Healthy Jew Politics (Part 3)
Although THJ covers Israel, religion, and health, we stay out of political debates. Here's why it's good to sometimes transcend politics.
Dear Healthy Jew,
Political controversies are raging in Israel, both internally and in international relations.
Politics are important, even if politicians are often corrupt and inept. As one prominent political commentator once noted, the Holocaust was a result of bad politics: Hitler won the 1933 election and fulfilled his campaign promises.
Although politics are important, they aren’t everything.
As Achiya of Shilo taught us over the past two weeks, Israel’s internal “crown” of Torah transcends all political structures, and is always available for every Jew to acquire. Even when we lack functioning kings or kohanim (Israel’s two external “crowns”), we remain God’s beloved “nation of kohanim” (Exodus 19:6).
Achiya of Shilo taught me the political policy we follow here at The Healthy Jew. (I also try living by it in all my personal relationships, where it has saved me from many miserable arguments.)
Who’s Reading The Healthy Jew
Among our growing community are:
Jews and non-Jews with beliefs ranging from ultra-Orthodox Judaism to fervent atheism.
Conventional doctors, alternative medicine practitioners, anti-vaccine advocates, and regular folks who don’t know who to believe.
Paleo carnivores, vegan herbivores, and omnivores who’ll eat anything they consider real food.
Militant Israeli settlers who cry antisemitism whenever anyone calls their home “West Bank,” flaming liberals ready yesterday return Israel to pre-1967, and everything in between.
Unconditional supporters of Israel’s war in Gaza, and street protestors who think that Israel’s gone too far.
I have informed and strongly felt opinions about all of these controversies. And I write to you every week about closely related subjects. But you probably don’t know where I stand on most of these issues.
Although The Healthy Jew covers some of the most politically charged subjects around - religion, health, and Israel - we steer clear of political controversy.
I’m only assuming two things:
You respect Orthodox Judaism (even if you don’t practice it).
You believe the Jewish nation has a connection to the Land of Israel that’s worth looking at (even if you don’t like modern Israel’s government).
These are our only ground rules because we’re here to explore and experience two crucial aspects of Torah: Jewish wellness and the Land of Israel. Everyone coming to learn is equally welcome at The Healthy Jew, however they translate this Torah into their personal and political lives.
The Healthy Jews of the World
Let me clarify again: our political choices matter, even today. Who we vote for, and what protests we attend or don’t, shapes the society we live in. (At least we hope so.)
But since the Second Temple’s destruction in 70 CE, we don’t rule Israel with the Jewish crowns of kings and kohanim. We only rule our own minds and hearts with the crown of Torah.
Therefore, when I’m promoting Jewish wellness and the Land of Israel, I’m not trying to directly change society by enacting new laws or norms. I’m not even trying to change your mind. I’m just passing on to you these jewels of the crown of Torah.
That doesn’t mean we’re giving up on the world. As we learned last week, the external crowns of kehuna and kings extend from Torah’s internal crown. We must study and live the Torah of these subjects, allowing its crown to reach outward and influence the world around us.
We’re doing our part in rebuilding the two lost crowns of Israel - not with shouting or explaining to “them,” but with looking inwards at our relationships with ourselves and our Land.
You might have very different political opinions than me. Unfortunately for me, you might even believe that stuff I write here proves you right.
That’s fine with me, because if we continue showing up to Jewish wellness and the Land of Israel, the crown of Torah will guide us together toward the day when Healthy Jews will again do healthy politics in Jerusalem.
Hey, maybe I’ll even admit that your politics are right.