Staying Human through the 2020 Election
Parashat B’reisheet, Genesis 1:1–6:8
by Rabbi Russ Resnik
Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
“From which part of the earth’s great surface did He gather the dust?” ask the Rabbis. Rabbi Meir answered, “From every part of the habitable earth was the dust taken for the formation of Adam.” In a word, men of all lands and climes are brothers.
This comment on Genesis 2:7 (from Pentateuch and Haftorahs, edited by Rabbi Dr. J. H. Hertz) is based on Rashi’s classic commentary. Other rabbinic writings cite the creation account in Genesis 1 as the foundational statement of human brotherhood and dignity.
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, in the likeness of ourselves. . . .”
So God created humankind in his own image;
in the image of God he created him:
male and female he created them. (Gen 1:26a, 27 CJB)
Every person—every human being as human being—is made in the image of God, and therefore is to be treated with respect and dignity.
This claim might sound obvious, or even a bit sentimental, but we need to hear it afresh amidst influential current views like these:
The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-size planet, orbiting around a very average star in the outer suburb of one among a billion galaxies. – Stephen Hawking
Looking back, humanity will turn out to be just a ripple within the cosmic data flow. – Yuval Harari, Homo Deus (both quotes are cited in Morality by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)
In a postmodern world that sees us as just chemical scum or a ripple in the data flow, recognizing that every single person is created in and bears God’s image is radical. And treating people that way, with inherent dignity and respect, is more radical still. But the dignity of humankind is easier to honor at a distance than close up. It’s the recognition of the divine image in those we actually deal with on the ground every day that makes the radical difference.
So let’s see how this applies to getting through the 2020 elections with our humanity intact. I’m not the first one to comment on the unprecedented level of rancor and polarization around this election. I’m particularly concerned, though, about its impact upon our own Messianic Jewish community. Polls report that a significant percentage of families have become distanced or even estranged over this election. Some family members can’t even talk to each other any longer, and I fear that’s happening in our own extended Messianic Jewish family, especially between generations. The division between younger and older family and community members is always a challenge, but it’s becoming tragic in 2020.
So, what are we to do about it?
Speak about and to the opposition with respect. You can believe that President Trump is utterly unworthy of re-election, or that a President Biden would be a total disaster, without resorting to the mockery, name-calling, and stigmatizing rhetoric that’s flying around these days. We can refrain from lashon ha-ra, the “evil tongue” of slanderous speech, and from passing on partisan claims and talking points from either side. Try respectful dissent instead.
We can also refrain from the use of litmus tests. I once told a friend that I thought we, as Jews, should be sympathetic toward immigrants, since most of us are descendants of pretty recent immigrants ourselves. His response: “Oh, so you believe in open borders!” I patiently explained that I believed in maintaining our borders and in a humane policy toward people who wanted to enter them. I failed the initial litmus test but we ended up having a good discussion and understanding each other better. The litmus test of political party is especially worthy of being dropped. You don’t have to question someone’s sincerity or salvation just because he or she votes differently from you.
Keep politics in perspective. Neither party has an agenda that’s wholly informed by Scripture. Even if you’re enthusiastic about a particular party, you can remain aware of its shortcomings. No party has the final word or the ultimate answers.
Put loyalty to Yeshua above loyalty to a political (or even religious) persuasion. As the 2020 election unfolds, it threatens to further tear apart an already fragmented nation, but it must not tear apart the community of Yeshua’s followers. Insist on the unity of all fellow Yeshua-followers, of whatever party or persuasion, and act accordingly.
Learn from those with whom you disagree. Ben Zoma said, “Who is wise? The one who learns from every person” (Pirkei Avot 4:1). The next time you hear someone express what you consider a divergent political position, ask if there’s any possible reason beyond brainwashing that they might hold an opinion different from yours. Seek to understand their viewpoint, as someone also bearing the divine image, before you leap to disqualify it.
The late and lamented civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (whom some might write off as a member of the wrong party) once described his embrace of nonviolence, not as a tactic of protest, but as a deeply held value:
We are talking about love here. Not romantic love. Not the love of one individual for another. Not loving something that it lovely to you. This is broader, deeper, more all-encompassing love. It is a love that accepts and embraces the hateful and the hurtful. It is a love that recognizes the spark of the divine in each of us, even in those who would raise their hand against us, those we might call our enemy. (Walking with the Wind, 1998)
The “spark of the divine” is another way of describing the image of God that we all bear from creation. For Lewis the imperative to recognize the divine spark arose from his reading of the Sermon on the Mount—and we should all be able to say amen to that.
As Messianic Jews we also recognize that the teachings of Messiah Yeshua in turn rest upon the whole Torah, starting with the Creation account that we read this week. As so often happens, this ancient story is ready to shape our response to the breaking news of today and tomorrow, if we hear it well. O Lord, open our ears!