by Rabbi Peter H. Grumbacher
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Whether it is a historical fact or not, it is said that “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” Right now, I feel like a Nero: I write articles for several synagogues; some of them are interesting, some are humorous, and hopefully some add to our knowledge of Jewish history and tradition. But I feel as if I am “fiddling” while the “fire” surrounds us. Well, as my home rabbi said when installing me as rabbi of Congregation Beth Emeth decades ago, “A rabbi who is loved by all and does not ruffle the feathers of some, perhaps many, is no rabbi.” So, this is a rabbi’s plea for conversation over confrontation, for due process to be respected, and for strengthening of our nation’s system of checks and balances. This should not ruffle feathers, as I believe all those goals are supported by leaders in all political parties.
As I have expressed on many occasions, I would be ignoring both the messages as well as the Divine motivation of our prophets and sages, both ancient and modern, who saw what was happening in the world around them and, at the insistence of God, warned their people of the consequences. Of course, not every single person agreed with them. That however did not keep them from expressing their interpretation of Torah, defined not necessarily as only the Pentateuch but as our wide tradition of the voices of moral direction and ethical living, perhaps expressed best by the words found in the book of the Prophet Micah who wrote, “What is it that God requires of you, o mortal, but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
And there is another dimension to my concern, a concern that cannot be buried because of others’ opinions of what is right and just. I see the very heart of democracy as part of that prophetic message. When the ancient priests ignored the plight of the ordinary Israelite—the woman, man, or child who was in dire straits—the prophets were adamant that this went against everything for which God stood. And while I surely am not a prophet, I join with those who are dismayed and, to be honest, furious at the direction in which we are finding our country, and where we are headed. Democracy was a gamble and, as imperfect as it is, has worked because our leaders had respect for the principles of this fragile experiment; it was country over self.
I truly hope that we can share our dreams for America while also realizing that our country is at its best when we build people up without bringing others down. We should aspire for an America where de-escalation is the norm rather than a rare event. That is an enlightened America.
