Q&A: What is meant by the verse “And you shall not curse a leader among your people”?
What is meant by the verse “And you shall not curse a leader among your people”?
Question
Hello,
I just watched Netanyahu’s speech, and honestly it was funnier than any comedy to see how a person who looks serious and is over 70 lies with such determined brazenness in every single word. I don’t understand politics, but obviously politicians speak to the “common folk” who aren’t very informed, because anyone with a bit of sense who follows things even a little can see that the man is simply lying in every word.
It seems to me that he’s some kind of psychopath — he has lost all connection to conscience, honesty, and values. Everything with him is a complete and crazy performance, driven by ego and various urges.
And it is enough just to mention the last “operation,” in which a tiny terrorist organization fired about 5,000 rockets at the country in less than two weeks. How can a person because of whom we reached such a situation even claim that there is anything right-wing about him??
So am I forbidden to call him a “liar,” a psychopath, and other such words?
What exactly does the Torah mean?
Am I supposed to lie to myself and to others???
I don’t really understand.
Answer
I don’t know which speech you’re talking about, but that doesn’t really matter, since he always lies. I didn’t understand the question. Who said you’re not allowed to call him a liar? Where did you see that in the Torah, that you’re looking for its intent here?
Discussion on Answer
Although this isn’t connected to “And you shall not curse a leader among your people,” calling him a psychopath is of course slander.
But in a generation when everyone is basically like captured infants, hasn’t the whole rule of “those who act as your people do” been reduced to some basic, minimal level? For example, that he is not an apostate? Or maybe not even that?
As for psychopath, ask the questioner, not me. I was talking about liar. I didn’t give him a psychiatric diagnosis.
And in a generation when everyone is a captured infant, his situation is only worse. Now people are not judged mainly on the religious plane (because they are captured infants) but primarily on the moral plane. And there this fellow behaves terribly.
“And you shall not curse a leader among your people” was interpreted by the Sages as referring to one who acts as one of your people.