Maybe it’s best that Israel has no spiritual or political leader

Two articles, appearing over the weekend, lamented the dearth of leadership in Israel – neither spiritual nor political.

At the moment, there is no Chief Rabbi in Israel, a post which ended for both the Ashkenazi and Sephardic rabbis on June 30, 2024, creating a situation that hasn’t occurred in 100 years. In his article, “Seeking: One revolutionary rabbi,” Rabbi Stewart Weiss sees this void as the result of “politics and back-room horse-trading, caused by disunity within our political establishment.”

This unusual anomaly is coupled with the lack of any suitable political candidate, emerging from the present Israel-Hamas war, which, according to former Jerusalem Post editor-in-chief Yaakov Katz, “creates leaders.” It is for this reason that Katz believes we are being forced to revert to the familiar default of “recycling our political leaders.”

Unconvinced that former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is the heir apparent, to replace the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz believes that Israel needs new leadership, not only in the top role but also within the Shin Bet Security Agency, as well as a complete overhaul of the Knesset, because “recycling the leaders who have already tried and failed is not a solution.”

While both of these writers have a valid point, emphasizing our dilemma of no inspirational candidates to lead this nation during its most challenging moments, when such individuals are most needed to provide guidance, direction and hope, Israel finds herself rudderless, and, yet, maybe that’s for the best!

After all, when taking into consideration the unsavory political power struggle, which is generally brought on when trying to choose a chief rabbi for the country, such a jostling fight undermines the very definition of the spiritual nature which is meant to embody the right individual whose superior character traits eminently qualify him for the role. 

Rabbi Weiss dreams of a chief rabbi who will exemplify the virtues of someone with “integrity, sterling character, widely admired, fearless of his detractors, willing to accept everyone at his or her own level, while seeking to advance and uplift them – someone who welcomes the convert, persuades through love rather than legislation and someone who preaches the path of tolerance.”

Does anyone come to mind? Not to me either! Because he is describing the very heart of God, Himself – not a politically, agenda-driven, intolerant run of the mill rabbinical school knock-off, who climbs his way up the top by being well-connected, coming from the right family, or playing to the most-powerful audiences. Sadly, that’s par for the course when it comes to how these leaders are chosen. Believing it’s a dynasty, it often goes from father to son, no questions asked – at least that was the case with the previous two rabbis, Rav Yaakov Meir and Rab Ben-Zion Uziel. 

What comes from this, is the usual – preferential treatment for their respective constituency and a close-minded point of view which does not allow for discussion, compromise or any type of modification in a rapidly changing world.

From the political perspective, the fight to take the helm is not much different. Our leaders mostly emerge from politically-connected families or those who have hung around long enough in the government ranks, waiting for just the right opportunity to fill the void. That is exactly how Bennett made his mark. Knowing that Yair Lapid’s party, Yesh Atid received more than twice the number of mandates than he did, it became the perfect time to realize his personal ambition, by enticing Lapid to join forces, in an attempt to oust Netanyahu from the political scene, but on the condition that Bennett got first crack at the premiership. It worked, because the intense desire to finally be rid of Bibi forced everyone’s hand to capitulate and relent to Bennett’s demand. Thus, a new prime minister was born. Was he a great leader, though? Perhaps, the best that can be said about him is that he did no harm, but shouldn’t a prime minister aspire to more than that?

Israel is now at a precipice. Just yesterday morning we conducted a pre-emptive strike in Lebanon, hitting their missile launchers intended to attack us. Consequently, the country is, bracing for a response, which could result in the most devastating attack we’ve ever experienced since the birth of the nation. 

How will we manage without the leadership which is missing at this vulnerable moment of our history? The way we are supposed to manage – by turning to our God! Psalm 50 is our valuable instructional guidance, even greater than our Home Front Command: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Leaders may be useful, to some extent, but they were never intended to take the place of the Almighty, the One to whom we are supposed to turn, trust and rely upon to extricate us from “the terror by night or the arrows that fly by day.” Psalm 91:5 Because He promised to faithfully hide us under His wings, the safest bomb shelter that was ever constructed! 

Those who “make the Lord their refuge” are seeking a heavenly leadership, the kind with which no human can compete, because they are no match for the maker of heaven and earth. So, maybe this is truly the best time to find ourselves with no earthly spiritual or political leader, because we are literally forced to look to the source of our protection, and that is not mere mortal men. 

Providential events have led us to this cataclysmic moment when everything hangs in the balance. Our strong, capable and defiant 76-year-old nation is standing at the edge, ready to fight for her life and show the world what she’s made of. But what everyone is waiting to see is whether or not God will come through for the Jewish homeland. On that front, there is no doubt, because the victory has already been secured in the promise that Israel will never cease to be a nation before God. Jeremiah 31:36

So, end of story is that no one needs to lament or lose any sleep over the lack of strong, honorable men of valor to lead us spiritually or politically, because the good news is that the God of Israel sits on the throne, 24/7, without “slumber nor sleep,” ready to protect and defend His beloved Israel during the fiercest of battles!