Greetings!
Every Friday before an election I write to remind you about the 614th commandment: Thou shall vote! Maimonides enumerated the number of commandments in the Torah at 613, however we know that there are commandments that are considered d’oraitah – from the Torah and d’rabanan, from the rabbis. An example of a Mitzvah that is from the rabbis is lighting the Hanukkah candles. This cannot be a biblical commandment because the holiday itself does not even exist until after the Tanach is canonized. While many would agree that the ability to create a mitzvah ended with the Talmud, many would also agree that partaking in the democracy is worthy of the level of a mitzvah.
As elections wind down, parties on all sides begin to feel the anxiety build within their veins. The campaigns and the causes they care deeply about are left to the hands of the voters, beyond the control of any one person. When there are causes on the ballot that may literally affect one’s life, there can be some anxiety as we await the voter count. How do we deal with such anxiety or anxiety of any kind for that matter?
Jewish tradition references a verse in the book of Proverbs that reads, “If there is a worry in a person’s heart, let that person quash it. (Proverbs 12:25) I am not sure that the King Solomon, the biblical author of the book of Proverbs, was the best psychologist, but trying to quash it is certainly one method to deal with anxiety. The rabbis of the Talmud in tractate Yoma debate the meaning. Rabbi Ami takes the verse literally and says one should forget whatever is concerning them. Rabbi Asi, on the hand, interprets the Hebrew word for quash differently and says that it means you should tell someone about your concerns. By speaking to someone else, one’s anxiety should be reduced. Rabbi Asi seems to have a better understanding of how to reduce anxiety. When it comes to the outcome of an election, something about which we have very little control, just speaking about it with someone may not do enough.
On Rosh Hashanah, I spoke to all of us about how we live in an uncertain world. I referenced a story in the Talmud in which the Roman general Turnus Rufus challenged Rabbi Akiva about God’s love for the poor and why God does not take care of them? Akiva assures him that it is the essence of the Jewish people to care for those who are in need. He brings a series of challenges, but Rabbi Akiva keeps refuting his claims. Finally, Rabbi Akiva references the book of Isaiah and says that the essence of what we do is to help the needy and that we do it now. The lesson of the story is that when the world is uncertain, and the anxiety builds in us about the outcomes of which do not control, that the only thing we can do is to act. If we are concerned about the outcome of an election, we wonder what we can do to support a cause we believe in. We can phone or text bank or go door to door and speak to voters.
If you have not already voted, please be sure to vote on Tuesday. Please remember to learn about those running for office. The League of Women Voters is always a great resource. Early Voting hours go until 7:30 pm this evening, 8 AM – 4 PM on Saturday and 1 pm – 5 pm on Sunday. (Please confirm these hours with your county election office before voting.)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner
