MicrobrewTorah
Va-era, Exodus 6:2-9:35
Jewish
Liberation Theology and the Presidential
campaign
5
January 2008
The political season (as of 5 January 2008) is in full
swing. Iowa had its caucuses Thursday. New Hampshire will
have its primary on Tuesday. In 48 hours, Philadelphia will
have a new mayor.
Today’s portion gives guidance on one approach to politics.
As a preface, about 24 years ago, I worked for Hank
Salvatore, a state representative from Northeast
Philadelphia. Hank was a master politician, interested in
power more than ideology, preferring deals to fighting. I
was the firebrand on his staff. In the midst of a partisan
battle, Hank took me aside and explained, “Don’t make
enemies of your adversaries. You may need them some day.”
In the course of my work as a legislative aide, I meet
activists pushing policies and ideas, many of which I do
not agree. I have learned to take Hank’s lesson, one step
further.
1. Talk with people with whom you disagree.
2. They are probably nice people.
3. They can be a source of information.
4. They can offer good analyses.
5. Some of their ideas can be shaped into good policy and
legislation.
Accordingly, I will discuss a view to which I do not
subscribe, but find interesting and useful.
In today’s portion, God through Moses gives a call to the
Children of Israel:
“I will take you out from the labors of the Egyptians and
deliver you from their bondage.
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great
judgments, and I will take you to be my people and I will
be your God.”
(Exodus 6:5-7).
Rabbi Toba Spitzer, president of the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical Association and a congregational rabbi from
Massachusetts, sees this call as Jewish Liberation
Theology. I will discuss her article posted in
SocialAction.com.
As I understand it, Liberation Theology arose in the 1960s
and 1970s in Latin America. It argues that Catholic social
teachings should be the basis to support radical and
revolutionary social and political movements. Liberation
theologists have gotten into trouble with the Vatican.
The actor and activist Ed Asner, explains
Jewish Liberation Theology
as
(1)
engaging our spirituality to liberate people worldwide
and (2) identifying a new privileged
class------children, the sick, the hungry, the
oppressed, the starving and the imprisoned.
According to
Asner, Jewish Liberation Theology flows from Hillel’s
second question, “If
I am only for myself, what am I?”
Rabbi Spitzer says that God outlines for Moses four stages
of liberation:
1. To be “taken
out” ------- being
removed or removing oneself from physical oppression.
2. To be “delivered”
------- dealing with internalized oppression.
3. However, liberation must go beyond the individual. Even
if one achieves freedom for oneself, oppression remains for
others. “Redemption”
means working with others to root out the causes of
oppression, enslavement and degradation.
4. The Israelites were freed FROM slavery. They were also
freed FOR the holy work of serving God.
“And
I will take you to be My people” calls for
personal and communal freedom. Serving God means working
for the physical well being and spiritual fulfillment of
every human being.
Rabbi Spitzer links the freeing of humanity with Godliness.
She concludes, “Through
the unfolding experience of liberation, the Israelites will
come to truly know God, will have a new awareness of and
connection to the Source of Life. God becomes known in that
place where all of us can be free.”
How can Jewish Liberation Theology relate to presidential
politics?
In my view, it boils down to a question of vision.
In evaluating candidates, go beyond the rhetoric, the
pandering and the specifics of legislation. Every candidate
will have a tax plan and every candidate will have a health
care plan.
Jewish Liberation Theology relates to vision.
Woodrow Wilson was about setting up a new order in
international relations. Franklin Roosevelt was about
changing class relationships and preventing upheaval.
Ronald Reagan was about restoring a conservative balance to
society.
Jewish Liberation Theology challenges the presidential
candidates to address oppression and injustice.
Eikev
Pinchas
P'dukei
Shoftim
Miketz
Bechukotai
Terumah
Tazriah-Metzora
Lech Lecha
Va-era
Re'eh
RH2
Vayeira
