Q&A: Desires, Truth, and the Deep State
Desires, Truth, and the Deep State
Question
Hello Rabbi,
1. What does the Rabbi think about the claim that a person cannot form a genuine faith-based worldview unless he has worked on and refined his character traits and overcome his desires, since these can distort one’s thinking? This is a claim heard in the Haredi public, and it also explains why it is impossible to develop independent thinking, since only the great ones succeeded in breaking the evil inclination, etc. But regarding the claim itself—why is it not reasonable that a person with strong conscious and unconscious drives will not arrive at the truth? And the solution would be character work, etc.?
2. What is the Rabbi’s opinion regarding the deep state claim in the police, the prosecutor’s office, etc., especially regarding Netanyahu? Does the Rabbi think there is selective enforcement, and what is his opinion of him in general?
Answer
1. I think that concern is always present, and it is reasonable to take it into account, but it is not right to refrain from forming positions because of it. One should try to overcome one’s biases.
Beyond that, no person has completely broken his impulses, no matter how great he may be. So by that logic, nobody can form positions. And why can the second-greatest person of the generation do so, rather than leaving everything to the greatest sage of the generation? And who decides in the first place who the greatest sage of the generation is? And is the greatest Torah scholar of the generation also the greatest of the generation in character traits?
2. The question is too general. In general, I agree that people exaggerate the power and immunity they want to grant these institutions, but they are important. And it is not right for elected officials to do whatever comes into their heads. I get the impression that there is selective enforcement from time to time, and certainly the treatment of Netanyahu is not normal treatment. But he earned that fair and square. My personal opinion of him is that he should have gone yesterday, whether he is convicted or not. His time is up. He is corrupt and self-indulgent, he does not know how to work with people and neutralizes everyone around him, and he feels like the master of the house to an excessive degree. In my opinion, under no circumstances should one vote for him and/or for anyone who recommends him as prime minister.
Discussion on Answer
In my opinion, because of all the above, he is a bad prime minister (a very bad one). That, and only that, is what I meant. I am not looking for a leader or an educator.
An example for the honorable Rabbi—when I see things like this, all the claims about Bibi’s corruption make me chuckle, if not feel contempt for the herd mentality of the media.
I strongly recommend that the Rabbi watch it; it is a short clip, 50 seconds long.
Now I’m convinced. Knockout.
As far as Netanyahu is concerned, for all I care the prime minister could be a pedophile, murderer, and rapist in his private life.
The only question for me is who is preferable for the country as prime minister. The answer to that question is pretty clear: Bibi is better than Gantz on several levels. Gantz has no chance of developing connections and relations like these with other countries.
In any case, even if you disagree on this point and think Gantz is preferable in that respect, it is rather amusing to see how you ignored the main point that the discussion should have focused on.
You can, of course, argue that Bibi’s character causes him to be a bad prime minister, but that is a weak claim, especially since you did not emphasize it. From your words it appears quite clearly that your discussion is personal. I thought that the “common folk” were the ones usually guilty of that; it surprises me that you too stumbled into it.
And as they said, “If a flame has fallen among the cedars, what shall the hyssop on the wall say…?”