Thursday 27 August 2020

Protecting the US Postal Service: where does Avot fit in?

A surprise reference to Pirkei Avot came a week ago in this piece in the Jewish News about the US Postal Services (USPS). In a call to protect the USPS, Rabbi Matthew Kaufman states that this task is a mitzvah and "the single-most important thing we need to do during the countdown to November third" [US Presidential Election Day]. He observes that, if it cannot function properly, "the democratic process that undergirds the American way of life fails", since conventional voting during the COVID-19 pandemic raises public health issues that are too enormous to risk. Then comes the religious support for this proposition:
Jewish ethics and Talmudic teachings call out to us to take action. The famous maxim of Hillel, “Do not separate yourself from the community,” reminds us of the importance of supporting the health of society (Pirkei Avot 2:4). The Talmudic sages make this point explicit. This maxim, they explain, teaches that when the community is suffering, you have an obligation to support it (Ta’anit 11a). The deliberate sabotage of the USPS is causing a unique suffering.
I was wondering whether any other mishnayot in Pirkei Avot might also be marshalled in aid of the USPS, given that this mishnaic tractate is not known for its warm endorsement of involvement in any aspects of public life. Maybe Rabban Gamaliel's teaching (Avot 1:16) that one should remove oneself from doubt might come in handy -- at least when it comes to accuracy in vote-counting.

No comments:

Post a Comment