By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO — Toward the beginning of the book of D’varim, Deuteronomy, Moses says to the people: “I cannot bear the burden of you by myself….How can I bear unaided the trouble of you, and the burden, and the bickering!” (Deut. 1:9-12)
For the last couple of weeks all of us identified with Moses’ complaint. The American people, too, have grown tired of the burden and the bickering. We have been filled with anguish and uncertainty over our future. Normally, this kind of national anxiety is a consequence of outside threat. This time it was because of an internal threat. The deep ideological divisions between the Republicans and Democrats threatened the fiscal well-being of the United States.
Moses further said: “Pick from each of your tribesmen who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your heads….You shall not be partial in judgment: hear out low and high alike. Fear no man, for judgment is God’s.” (Deut. 1:13-17)
The discussions in Washington have been anything but impartial. Nor have they been God-fearing. Our representatives have been more concerned about angering their core constituents and being reelected than they are about doing what is right for our entire country.
During the High Holy Days last year I spoke about the legacy of President Gerald Ford. I said, “Why, at least in retrospect, was he so warmly celebrated as a great leader? Because he got along with people on both sides of the aisle and was known for building consensus and compromise. He was a friend to all, including those with whom he bitterly disagreed.
When Ford was nominated to the Vice Presidency upon the resignation of Spiro Agnew, during his hearing before the House Committee on the Judiciary Ford said: ‘I believe in friendly compromise. I said over in the Senate hearings that truth is the glue that holds government together. Compromise is the oil that makes governments go.'”
It is exactly the oil of compromise that is missing from Washington and is causing our government to freeze and rust. Even the final bill that was passed by the House and Senate to lower the national debt and raise the borrowing limit was a stopgap measure that put off the difficult decisions until the end of the year.
Furthermore, Congress waiting until the last moment to resolve the funding of the FAA was not only an embarrassment, but almost idled thousands of workers and prevented the United States from collecting about a billion dollars in much needed taxes and fees.
Even with the wise and discerning leaders appointed by the Israelites to assist Moses, they still wandered in the desert for forty years before reaching Promised Land. Let’s all hope and pray that the journey toward compromise in order to move our country forward will take our President and Congressional representatives a much shorter time.
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Rabbi Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego. He may be contacted at leonard.rosenthal@sdjewishworld.com