Q&A: Anarchism
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Anarchism
Question
Hello Rabbi, I read your article, “The Third Way, or: On Religious Zionism without a Hyphen,” and I noticed that on the one hand you write there that you support secular Zionism (that is, a positive attitude toward the state and its institutions), while on the other hand you say that your personal views tend toward anarchism in general. My question is: how do those two things fit together?
Also, what do you mean when you say that you tend toward anarchism in general?
Answer
I tend toward anarchism (a political philosophy that opposes political frameworks altogether), but I think it is not practical. So in practical terms I support the state and its institutions.
Questioner:
How does an anarchist tendency fit with sources such as:
Rabbi Hanina, the deputy High Priest, says: Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for fear of it, people would swallow one another alive.
Judges and officers shall you appoint in all your gates.
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. (This presents lack of government in a negative light.)
Adam the first man was commanded regarding six things—idolatry, blessing the Name, bloodshed, forbidden sexual relations, theft, and laws. (“Laws” are a kind of rule of law.) — from the Laws of Kings in the Mishneh Torah.
Also, as far as I know, Abarbanel supported a democratic form of government.
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Rabbi:
These sources really do reflect the fact (a very unfortunate fact) that anarchism is a utopia that does not work in our cruel world.