Five more days. Five more days until we hopefully stop receiving incessant text messages and phone calls and seeing endless political and often nasty commercials on the Internet, television, and radio. Only five more days until we exercise one of our most important duties as Americans.
Without question, this has been the most contentious presidential election season that I have witnessed in my lifetime, and to be honest, I am tired of the rhetoric. I imagine many of you are as well. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or an independent, and no matter which way you vote this coming Tuesday, I am sure you will agree that our political leaders have fallen short as the role models that we and our children need. For months, articles and webinars for independent school leaders and educators have advised how to teach and model civil discourse for our students when it is not evident in our political leaders.
Defined as conversation intended to enhance understanding, civil discourse, in the current atmosphere, is more important than ever to teach. It is distinguishable from civic discourse, when people communicate about issues in order to begin a conversation or a debate. Fortunately, we can look to two of our tradition’s most famous Jewish scholars, Hillel and Shammai, the preeminent models of civil discourse, for illumination, as written in the Talmud (Tractate Eruvin 13b: 10-13):
“Rabbi Abba said in the name of Shmuel, For three years, the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai argued. One said, 'The halacha is like us,' and the other said, 'The halacha is like us.' A heavenly voice spoke: "These and these are the words of the living God, and the halacha is like the House of Hillel."
If the heavenly voice declared that both were the living word of God, why was the halacha established to follow the opinion of Hillel? The Talmud answers: because the students of Hillel were kind and gracious. They taught their own ideas as well as the ideas from the students of Shammai. Not only for this reason, but they went so far as to teach Shammai's opinions first.
Imagine that -- enhancing one’s understanding through exploring and appreciating the validity of an opposing point of view. In other words, it is okay to disagree. At Hillel, we pride ourselves in teaching students that disagreeing with a classmate is more than acceptable; it is, in many ways, fundamental to the evolution of Jewish ritual, thought, and practice, as long as it is done respectfully, kindly, and with a goal of understanding the other person‘s perspective.
As the election nears, teachers have underscored the importance of Jewish values and civil discourse. Our kindergarten through eighth-grade students have spent time learning about the election process, and the importance of voting, in relatable ways, where candy may stand in the place of a candidate. However they have learned, they have internalized why voting is a privilege. Older students have also learned which portions of our population have historically not had the right to vote, and about the electoral college.
No matter on what side of the political spectrum you fall, please make sure to cast your vote on Tuesday (if you have not already voted absentee, as I have!). I pray that our country begins to heal after Tuesday’s election, and that in their graciousness, Hillel and Shammai serve as role models for our political leaders going forward.
