What Kind of Leadership Does Israel Need?

Parashat Shoftim

A Call for a Torah Government that Pursues Spiritual and Ethical Values

As I was enjoying swimming at the outdoor pool in Tekoa, I happened to overhear a conversation between two women treading water. “I also used to be a smolanit – leftist,” said one woman, laughingly. I know I shouldn’t be butting into other people’s conversation, but it was such a glorious sunny morning, and I felt so close to all the women in the pool, who had all returned my happy “boker tov! – good morning!” “So,” I remarked half to myself, “and who has not been a leftist?” recalling my high-school years in The Free Gymnasium, where most of my friends were zealous Marxists. We were young and idealistic. We wanted to change the world and bring freedom, equality, and peace to society. We aspired to liberate the poor Palestinians from the refugee camps, together with all indigenous victims of imperialistic capitalism. Yet, we were so naïve and didn’t realize the shadow side of human nature. Even as my friends were fighting for economic equality, I was searching for more spiritual depths. I remember telling my friends, “So what if the class struggle will be successful, and the working class will seize control of the economy? What will be the content and moral values within such an economically equal society?” No one could give me any satisfactory answer, because the focus of Marxism is only on historical materialism, rather than on spiritual and ethical values. So, I kept searching until, I, fortunately, found the truth in the Torah, the year after I graduated from high school. The Torah teaches not just ethical values for individuals, but the holistic approach of the Torah includes guidelines for creating a true Torah government, which differs substantially from Western democracy. Based on recent developments in the democratic government of the State of Israel, I believe that more and more Israelis are realizing the pitfalls of democracy, detached from Torah values. Not only religious Jews, but an increasing number of Israelis, are becoming more and more ready for a blessed change, and for strong leadership that will pursue true justice and abolishes evil from the land. 

What Does Establishing a Torah Government Have to do with Healing?

Healing is not only a lack of disease and disability among individuals. True healing encompasses the healing of body, mind, and soul, as well as the healing of our environment, community, and society. The leaders of Israel were called Parnassim (Sustainers), since biblical times. This is because by maintaining law and order in society, they create shalom, and there is no greater vessel for blessings and sustenance than shalom. Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta said: the Holy One, Blessed be He, found no vessel that could contain blessing for Israel except that of peace, as it is written: “Hashem will give strength unto His people; Hashem will bless his people with peace” (Tehillim 29:11; Mishna Oktzim 3:12). Tosfot Yom Tov adds “No blessings in the world can exist without Shalom.” There was a famine in the time of Ruth – the era in which the judges judged one another (Megillat Ruth 1:1). The commentaries explain that it was the lack of leadership and the contention between the judges that caused the famine. Just as the health of a person depends on the limbs of the body receiving their sustenance from the heart, and working together in perfect harmony, so too, does the health of society depend on all the members of the government working together in harmony, under the central leadership of a strong head. Conversely, dissension and fighting in our government affect the health of our country and society negatively. To preempt an unhealthy environment in Israel, caused by various disputes within the government, the Torah sets clear guidelines for how our holy land must be ruled, according to the values of the Torah. 

The Mitzvah to Appoint Righteous Judges

Parashat Shoftim opens with the mitzvah to appoint righteous judges in our land:

ספר דברים פרק טז פסוק יח

שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת הָעָם מִשְׁפַּט צֶדֶק:

“You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment” (Devarim 16:18).

The criterion for becoming a judge or a chaver Knesset (member of the Jewish government), is not only expertise in their field, but, moreover, ethical integrity, as Rashi explains: AND THEY SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE [WITH] RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT – Appoint judges who are expert and righteous, so that they will judge justly [Sifrei]. How do we define righteousness? Most people agree that a tzaddik (righteous person) is in control of his emotions. Like Hillel in the Mishna, he cannot be provoked to anger. He is soft-spoken and avoids blaming, speaking lashon hara (evil speech) or defamation. Parashat Shoftim further specifies, that a righteous judge “must not pervert justice” by showing favoritism, or taking bribes, “for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous” (Devarim 16:19). Who is qualified to decide which leader is righteous and who is not? Unfortunately, democratic elections have proved unable, again and again, to ensure strong leadership by a righteous leader. It is evident, that the person qualified to appoint righteous judges, must himself be righteous. Ideally, the most qualified for this job is the Mashiach – our righteous king – selected by Hashem Himself, through the prophet that anoints him, who received Hashem’s word.

 

In the Merit of Righteous Judges Israel Stays Alive and Settles the Land

Regrettably, our government, today, could hardly be further from unity and peace. I’m saddened when politics and the attempt to crush and dominate by opposing parties take precedence over moral values. Lately, our ministers act only for the sake of opportunism and to ensure their positions, rather than according to ideology and values. I’m referring to how Likud refused to vote for the bill that prevents Arabs married to Israelis from receiving automatic Israeli citizenship, and how the rightwing, Bennett government, refused to vote for the Judea and Samaria sovereignty bill because it was introduced by the Likud. The result is that these bills were rejected. These kinds of political power struggles are the exact opposite of the requirements of the Torah government to pursue righteousness and truth: 

ספר דברים פרק טז פסוק כ צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

“Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land Hashem, your G-d, is giving you” (Devarim 16:20).                               

