Voting is a Mitzvah

I remember the first time that I voted for President. I went to vote with my friend Michael. As a first generation American Jew- his parents had emigrated from Argentina-- his enthusiasm was exhilarating. His mother could not vote in the election; his brothers were not yet old enough. He would be the first in the family to exercise this right.

We walked in to our booths to cast our ballots. I have no memory of what it felt like to pull the lever the first time. I only remember Michael.

When he opened the curtain, his eyes were wet. He yelled-and I mean yelled-I VOTED FOR THE PRESIDENT. AND I MAY HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHO RUNS THIS COUNTRY! And he grabbed me in a great big bear hug and said, “WE DID IT. WE JUST MADE HISTORY. EVERY VOTE COUNTS, FOR THAT IS WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT. I'M SO GLAD I'M AMERICAN!”

And then the entire polling station began to clap. Michael's exuberance reminded every person why they were there, reminded them that each of their votes was truly important.

Every time I vote, I think about Michael. He helps me remember why it is such a mitzvah, a sacred obligation, to enter that booth and cast my ballot.

Not only is it an American value to vote, it is a Jewish obligation. Even when we were a fledgling people, struggling with freedom after years of slavery in Egypt, we were democratic. Rabbi Charles Sherman, of Tulsa Oklahoma, writes: “The roots of democracy can be found in the earliest history of our people, in the giving and receiving of Torah at Mount Sinai. In ancient religions, knowledge of sacred texts was the exclusive, elitist domain of a hierarchical leadership who then transmitted that knowledge to the common fold. Not so in Judaism. The Torah goes to great lengths to say that every one of the Israelites - men, women and children - were there at the mountain. Every one of them heard God speak, and every one of them entered into the covenant of their own free will. Judaism is democratic because every Jew has access to Torah.”

In another significant example of our people's history, the entire community was present when Joshua was named successor to Moses. Commentators remark on how important it was that everyone be there to acknowledge Joshua's ascent to leadership.

As the yeshivot in Babylon penned the volumes that would become the Talmud, the debates were legendary. Significantly, all sides of the argument are represented in the text-even the losing side. There are even instances when they took a vote on a topic to decide!

Jewish history exhibits a deep and abiding commitment to democratic procedure. Our legacy is clear: we must be active in the public life of our community. We are told, “Al tifrosh min hatzibur” do not separate yourself from the community, by Rabbi Hillel in Pirke Avot, The Ehics of Our Fathers. We do this by voting. As the Talmud states, “A ruler is not be appointed unless the community is first consulted.”

And yet, voter apathy, by Jews, is reaching an all time high. As we know, the Jewish bloc used to be considered a very powerful force. That is waning. We are not voting. In a packet prepared by the Social Action Commission of the Reform Movement, we learn: “The perception of the Jewish community's influence in the political realm stems in large part from the traditional high voter participation rates in the Jewish community. However, this perception is slowly changing as Jews have not participated in the unprecedented numbers as they had in earlier years . . . Every vote does indeed count; 100% participation should be our rallying cry.”

And so, when a friend says to me, 'Why vote? I'm a democrat, and in Texas, that means I'm throwing my vote away!” I understand her dilemma; in Texas it is hard to feel that a Democratic ticket vote will make a big difference. And yet, we must remember something very important: In 2000, the election of the President came down to 537 votes in a single county in Florida. That's less than the total number of seats in this Sanctuary. And those votes-those people who cast their ballots-changed the presidency. No other example can be more convincing that every vote does count.

And yet, not only do we need to vote-in every election, no matter how trivial it may seem-we must be knowledgeable. I'm not asking you to become a political analyst. What I'm challenging is that you verse yourself, at least on a basic level, with the policies and platforms of each candidate and each party. For in the Psalms we learn, “This is the generation and those who seek its welfare.” According to one commentary on this verse, the character of the leader is determined by the generation. Modern Commentary, from the packet prepared by the Social Action Commission of the Reform Movement, reads as follows:

”A community with the opportunity to choose its own leadership makes a statement about its own character by virtue of the choice it makes. We are therefore responsible for creating a community that fosters the growth of good leadership and choosing wisely among the candidates who wish to govern. . . .” We do pick the politicians. Like them or not, respect them or not, they reflect our community.

We must understand our chosen party's platform, and the candidate's standings on issues. How many of you have read the platforms of the Texas Democratic and Republican parties? If you have, perhaps these two examples may have jumped out at you. On page P-8 of the Republican National Party Platform, in the section entitled, “Promoting Individual Freedom and Personal Safety”, Subheading “Individual Freedom”, you'll read this:

“Christian Nation: The Republican Party of Texas affirms that the United States is a Christian Nation and public acknowledgment of God is undeniable in our history. Our nation was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christan principles based on the Holy Bible. The party affirms freedom of religion and rejects efforts of courts and secular activists who seek to remove and deny such a rich heritage from our public lives.”

And in the Democratic Texas Platform, you'll read this, in the section called the Environment, no page number, in bulleted form:

“ We support. . . Requiring 20% of the State's electricity to come from Texas based, non-polluting renewable energy such as wind and solar; Incentives, such as tax rebates, to reward Texans who purchase clean automobiles; Incentives to encourage the purchase of energy-efficient and water-conserving appliances; Rewarding those who reduce pollution from automobile by choosing to drive less with programs such as mileage based insurance”.

Each of these may have surprised you. I hope, at the very least, that they have encouraged you to go the party's websites-they aren't hard to find-and read their platforms.

Voter apathy happens, I believe, for two main reasons: 1. believing that your votes don't count, and 2. a lack of knowledge of the candidate or the party. It has never been easier to educate oneself. Take five minutes and skim the web pages of each party and candidate. In no time, you'll have a fundamental understanding of the views and goals of each party. Likely, you'll find yourself impassioned; you may even find yourself, at your next lunch with friends or colleagues, saying, “did you know?” and spouting off some tidbit pulled from the news, a speech, or a party website.

Being involved will help you be more passionate, and therefore are more likely to vote. Voting is showing up-but voting is also being equipped when you do show up.

I challenge you not only to vote-but to vote carefully, and thoughtfully. As Americans, we must cherish our right to exercise our vote. As Jews, we must fulfill our sacred obligation to do so.

When you find yourself shrugging at another election day, remember my friend Michael. Take some of his excitement with you into the voting booth. Remember Florida-and know that your vote does count. And take the time to learn, just a little bit, about candidates, and party platforms. May we, through our votes, strengthen this country.

Sources: www. Interfaithalliance.org-Sermon, Rabbi Charles Sherman, “Why Vote?”

Get Out the Vote 2004, prepared by the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.

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