I made the following comments in shul yesterday:
With the elections in a few days we are bombarded with ads highlighting why one cadidate is good and the other isn't. Campaigns bring out all sorts of people to emphasize the military awards/service, the jobs created, and so many other leadership qualities in order to prove that their candidate is the best.
But what does the Torah teach us about leadership? The portion Chayei Sarah highlights the last act that Abraham does. As the founder and leader of the Jewish people we might imagine that last act being a consolidation of his powers and preparing to have his son take over. We might read of the political or military achievements of Abraham. But instead we read how Abraham through his servant Eliezer ensures that Isaac gets married. A very lengthy chapter is devoted to Eliezer's journey, meeting Rebecca, and Rebecca's family agreeing that she can return with Eliezer to marry Isaac.
Therefore, we learn from the Torah that family trumps all else. We can achieve much in our jobs and community but that pales in comparison to what we achieve with our families. Because what matters most of all is how our name and values get transmitted from one generation to the next.
As we go to the polls on Tuesday let's remember to always put the elections in perspective. Politicians come and go - the values they represent are everlasting.
With the elections in a few days we are bombarded with ads highlighting why one cadidate is good and the other isn't. Campaigns bring out all sorts of people to emphasize the military awards/service, the jobs created, and so many other leadership qualities in order to prove that their candidate is the best.
But what does the Torah teach us about leadership? The portion Chayei Sarah highlights the last act that Abraham does. As the founder and leader of the Jewish people we might imagine that last act being a consolidation of his powers and preparing to have his son take over. We might read of the political or military achievements of Abraham. But instead we read how Abraham through his servant Eliezer ensures that Isaac gets married. A very lengthy chapter is devoted to Eliezer's journey, meeting Rebecca, and Rebecca's family agreeing that she can return with Eliezer to marry Isaac.
Therefore, we learn from the Torah that family trumps all else. We can achieve much in our jobs and community but that pales in comparison to what we achieve with our families. Because what matters most of all is how our name and values get transmitted from one generation to the next.
As we go to the polls on Tuesday let's remember to always put the elections in perspective. Politicians come and go - the values they represent are everlasting.
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