Pirkei Avot (5:22) says of the Torah, "Turn it over and turn it over, for all is in it." As an American living in Canada, who is regularly asked [or mocked, or harangued] about Donald Trump, I have been wondering: Is Pirkei Avot serious? Is Donald Trump to be found in the Torah?
And I think the answer is Yes; Donald Trump's ancestor was named Avimelech. This is not the Avimelech of Bereishit; rather, it is Avimelech of the book of Shoftim (Chapter 9).
In the period when the Jews were led by Judges, between the death of Joshua and the start of Jewish monarchy, Avimelech rose to power in the region of Mount Ephraim as an anti-government outsider. He rabble-roused against the leaders in power. (9:1-3) He spent a fortune to attract supporters who are biblically described as "empty and senseless", who helped him overthrow those in power. (9:4-5) And, yes, he appeared misogynist - he died after a woman dropped a millstone on his head, and his dying request was for a youth to kill him, "lest they say of me that a woman killed him." (9:53-54)
Of course, the analogy to Avimelech is imperfect - for starters, Avimelech actually succeeded in gaining public office - but I mention it because of an important lesson within Avimelech's story. After Avimelech's rise, his half-brother Yotam ascended Mount Gerizim and proclaimed a scathing rebuke against those who had selected Avimelech.
Yotam described the trees trying to anoint a leader from among themselves.
First they approached the olive, but the olive refused, lest the job diminish its important oil.
Then they approached the fig, but the fig refused, lest the job diminish its sweet fruit.
Then they approached the grape, but the grape refused, lest the job diminish its joy-inducing wine.
Finally, they approached the thorn, which produces nothing useful. The thorn agreed to take on the role. (9:7-15)
Society runs a grave risk when those who are qualified shy away from leadership, for then only thorns are left to lead. May we not be stuck with the thorns; may those who are qualified - our olives, figs, and grapes - always step up, to guide our community and world forward.
Monday, December 28, 2015
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Maybe the parallel is Yiftach. The establishment couldn't get itself out of trouble of its own making, so an outsider had to be called in.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand. In what way is Donald Trump not qualified? He has led a successful company for over thirty years. He has more experience - with people, foreign leaders, the media - than any of the other candidates.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot run the government like a business. People like to say you can because it makes them feel good to think that with a couple of turns and twists you could make it run more efficiently than it does but it doesn't work like that.
DeleteIt is a giant machine that has multiple parts and pieces that is far different from a business.
Doesn't matter whether it is right or wrong, good or bad because that is the reality.
If you want to make things happen you have to know how to "grease" the wheels to get things moving.
Not to mention his bombastic style and penchant for insults is unlikely to make it easy for him to do this.
Congress doesn't always cooperate just because the president says things should be a certain way.
RAM-
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
Trumpster-
Leading a company and interacting with people are part of a set of qualifications, but not the entirety of the set. From my perspective, qualifications include a demonstrated commitment to the benefit of society, and an ability to negotiate agreements with those who have different points of view.
Okay, so then according to Radak (on Judges 10:1), Avimelech did accomplish positive things during his reign.
ReplyDeleteAnd TRH and Joshua, you're talking as though we haven't had a bombastic (cf. "I won") "thorn" the last few years anyway. Trump can hardly be worse.
If Pres. Obama is your standard for an appropriate candidate, then we're in big trouble. (But I wouldn't call him "bombastic", no. Arrogant, but not bombastic.)
DeleteToldos - Efron was a real estate developer who was elevated to high office to honor Avraham in dealing with a transaction on the west bank......
ReplyDelete