Our ability to merit living peacefully in Israel is contingent upon ministers who put the values of the Torah before personal gain, as Rashi explains: THAT YOU MAY LIVE, AND YOU POSSESS THE LAND - The appointment of fitting judges is sufficient merit to keep Israel alive and settled in their land [Sifrei]. 

 

Shalom Overrides Truth

Parashat Shoftim guides us to maintain shalom by appointing trusted arbitrators to settle any possible dispute, which may arise in various legal cases:

ספר דברים פרק יז פסוק ח כִּי יִפָּלֵא מִמְּךָ דָבָר לַמִּשְׁפָּט בֵּין דָּם לְדָם בֵּין דִּין לְדִין וּבֵין נֶגַע לָנֶגַע דִּבְרֵי רִיבֹת בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ וְקַמְתָּ וְעָלִיתָ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ בּוֹ: (ט) וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם וְאֶל הַשֹּׁפֵט אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְדָרַשְׁתָּ וְהִגִּידוּ לְךָ אֵת דְּבַר הַמִּשְׁפָּט:

“If a matter eludes you in judgment, between blood and blood, between judgment and judgment, or between lesion and lesion, words of dispute in your cities, then you shall rise and go up to the place Hashem, your G-d, chooses. Then you shall come to the Levitic kohanim and to the judge who will be in those days, and you shall inquire, and they will tell you the words of judgment (Devarim 17:8-9).

With one unified, Divinely appointed leadership, you can’t go wrong. Since, the importance of shalom even overrides truth (Rashi, Bereishit 18:13), the authority of Torah leadership must remain undisputed. This is so vital for maintaining Torah law, that when asking questions about Torah law to the Divinely appointed leaders and Rabbis, we are obligated to accept their answer, even if it makes no sense to us. Otherwise, we are back to the anarchy we experience today: “There is no king in Israel and every person does what is straight in his eyes” (Shoftim 21:25). Therefore, the Torah asserts, that no matter what, we must accept the Torah leadership and their rulings. 

Developing Unwavering Faith in Righteous Rabbinic Leadership 

ספר דברים פרק יז  פסוק י וְעָשִׂיתָ עַל פִּי הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר הָשֵׁם וְשָׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ: (יא) עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ וְעַל הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר יֹאמְרוּ לְךָ תַּעֲשֶׂה לֹא תָסוּר מִן הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל:

“You shall do according to the word they tell you, from the place Hashem will choose, and you shall observe to do according to all they instruct you. According to the law they instruct you and according to the judgment they say to you, you shall do; you shall not divert from the word they tell you, either right or left (Devarim 17:10-11). 

Rashi notes the repetitious language when prompting us to carry out the ruling of the Torah leadership and explains: EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT – Even if this judge tells you that right is left, and that left is right. How much more so, if he tells you that right is right, and left is left! [Sifrei]. Such required Emunat Chachamim (faith in our Torah leaders) is hard to come upon nowadays. This is partly due to the corruption of leadership within our government. However, since government officials are not divinely ordained, this Torah verse does not apply to them. However, it does apply to true Wisemen and righteous Rabbis even today. When we develop this unwavering faith in the Rabbinic leadership, even if a Rabbi may make a mistake, as it is human to err, we are covered by following his ruling. Since we are acting in accordance with Torah law, we will not be held accountable for any possible rabbinic mistake, and due to our Emunat Chachamim, Hashem will ensure that it will work out right for us. Without this Rabbinic safety net, surely there would be many more mistakes, as the righteous Rabbinic leaders that we consult will be much less inclined to err than we would ourselves if we only followed our own judgment. According to Halacha, if we pose a halachic question, we are obligated to comply. We must also not go ‘Rabbi Shopping.’ When we ask for a Torah ruling, we must trust the answer we receive. Otherwise, what’s the point of asking? If we are not ready to wholeheartedly follow the instructions we receive, the Torah provides another option that offers us a way out. We can ask for advice only, rather than a ruling. Then the answer we receive won’t be binding. 

The Son of the Mistress (Gevirah) and the Son of the Maidservant

In the recent clash between Ben Gevir and the Arab MK Achmad Tibi, who was appointed Knesset speaker, Ben Gevir refused to call the Arab MK Adoni – “My master.” Although it is the custom for Knesset members to address the Knesset speaker this way, there is no clause in the Knesset rules, that requires using this title. For refusing to address him with this title, Tibi ordered the Knesset Guard to remove Ben Gevir from the podium and then the plenum. He was subsequently physically dragged from the hall. I am not saying that Ben Gevir is a saint, but I find it so amiss and distasteful, that an Arab minister is empowered in our Jewish country, to evict a Jewish MK from the government table. Parashat Shoftim clearly states, “you shall not appoint a foreigner over yourself, one who is not your brother” (Devarim 17:15). In view of this Torah statement, I can relate to the aversion of a Jewish government official, being coerced to call an Arab MK “Adoni” which means “Master” or “Lord” rather than just “Sir.” In the land of Israel, only Hashem and the Divinely appointed leadership deserve this kind of respect. Isn’t this a Jewish country, promised to the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’acov, exclusively? Other nations are welcome guests if they respect the homeowners. But who gives the guests license to lord over the landlords in their own home?