Views
A
merican Jewish com-
munities must act now
to protect democracy
and voting rights.
Protect the United States
Postal Services
(USPS). It is a
mitzvah. It is
the single-most
important thing
we need to
do during the
countdown to
Nov. 3.
It is currently
being gutted, and if it cannot
function properly, then the
democratic process that under-
girds the American way of life
fails.
Jewish ethics and Talmudic
teachings call out to us to take
action. The famous maxim
of Hillel, “Do not separate
yourself from the community,
”
reminds us of the importance
of supporting the health of
society (Pirkei Avot 2:4). The
Talmudic sages make this point
explicit. This maxim, they
explain, teaches that when the
community is suffering, you
have an obligation to support
it (Ta’
anit 11a). The deliberate
sabotage of the USPS is causing
a unique suffering.
At the same time, we are
mindful of the consequences
of living during this modern
plague of COVID-19. We
understand that we have an
obligation to save ourselves and
protect others through social
distancing. This, too, is recog-
nized by the Talmudic sages,
who proclaim the importance
of isolation from the commu-
nity during a time of plague
(Bava Kamma 60b).
The option to vote by mail
was supposed to relieve the
tension in these contradictory
claims made upon us — to
both separate and not separate
ourselves from the community.
Through the USPS, we can do
both. We can fulfill our obliga-
tion to maintain our society’
s
health by voting while simulta-
neously preserving the health
and safety of ourselves and our
fellow human beings.
The one pathway open to us
that would allow us to fulfill
our ethical obligations to our-
selves, our neighbor, and our
democratic republic is severely
constricted.
Without the postal service,
people will be forced to choose
between safeguarding their
health or safeguarding democ-
racy. This is an untenable
and unnecessary burden. The
ongoing dismantling of the U.S.
Postal Services must be vigor-
ously opposed. It is a Jewish
ethical obligation.
Time is running short.
We must support advoca-
cy groups like the League of
Women Voters. Demand that
your representatives and sena-
tors take action now to protect
the USPS. Press your repre-
sentative to hold Postmaster
General Louis DeJoy and the
USPS board of governors
accountable. Find out what you
can do locally to help people
get their absentee ballots to
their clerk’
s offices. And get
started now.
Matthew Kaufman, Ph.D. is the rabbi of
Congregation Kehillat Israel in Lansing.
Rabbi
Matthew
Kaufman,
Ph.D.
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Protecting Postal Services Is a Mitzvah
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