We understand that Knesset Yisrael, the people of Israel, in a very deep sense are the vessel that on a national and personal level has been given a misson to enable the Divine presence to rest here as it desires to do. How does that jive with our current political system? After all we often look at politics as a divisive arena, where loshon hora and personal vilification reign supreme. It does not need to be that way. Rav Ginsburgh recently pointed out: The HaYom Yom of the 26th of Adar, which was the date of the latest Elections (as well as the elections within Derech Chaim) says the following:
With three instruments of service – love of G-d, love of Torah and love of Israel – must young students of Torah approach their Avoda in the vineyard of the L-rd of Hosts, to bring the hearts of their brothers closer to observing practical mitzvot and to designating regular time for Torah study. They must do this without paying any attention to the affliction of factions. The absolute truth is that the heart of Israel is a wellspring, a source of living waters,and there is a “covenant” with effort and publicity – that they shall never be fruitless.
The “affliction of factions” literally uses the words in Hebrew: מחלות מפלגות. The מפלגות is the modern word for Parties (political). One root of this strife we see in our present system and that goes for almost all Democracies, is the false Left Right paradigm. It is true, there are varrying view points. These view points create disunity when viewed inside a left right context. Afterall the Tree of Life, which is reflected in the ten sefirot chart shows unity between the right and left.
One gematria Rav Ginsburgh brought down in a teaching just over two years ago is the gematria of
שמאלני (Rightwing) + ימני (Leftwing) = (Israel) ישראל
True Jewish leadership seeks unity amongst Am Yisrael and like the Ha Yom says, it must be done through Ahavat Yisrael.
