This Shabbat before the presidential election, I am thinking about the ways our tradition encourages us to imagine our leadership. Jewish thought views government as a human partnership with God. Ideally, our leaders feel the weight of their responsibility and understand how sacred it is to govern over people, affecting lives in deep and profound ways.
When the Torah predicts that future Israelites will want a king to rule over them, instead of priests and prophets, Moshe told the people, “Be sure to place over yourselves a king that God elects for you” (Devarim 17:14-15). Here, it’s clear God will be the one to choose the ruler for the people, should they want one. Later on, when we read about the first time the people do want a king, God appointed Saul to rule (1 Samuel 9:16-17). But later, the second king, David, was initially chosen by God but confirmed by “all of Israel’s elders” (2 Samuel 5:3). After David, Solomon became king and all of the people, together, ratified his kingship (1 Kings 1:39). There’s a trajectory here that’s worth noting: At first God decides who will be the king, but as the people develop in their sense of what leadership means for them, they become important in the decisions of who will rule over them.
This democratic shift becomes even more clear in the Talmud. It teaches that not even God would select a ruler without consulting the people. Their opinion was paramount to the process of appointing leadership. This is part of the beauty of our democracy. We have the power - each of us - and the right, the responsibility, to be a part of this process. There are so many people in the world that do not have the privilege of engaging in such a civic role.
As we move into the final days before the election, the importance of our voice - the voice of the people - in appointing leaders feels most crucial. I pray that this election is fair, that it is the people of this great nation who will declare who our future leaders are. And most of all, I pray that the outcome of the election reflects a partnership with God, where our leaders understand the sanctity of their office.
May this be God’s will.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Sarit
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