Upon Harav Amital's Appointment to the Government

This originally appeared in Alei Etzion volume 5.

Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5756 (November 23, 1995)[1]

            The appointment of a Rosh Yeshiva to a Cabinet post raises important issues and questions which must be confronted.

            The gemara in Megilla (16b) comments on Mordekhai's entering the political arena, which inevitably led him to devote more time to public affairs than to studying and teaching Torah. Mordekhai's decision was popular with "most of the people," but not with all of them; some members of the Sanhedrin broke their ties with him. They believed that Mordekhai should have stayed in the Sanhedrin and not been involved exclusively in public life.

            Furthermore, the concept of a spiritual person involving himself in the political world, notorious for its dirty play and power struggles, needs to be examined. On the one hand, we have the model of Moshe Rabbeinu, who was the teacher par excellence of Am Yisrael, and at the same time, according to Chazal, had the status of king.

            On the other hand, we have the model of the Tribe of Levi who, according to the Rambam,[2] did not participate in wars and certain public matters and devoted their attentions exclusively to service of God.

            On a more general level as well, we can discuss the desirability of Plato's vision of the ideal society, where the rulers are philosophers and the philosophers are rulers.

            It must be kept in mind, however, that these problems cannot be addressed solely on a theoretical level; Rav Amital is entering a specific government with a specific policy and ideology. How does a gadol ba-Torah fit into this environment?

            I think it must be emphasized that the situation in Israel today is one that calls for extraordinary measures. Ours is a fateful hour, with a wide range of problems, some of which arise from within the Religious Zionist camp and some of which arise out of the relationship of that camp with the general population. Obviously, we also stand before difficult questions in external politics, especially regarding the process that has now begun. In this situation, there is special significance to the presence in the government of a person who can inculcate the messages and content of the Torah into the government and society in general. Rav Amital was not summoned to the government in order to run a ministry; I don't think that would interest him. He was explicitly called upon to introduce a spiritual dimension into the world of action - and not just a spiritual dimension, but a specifically Jewish dimension.

            There are those who will claim that the immediate loss to the religious community, the Yeshiva and to Rav Amital personally, far outweigh the possible benefits of his newly acquired position. Perhaps he will not be given sufficient opportunity and power to exert his influence. We cannot be certain that this will not happen; I am sure that Rav Amital himself is not certain. But the chances of some success, particularly on issues relating to the Jewish people and Jewishness, are high. A feeling of responsibility is what motivates Rav Amital.

            Rav Amital has many outstanding qualities that make him especially suited to his task. He is one of those rare individuals who is able to synthesize vision with reality, idealism with pragmatism and dreams with the ability to bring them to fruition. His background will enable him, be-ezrat Hashem, to connect with the various segments of the nation, especially at a time when the growing divisiveness has become so critical. On the one hand, he is a man who is deeply rooted in the Torah world, including that of the Charedim, having learned in Yeshivat Chevron. On the other hand, his standing in religious Zionist community, as well as his reputation among the non-religious populace, command respect and admiration, and thus he is able to serve as a uniting figure of the different sectors of the Israeli public. It is unthinkable that a man of this stature, painfully aware of the deep divisions in Israeli society, should refuse the request of the Prime Minister to perform the vital work of promoting brotherhood and unity in the nation.

            Despite the personal difficulties involved in accepting such a task, Rav Amital - out of a feeling of responsibility and concern for Am Yisrael - did not refuse his calling. Although all of us in the Yeshiva will miss his continuous presence, the message that he conveys will serve as a beacon of inspiration and a lesson to everyone.

            We wish Rav Amital success that will bring berakha to him and to the nation as a whole.