Every year before the High Holidays the issue of politics, rabbis and the pulpit are raised in the Jewish and general media. Should they or shouldn’t they speak on contemporary issues such as Israel, health care, economic justice, the poor, minorities, civil rights, war and peace, etc. that have political dimensions to them? Should they speak only about purely “spiritual” and personal matters? What, if any, limitations should rabbis impose on themselves?
This past month the following pieces appeared in the Jewish and general media:
- “The Torah is Political – Rabbis Can Be Too.” by Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Executive Director of Rabbis for Human Rights, North America, The Huffington Post, September 26, 2011 – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-jill-jacobs/rabbis-and-political-sermons_b_980423.html
- “When Rabbis Politicize the High Holidays,” op-ed by Dennis Prager, LA Jewish Journal, September 14, 2011 http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/when_rabbis_politicize_the_high_holy_days_20110914/
- “Blank Slate Rabbis” – “Letters to the Editor,” LA Jewish Journal, by Rabbi Ken Chasen, Leo Baeck Temple, LA, in response to Dennis Prager’s op-ed piece http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/item/letters_to_the_editor_high_holy_days_un-vote_palestine_20110921/
Before I offer a few operating principles that have guided me, it is important to define what we mean by “politics.” Here is a good operative definition from Wikipedia:
“Politics (from Greek πολιτικός, “of, for, or relating to citizens”), is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs. It also refers to behavior within civil governments. … It consists of “social relations involving authority or power” and refers to the regulation of public affairs within a political unit, and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.”
Should rabbis be “political?” We should and have every right in the sense of the meaning above. There are limitations, however. What we say must be said on the basis of Jewish religious, ethical and moral principles that promote common decency, equality, justice, and human freedom, and based on both the values of B’tzelem Elohim (that every human being is created in the Divine image and is therefore infinitely worthy and valuable) and Ohavei Am Yisrael (that we share a “love for the people of Israel”).
Every rabbi should understand when speaking that we Jews hold multiple visions and positions on the myriad issues that face our community and society. Rav Shmuel (3rd century C.E. Babylonia) said Eilu v’eilu divrei Elohim chayim (“This and that are the words of the living God”). In other words, there are many legitimate and authentic religious and moral perspectives that must be respected.
In the realm of partisan politics, the American Jewish community has no unanimous political point of view, though since WWII between 60% and 90% of the American Jewish community has supported moderate and liberal policies and candidates for political office locally, at the state and national levels. We are a politically liberal community, and there are also conservatives among us.
The Reform movement (represented by the Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C., the social justice arm of the Union for Reform Judaism) has consistently taken moral, ethical and religious positions on public policy issues that come before our government and in our society as a whole. These positions are always based on our movement’s understanding of the Jewish mandate L’taken ha-olam b’malchut Shaddai (“To restore the world in the image of the dominion of God,” which means for us to adhere to standards of justice, compassion and peace – i.e. Tikun olam).
This being said, my view on the role of the Rabbi on the bimah aligns closely with Rabbis Jill Jacobs and Ken Chasen (above). I take issue with Dennis Prager’s position for the same reasons that my friend, Rabbi Chasen, did in his Letter to the Editor.
In addition to what my colleagues wrote, there are a few operating principles that guide me when I speak or write:
- I do not publicly endorse candidates for political office;
- When I offer divrei Torah and sermons, I do so always from the perspective of what I believe are the Jewish moral, ethical and religious principles involved. At times those sermons are, indeed, “political,” but they are not, in my view, “partisan;”
- I do not claim to have the final word on any matter that I address. I respect opposing views and believe that the synagogue should be a place where honest and respectful debate occurs. I have therefore invited people to speak in our congregation with whom I do not agree;
- I speak for myself alone and say so when I take positions in the media.
Plato warned that passivity and withdrawal from the political realm carry terrible risks: “The penalty that good [people] pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by [people] worse than themselves.”
G’mar chatimah tovah.
Rabbi John Rosove's Blog 
John
It seems to me that as a knowledgable and respected person, your opinion should/could/might be listened to as part of the over all discusion in most any subject in which you have expertise. As I participate in discussions about a wide variety of topics with various folks, I listen carefully for knowledge that I value and have not yet discovered and I am proud to contribute in the same spirit. I welcome this contribution from others with gratitude from people i respect because it widens my horizons. AlsoI will always welcome the oportunity to participate with as much gratitude.
The problem comes with folks who are over-whelmed with the authority of some figure, like a rabbi or an imam or a priest because they feel that that figure has the Last Word or the only word. People like that offend me because of their bullying or need to be bullied and make me angry when they try their best to stuff and idea down my throat because of their own problems. Actually people who open their throats and wait to have something stuffed down them are even more offensive to me, but for a different reason.
Thank you so much for your brilliance, knowledge, awareness and compassion. I feel that the benefits you bestow are beyond price. You have enriched my life.
Bob Coutts
A well-thought-out set of guidelines with which I fully agree. If a rabbi must keep silent about the Jewish response to social and moral issues, what is the purpose of our religion? The Reform Movement exhaulted the prophets so that we would have guidance to live our lives in the modern world. Our rabbis are the ones who have the knowledge to explain our moral and prophetic traditions to us. Please don’t leave us to try to find them on our own.
Thank you as always for your cogent, well written, discourse. I have always felt it a shame for any intelligent, respectful individual to hold themselves aloof from discussing issues that matter to all of us as a community. While it can be difficult to strike a balance as a leader of a diverse community, your efforts are a successful balance to remaining involved and working to bring clarity to what are often divisive and contentious issues of the day.
I enjoyed this column. Don’t know if you remember this, but I remember years ago – I think it was at a Shabbat service – you were speaking, and then veered into a realm that was quite political. It was sometime in the ‘90’s (a less politically agitated time) and, with a smile, you stepped down off the bimah to give your opinion, and then went back up to conclude what you were saying. Your opinion, off the record as it were and, I thought, a perfect balance. Rabbis are moral and spiritual leaders. If they have worked hard and done their job well, as you have, they not only deserve to be listened to, but they need to take a stand. These are trying times of great upheaval, with much at stake. After my time in Berlin last winter the dangers of standing idly by have never been clearer.