this ancient stuff supposed to be relevant?
Fine and proper, but here’s point number two. The rabbi should not forget that he or she has an advantage by virtue of getting to speak regularly to large groups of people in settings that don’t routinely provide for back and forth discussion. And therefore a rabbi shouldn’t act as a bully.
In this regard, there are pitfalls that a rabbi should avoid.
The rabbi shouldn’t insult people. Seems obvious. This includes not insulting individual politicians and it certainly includes not insulting people in the community based on their views and whom they vote for. When the people complained to Moses for water and Moses said, שמעו נא המורים Shim’u na hamorim! "Listen you rebels!" - he lost credibility and authority in the moment and sustained residual losses in the long term.
Rabbis are human. Some of us like to watch Stephen Colbert and we can argue about whether Stephen Colbert should be insulting people. But rabbis are not late night comedians and rabbis should avoid the personal. And surely rabbis should not give members of the community reason to feel that they are being labeled, explicitly or implicitly, in ways that are demeaning or insulting.
Here’s another pitfall. The rabbi is likely to have a particular narrative about how Jews should approach the world or a particular issue. And the rabbi in my view should embrace and share that narrative because the rabbi isn’t supposed to be a referee – the rabbi is supposed to be a leader and a leader has leanings and opinions.
But the rabbi should be aware that there are people in the community who have different overarching narratives and there are surely people who have different views when it comes to specific issues.
There is a pitfall whereby the rabbi hammers away at his or her narrative and ignores people who think differently. And that alienates people.
I’m going to refer once again to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Righteous Mind, in which he explores liberal thinking and conservative thinking. Liberals tend to emphasize justice and equality. Conservatives care about that too, but they also care about purity and loyalty.
So here’s the thing. A rabbi who tends to be liberal, who tends to see religion as an agent of change, who tends to get fired up by the need to fight for justice and equality, should be aware that people who think conservatively will tend to see religion as an agent of preservation and will tend to focus at least as much on loyalty and purity.
Notwithstanding the emphasis on justice and equality that appears throughout the Torah and which Moses underscores in his discourses in the book of Deuteronomy, plenty of the Torah speaks to purity and loyalty.
A rabbi can gravitate to one realm but he or she should recognize the other, truly recognize it, give it space, allow others to give it space, validate its teachings.
I want to take a few minutes to suggest where this leaves us and to conclude with a look at a crucial part of this morning’s Torah reading.
So where does this leave us? As in you and me.
I think it would be weird if after 13 years of my being here you had no sense of my take on contemporary issues, on political issues. It would feel awkward, stilted, like I was playing a part without being myself, if you didn’t have a sense of my narrative and my priorities.
So you know that I tend to be progressive when it comes to social and economic issues and I tend to channel the elements of our tradition that support those leanings. As my sons used to say when they were in middle school: "Well, duh."
But I try to be mindful of different narratives and perspectives – not just to give them lip service but to carefully consider them. And I try to provide opportunities for conversation, like my Jews and the News class and congregational discussions and of course the Kiddush where we shmooze about our agreements and disagreements. And I try, together with the professional and lay leadership, to be careful about how we address these issues and to determine if and when the synagogue should advocate for a particular issue.
Avoid politics? How can we? Again – Aristotle – human beings are political animals. But to talk about it in a way that is issue-based, a way that is authentic to one’s own approach while being respectful and engaging of other approaches – that, to my thinking, is appropriate leadership.
So 10 of the scouts came back from exploring the land and said, ארץ אוכלת יושביה eretz okhelet yoshveha – it’s a land that consumes its inhabitants. (Numbers 13:32)
Two said – with God’s help we can enter the land.
I’m going to end by applying this to our question – should rabbis engage in politics – on the bimah, off the bimah.
God knows it’s fraught. We could say – no way. The rabbi who does that will be consumed alive.
But then we don’t enter the promised land. Then the Torah stays in a closet. It doesn't impact life the way it should.
I say, with God’s help and with care, we can and should discuss politics.
Not politics as in every week our take on the lead article in the NY Times. Not politics as in “vote for this one and that one’s no good.”
But rather, politics as in, “how should we move in the world?” Politics as in, for Jews - “Here’s what I think a Jew should do. What do you think? Let’s puzzle this out and ideally move forward together.”
With courage and care, the rabbi and the congregation can and should advance torat hayim – the Torah that informs life. The Torah that makes life better.
If using our tradition, our principles, our narrative, to make real life better is politics, then we should talk politics all day long.
Originally shared with the Temple Israel of Great Neck community on June 17, 2017.
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