Two weeks ago, in his comment on the Torah portion, Vayhi, Rabbi Marc D. Angel, founder of The Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals, pointed precisely and eloquently to the essential qualities that must typify the behaviour of would-be leaders.
Rabbi Angel reflected upon the unique deathbed blessing/instruction by Yaakov to his son Yehudah in light of the observable transformation in Yehudah’s personality.
All human beings, Rabbi Angel observes, face crises and confront problems in life. But “we need to learn from Judah’s example. We need to understand that leadership requires clarity of thought, unshakeable commitment to what’s right, and a lion’s courage to take action.”
When we examine the behaviour of the provincial government in perpetuating unfair, discriminatory educational funding, we do not see even the slightest commitment to doing what’s right. Alas, we see the opposite.
The failure by the government to do what is right does not absolve us from embracing the commitment to do so. As Rabbi Angel wrote, “the Torah calls on all of us to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. We must be lions, not laggards.”
And so, we must find the courage to take action to do what is right to remedy the long-standing, discriminatory educational funding policies of the provincial government. Resorting to the courts is the next appropriate step.
Rabbi Angel’s article is available at:
https://www.jewishideas.org/lions-and-laggards-thoughts-parashat-vayhi
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Be safe. Be well. Shabbat shalom.
GAJE, January 15, 2021
