The Responsibility of Speech in an Age of Division
When I was in Rabbinical school, The Rabbi as Symbolic Exemplar by the late Rabbi Jack Bloom was required reading. In it, Rabbi Bloom, himself an extraordinary Rabbi and a leading psychologist, argued that a Rabbi is never perceived as merely a private individual, but rather, a living symbol of Judaism, the Jewish people and even God's covenant with Israel. In other words, congregants don't see me, Arthur Weiner the individual, but rather, "The Rabbi." As a result of that, everything a Rabbi does; how they pray, teach, dress, eat, spend money, respond to conflict, as well as a million other everyday activities, are interpreted symbolically, as representing what Judaism itself values or expects. It's a heavy burden. After all, I'm not sure that screaming at the television while watching my beloved NY Jets is the best example of behavior, but to do so in public might lend itself to all kinds of judgement not only about me, but Judaism itself. I didn't ...