THROUGHOUT THE TORAH, we are told of the importance of honesty and justice.
In Deuteronomy 16:18-20, the portion Shoftim (Judges) begins with a grand declaration of how our officials should act: “You shall appoint judges and officials for your tribes … and let them govern the people with justice. Do not judge unfairly; show no partiality; take no bribes, for bribes blind the eye of the discerning and subvert the cause of the just. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that it may go well with you.”
We should always expect that our leaders exhibit truth, justice and character, along with compassion and empathy in all their actions.
All faith traditions value these traits as ones to be encouraged in their followers.
Rabbi Chaim Stern points out that it is essential in a civilized society for people to be able to “live with a sense of security, knowing they will be treated fairly and honestly.”
Someone who is of strong character does the right thing no matter the consequences.
History has shown us countless people who have stood up against a wrong though it may have cost them friends, family, their job or their political office.
Standing for truth may have even put their life in danger, as whistleblowers have often discovered.
A person of good character does what is right, not what is safe or what will keep them in power.
Abraham Lincoln said it well: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
In the story of the boy who cried wolf, because of his constant lies, when he needed people to believe him, no one did and catastrophe resulted.
Honesty crucial
It is especially vital that we can trust in the honesty of our leaders.
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters,” Albert Einstein said.
Whether or not someone is truthful helps us judge their character since these two traits are inextricably intertwined.
Emet is the Hebrew word for truth, and the Kabbalists saw it as a representation of God’s plan for us to be partners in completing creation.
They saw emet as the spiritual emotion of our souls, and truth to be an almost impulsive drive central to our self fulfillment.
They believed truth could bring about the ultimate manifestation of God’s will in the world and saw emet as essential in bringing about tikun olam, the repairing of our world.
Making choices
As we begin the process of choosing those who seek to lead us, we should use the traits of truth and character as touchstones for our choices.
Can this person be trusted to always be truthful?
Are they of good character?
It might be helpful to consider how the following statements would apply to them.
“The best index to a person’s character is how he treats people who can’t do him any good and how he treats people who can’t fight back,” said Abigail Van Buren.
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are,” said John Wooden.
“Reputation is what men and women think of us. Character is what God and the angels know of us,” said Thomas Paine.
Anyone who only cares for people who can benefit them or cares only what others think of them will be a poor or even dangerous leader — of a congregation, a city or a nation.
All of us, but especially people of faith, should look carefully at what their tradition teaches about honesty and character before they choose who they wish to lead them.
Kein yeah ratzon … may it be God’s will. Shalom.
_________
Issues of Faith is a rotating column by five religious leaders on the North Olympic Peninsula. Suzanne DeBey is a lay leader of the Port Angeles Jewish community. Her email is debeyfam@ olympus.net.
