Democracy and Freedom – What We Are Allowed and What Is Asked Of Us in this Season of Reflection

I sit here on the sixth day of Pesach, 5783/2023 amidst the fracture and pain of so much in our world. I think a lot about the two countries on this planet closest to my heart – the United States of America and Israel, as well as all of the other countries and inhabitants and citizens who are often not so different than you or I. We are privileged to live in a land that is a democracy in which many freedoms are afforded us. However, so much of that continues to be at stake with abuse of legislative powers, co-opting of hard fought freedoms and increasing dangers to our very being. Protests for democracy in Israel, protests in the United States over the ousting of democratic members of a primarily republican legislature, lack of ability to negotiate how to keep all citizens safe and respect their integrity, concern over removing pharmaceuticals that will protect the lives and bodies of our daughters, sisters, mothers and all women, and …..

So, on this sixth day of Pesach, called Zeman Heiruteinu, the Time of our Freedom, I am reminded that this freedom was NOT granted to abuse and grab power, but rather, so we as the Jewish Nation could accept the discipline that is celebrated seven weeks later on Shavuot as we observe the time of the Giving of the Torah, Zeman Matan Torateinu or Shavuot, that ASKS so much of us so that we are ALLOWED to remain as free people. In that spirit…

Democracy allows us to freely think; and asks that we protect that right for all others;

Democracy allows us to believe in G-d or any Higher Being or… as we wish; we are asked to respect that others will do what they find right for them;

Democracy allows us to live where we want; it asks us to acknowledge that all others can do the same;

Democracy allows us to choose our own path, career and course of life; it asks that we respect the choices of others;

Democracy allows us to own our property, increase our savings and resources; it asks that we share our good fortune with others;

Democracy allows us to walk on the street in any garb we choose that is appropriate; it asks that we do not look disparagingly at those who may look different;

Democracy allows us to use whatever resources and agencies that we need; we are asked to help others access them;

Democracy allows us to be who we are, our gender, our sexuality, our ethnic grouping, our racial identity; it asks that we accept others for all they are.

Democracy allows us to exercise so many different freedoms; it asks – DEMANDS – that we protect those freedoms for all people.

For Jews, we are now in a period of time called Sefirat HaOmer. Similar to Lent for Christians and Ramadan for Muslims and other cycled periods of thought and reflection for other faiths, it asks that we think long and hard about our lives, to not take the freedoms we have for granted and to consider how we can be the best people possible. This is so central so so many people of faith and various traditions of belief.

Amalek is the archetypal nation that did not do or understand any of this and destroyed the weak, the different, the ones who struggled the most in the Jewish Nation so long ago. G-d saved the Jewish nation from their cruel grip, and G-d did not protect us so that we would become Amalek; rather, that we protect all people from any Amalek that may rise.

As we all celebrate or wrap up our seasons of reflection, may we all remember not just what is ALLOWED for us, but more important what is ASKED of us. In that way, we will build bridges of understanding and acceptance that freedom allows and not construct the fences that divide, fracture and threaten that freedom.