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February 22, 2012
Warren Richey: How Supreme Court ruling on Texas could reduce affirmative action across US
Philip Moeller: Hard time determining your current and future savings needs --- and even harder still, executing a plan? Here's what to do about it!
Menachem Wecker: In Tough Job Market, Law Grads Use J.D.s for Nonlegal Work
February 21, 2012
Michael Doyle: Supreme Court to hear arguments on whether a lie is protected speech
Neela Banerjee: NSC wants rules on research that could lead to biological weapons
Fred Weir: Fearing West, Putin pledges biggest military buildup since cold war
February 17, 2012
Kristen Chick: After surviving sectarian mob, Egyptian Christians expelled from village
Eryn Brown: Microchip is a new means of medicating
February 16, 2012
SeaWorld of Pain : Watch Wyatt Cenac, a black comic, confront "whale freedom rider" Lisa Lange of PETA and make her squirm ( LENGTH: 5 minutes)
Jason Koebler: Antibiotics Do Nothing to Cure Sinus Infections, Study Says
February 15, 2012
Jeffrey Fleishman: Women were at the vanguard in the protests that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Meet some who refuse to wake up from their dream --- the mullahs and military be damned
Richard Simon: 'The check is in the mail' could soon be a legal excuse
Liz Bowie: Debate on whether cursive writing should still be taught
Jason Koebler: Super Plants: Could Re-Wired Plants Be the New Cancer Killers?
Susan Johnston: Strategies to preempt unwanted calls or other communication from collectors
February 14, 2012
Dennis Prager: Chris Christie on Israel --- and What It Means to Be a Leader
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: Shariah's police? Interpol's honoring of Saudi warrant could lead to arrest of Americans
The Kosher Gourmet by Matt Armendariz: VEGETABLE CRUMBLE is a simple, satisfying dish of tender eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onions crowned with a savory buttery topping and a sprinkle of fresh herbs
February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
The Issue of Character
By Rabbi Yonason Goldson
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I have a lot of admiration for Dennis Prager. His ability to articulate common sense conservative values and politics without resorting to dogma or hyperbole is refreshing; his passionate defense of Israel against the groupthink of Western academics and politicians is reassuring.
However, even the best and the brightest sometimes wander off the reservation.
Reflecting on the accusations of infidelity and sexual harassment that have scuttled Herman Cain's presidential aspirations, Mr. Prager suggests that we really shouldn't care. After all, JFK served as an effective chief executive despite his many peccadilloes, while Jimmy Carter possessed neither political aptitude nor moral clarity despite his faithfulness in marriage.
Both true. But then Mr. Prager invokes "G-d Himself, who apparently thought that King David deserved to remain king — and even have the Messiah descend from him — despite a particularly ugly form of adultery."
Mr. Prager's argument fails on two counts: first in his representation of biblical history, and second in his outlook on moral philosophy.
The subject of King David's involvement with Bathsheba is enormously complex, and requires far more attention than we can give it in this forum. Let it suffice to say that just as no self-respecting literary scholar would suggest that Shakespeare's King Lear can be appreciated by superficially skimming the surface of the play, similarly have three thousand years of Jewish scholars understood that scripture often presents an incomplete — and sometimes misleading — narrative that forces us to search for deeper meaning.
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In the same way that anomalies in the movement of the stars eventually convinced Copernicus that the earth is not the center of the universe, and that the peculiarities of Brownian motion provided Albert Einstein with the first empirical proof of subatomic particles, the Jewish Bible is written with stylistic inconsistencies that force the attentive reader to reconsider seemingly obvious but ultimately unfounded interpretations.
The narrative of King David's background provides much of the evidence. Unjustly hunted down as a criminal by King Saul, David rejects the chance to kill Saul and claim the kingship, then further risks his life to prove his innocence. Attracted to Abigail, whose husband David believes deserving of summary execution, David stays his own hand when the husband's guilt is called into question. Twice betrayed by his general, Joab, David nevertheless spares Joab's life rather than risk his own betrayal of the loyalty Joab had shown in the early days of David's rise to power.
Does this sound like a man who would go out of his mind with passion after catching sight of a pair of legs from his palace rooftop?
Furthermore (and contrary to Mr. Prager's assumptions), if David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, Jewish law would have considered their son Solomon an illegitimate mamzer and thus disqualified him from ascending the throne. That Solomon was accepted as king both by the Sanhedrin and by G-d, there must be another explanation of David's transgression.
And further still, when David was confronted by the prophet for having sinned, he immediately declared, "I have sinned before G-d." Had David truly been guilty of adultery, repentance to G-d for a sin committed against his fellow man would have been meaningless.
But these are technical points, mentioned here only to restore honor to the reputation of King David. Interested readers can find exhaustive essays based on classical Torah sources elucidating the true nature of David's sin and proving that he was guilty of a much more subtle and nuanced indiscretion.
It is Mr. Prager's more general assertion that deserves most of our attention. Are we truly wrong to believe that leadership is inseparable from character? Should we really overlook corruption in private if our leaders serve competently in office?
From a superficial and purely utilitarian perspective, this argument might seem sound. After all, the sexual misadventures of an airline pilot, a surgeon, a symphony conductor, or a platoon sergeant should have little effect upon their professional ability and performance. Why should it be otherwise with our Executive-in-Chief?
The simple answer is that the presidency is more than just a job. The office is a symbol, and the president is charged not only with piloting the ship of state but with upholding the standards personal integrity that lie at the core of American values. The French and the Italians may laugh at our intolerance of sexual misconduct, but we can only shake our heads at their disdain for the commitment to virtue that is woven into the fabric of American society.
The Roman Empire was, at its peak, the most powerful, far-ranging, and efficient political machine in the history of the world. But as it became riddled with moral corruption, when the culture of bread-and-circuses eroded the foundations of a civil and stable society, it began its rapid decline toward oblivion. And now, as we watch our own country founder on the cultural waves of entitlement and immediate gratification, it is not enough to hope for a president who is a skilled statesmen; it is equally important to find a leader who will inspire us to recover the individual and collective responsibility implied by e pluribus unum and the moral greatness implied by the motto In G-d We Trust.
One without the other is not partial leadership. One without the other is no leadership at all.
And so I say to Dennis Prager: Thank you for your candor and your insight, thank you for your political acuity and your moral clarity. Thank you for defending American values and the value of Israel. But please, Mr. Prager, please leave Jewish theology to those who have devoted their lives to studying the time-tested traditions of our people. And please consider that, although we may have to settle for imperfect leaders, we should never forget what leadership is supposed to be.
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Comment by clicking here. JWR contributor Rabbi Yonason Goldson teaches at Block Yeshiva High School in St. Louis, MO, where he also writes and lectures. He is author of Dawn to Destiny: Exploring Jewish History and its Hidden Wisdom, an overview of Jewish philosophy and history from Creation through the compilation of the Talmud, now available from Judaica Press. Visit him at http://torahideals.com .
© 2011, Rabbi Yonason Goldson
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