Rav Shmuel, Rabbi Shafran, and the President

Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky and his son, Rav Shalom (Mishpacha)

An important Open Letter regarding Orthodox Jewish involvement with politics (or perhaps more precisely – support for certain politicians) was issued by Rabbi Avi Shafran. It was signed by the following prominent Orthodox Jewish personalities: Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, Rabbi Hillel Goldberg, Jeff Jacoby, Eytan Kobre, Yosef Rapaport, Rabbi Avi Shafran, and Dr. Aviva Weisbord. Based on this I doubt that any one of them will vote for the President in the 2020 election.

As a community, we ought to clearly and proudly stand up for the Torah’s stance on societal issues, embracing a worldview that identifies with no party or political orientation. Our interests may dovetail with a particular party or politician in one or another situation, but our values must remain those of Sinai, not Washington.

Moral degradation infects a broad swath of the American political spectrum. In the camps of both liberals and conservatives, many political players are on a hyper-partisan quest for victory at all costs.

Good character and benevolent governance are devalued, contrition is seen as weakness and humility is confused with humiliation. Many politicians and media figures revel in dividing rather than uniting the citizens of our country. Others legitimize conspiracy theories. None of this is good for America, and certainly not for us Jews.

Shameless dissembling and personal indecency acted out in public before the entire country are, in the end, no less morally corrosive than the embrace of abortion-on-demand or the normalization of same-gender relationships.

The integrity and impact of what we convey to our children and students about kedusha, tzni’us, emes, kavod habriyos and middos tovos are rendered hollow when contradicted by our admiration for, or even absence of revulsion at, politicians and media figures whose words and deeds stand opposed to what we Jews are called upon to embrace and exemplify. 

(R’ Shmuel): “You see the matzav, the anarchy… it’s frightening. G-d has become a dirty word in much of America, religion and religious institutions are their enemy — we need rachamei Shamayim (heavenly mercy). If Trump doesn’t win in November, it’s worrisome.”

(Besser): I hear what seems to be an endorsement, and I push.    

(R’ Shmuel): “Yes, I think people should vote for him. He’s done a good job. It’s hakaras hatov, (gratitude)” Rav Shmuel reiterates.

(Besser): But what about the fact that the current president is sometimes less than a positive role model?

(R’ Shmuel): “That has nothing to do with politics,” 

(T)here is a major difference between idolatrous devotion to a political candidate and robust support of the candidate for important practical reasons.