The Torah’s outlook on elections

The Torah verses convey profound messages that we can insightfully extract for our daily lives. Rabbi Shay Tahan, the Rosh Kollel of Shaarei Ezra in Brooklyn, NY, graciously opens the gates to understand them.

We understand the importance of casting a ballot on Election Day, but not everyone is familiar with the Torah’s perspective. Should people voice their opinion on who should be their leader? If Hashem governs everything in the world and His decisions are unchangeable, is there a need for us to vote? To answer this, we look at the teachings of Chazal for guidance.

The clearest source indicating that the Torah advocates voting is found in Berachot (55a). Rabbi Yitzḥak says:

אמר רבי יצחק, אין מעמידין פרנס על הצבור אלא אם כן נמלכים בצבור, שנאמר: ״ראו קרא ה' בשם בצלאל״.

Hashem said to Moshe: "Is Betzalel a suitable choice in your eyes?" Moshe responded: "Master of the universe, if he is suitable to You, then certainly to me." Hashem instructed Moshe to also consult the people, who ultimately confirmed their approval. Even though Hashem had chosen Betzalel, He deferred to the will of the people, demonstrating a clear endorsement of their involvement in leadership selection. This concept, now known as an election, is fundamental to a Torah-based society.

Our sages derive from this that a leader should not be appointed over the people without first consulting them.

Another example can be found in the 300-year delay in appointing Shaul Hamelech as king. Although the Torah mandates appointing a king upon entering the Land of Israel, the Netziv (Haamek Davar on Dvarim 17:14) explains that the appointment was postponed because the nation was not yet willing. This reinforces the principle that a leader should only be appointed with the people’s consent.

״לא ניתן לצוות מינוי מלך כל זמן שלא עלה בהסכמת העם.. אין סנהדרין מצווין (במינוי מלך) עד שיאמרו העם שרוצים בהנהגת מלך ומשום הכי כל משך שלוש מאות שנה שהיה המשכן נבחר בשילה לא היה מלך, והיינו משום שלא היה בזה הסכמת העם, והיינו משום שלא היה בזה הסכמת העם״.

The Gemara Yerushalmi (Sanhedrin 2:6) further emphasizes this point, stating that Hashem removed Himself from the decision-making process, underscoring the nation’s responsibility to appoint their leader.

Yet, the Gemara (Bava Batra 91b) says that even the lowest-level authority, such as a water supervisor, is appointed by Heaven:

״וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְכֹל לְרֹאשׁ״... אֲפִילּוּ רֵישׁ גַּרְגּוּתָא מִשְּׁמַיָּא מוֹקְמִי לֵיה.

This might imply that Hashem alone appoints leaders. The IyunYaakov reconciles this by explaining that while Hashem chooses the next leader, the people’s approval is still required. Leadership is thus a partnership between Divine will and the people’s choice.

Let’s delve deeper. The Gemara (Sanhedrin 26a) recounts the story of Shebna, a minister in King Hezkiah’s court, who was a prominent figure with considerable influence. Shebna would teach Torah to a crowd of 130,000 followers, surpassing King Hezkiah’s audience of 110,000. When king Sancheriv besieged Yerushalayim, Shebna wrote a surrender note, shot it over the wall with an arrow, and it read: “Shebna and his camp have appeased Sancheriv and are ready to surrender; Hezkiah and his camp have not appeased him.

Upon hearing this, Hezkiah feared that the majority stance might sway Hashem’s will, causing even those who resisted to fall into the hands of the Assyrians. But the prophet Yeshaya reassured him with the words: “Say not: A conspiracy, concerning all of which this people say: A conspiracy” (Yeshaya 8:12). The prophet’s message clarified that a conspiracy of wicked people does not count as a legitimate majority. Thus, despite their numbers, Shebna’s supporters were disregarded as the “majority” in the eyes of Hashem.

Commentaries explain that since Hashem often sides with the majority opinion, Hezekiah feared that Hashem might side with the majority here as well. However, the prophet reassured him that Hashem does not side with the wicked. This highlights the importance of voting, as only the majority vote of Klal Yisraeltruly holds weight in Hashem’s consideration.

Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch (Tshuvot Vehanhagot 2, 140) recounts a rabbinic meeting held before the establishment of the State of Israel, where the rabbis gathered to discuss and cast their opinions. He describes how Rav Elchanan Wasserman and RavAharon Kotler wanted to leave the meeting, but Rav ChaimOzer urged them to stay. When Rabbi Avraham Kalmenovitzquestioned why their presence mattered, given that their vote would likely have little impact on those establishing the state, Rav Chaim Ozer explained that in Hashem’s eyes, only the opinions of the righteous truly matter, as we see from the Gemara’s account of King Hezekiah.

We learn from this the importance of the Jewish vote in Hashem's eyes, as only those opinions truly matter to Him.

The obligation to vote is also mentioned in a letter from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, dated October 3, 1984. He writes: “Upon reaching the United States, Jews found a safe haven. The rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion without interference and to live safely in this republic.

A fundamental principle of Judaism is hakaras hatov—recognizing the benefits we have received and expressing our gratitude. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the election process as an expression of appreciation.

A democratic system safeguards the freedoms we enjoy. One of the most fundamental responsibilities of each individual is to register and vote. Therefore, I urge all members of the Jewish community to fulfill their duty by registering as soon as possible and by voting. Through this, we can express our gratitude and contribute to the continued security of our community.

Signed: M. Feinstein”

In conclusion, selecting a leader is a godly act. Hashemdetermines the potential leader but waits for the people’s approval, making our vote a crucial part of this sacred partnership.

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel