These days are very intense for so many. The terrible war that started on October 7th is at a critical juncture and, with so much on the line, there are furious debates and conversations about the proper path forward. Upon reflection, it seems pointless for the masses to discuss these matters at all. We are not military strategists, government operatives, political leaders, or diplomats, so why do we even invest so much emotional energy in talking about issues we cannot practically influence?
Democracy is about representative government. The vast majority of the citizenry cannot formulate plans for building roads and bridges, setting up a healthcare system, or training and maintaining an army to maintain security, so we hire people to work in government to do the job for us and leave the nuts and bolts of accomplishing these goals to these professionals.
However, decisions must be made, and the human choices these elected professionals make will be determined by the values they believe in and live by. Every citizen in any democracy has a civic duty to vote for a representative who will represent his or her value system in government. Every individual must understand their value system well and discuss and debate it. Even if you don’t have the solution to every problem, you have the right and obligation to analyze every choice made by your representative government and determine if it fits with your value system. In this week’s parsha, we learn how G-d communicated with Moshe at the burning bush and instructed him to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery to freedom. During the dialogue, Moshe asked to understand the purpose of this redemption. Could their pain and suffering not go away while they stayed where they were? G-d responded they needed to leave Egypt in order to come to Mt. Sinai and receive the Torah. It was not just about leaving the construction sites and settling in a land flowing with milk and honey. The Israelites were destined to break away from the flawed and corrupt worldview and culture of their Egyptian hosts and receive the Torah which would provide them a true and holistic approach to reality. A worldview that would hold true through the test of time, trial, and tribulation. A divine gift that would enable them to be a light unto the nations and prepare the world for an era of true peace and tranquility. This is the value system we must know well and apply because these are the only values that can ensure security and prosperity for Israel and Jews around the world. The more familiar we are with the Torah’s value system, the better equipped we are to empower the decision-makers to make the right choices. Even Jews who have no right to vote in Israel’s elections can impact the zeitgeist of our brethren in the Holy Land, and familiarity and fluency with our heritage are critical. I invite you to join me at Chabad on Tuesday, January 21 at 7:00 pm for an enlightening multimedia seminar entitled “How Israel Wins - The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Vision for Achieving Lasting Peace.” Instead of discussing the specifics of what Israel’s politicians or the IDF should do today, tomorrow, or next week, we will discover how the Rebbe articulated the Torah’s principles with which we can appreciate the grim reality in the Middle East and the proper approaches to solving the many problems we face as a nation. Dinner will be served.