Shabbat Chol Moed Sukkot
On the Shabbat which falls during the festival of Sukkot, we read the Book of Ecclesiastes, attributed to the “son of David” (usually assumed to be King Solomon), It is a collection of sayings, many relating to the “futility” (sometimes translated as “vanity”) of life. It suggests “There is nothing new beneath the sun” meaning that whatever happens will have happened before, and that which happens has occurred before as well.
This year, we read these words in the midst of what appears to be an unprecedented Presidential election in the United States. On its face, this certainly seems to be something new and unique, if only for the antipathy with which each of the major candidates are held by their opponent’s supporters. But is this really so unprecedented? American history is filled with campaigns which have denigrated the opponents based on policy grounds as well as on personal qualification and integrity. Jefferson and Adams, in the first contested election, each hired professional “journalists” to dig up dirt on the other. Jefferson supporters accused Adams of wanting to establish a monarchy; Adam’s supporters accused Jefferson of supporting the excesses of the French Revolution, and fathering children with Sally Hemmings, his slave. women. Van Buren was called illegitimate, Lincoln was called an ape (and a descendant of blacks). McKinley’s extramarital affairs became campaign fodder, and FDR was called a communist. Vicious anti-Catholicism prevented a member of that faith from becoming President until John F. Kennedy prevailed in 1960. “Hey, Hey, LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?” was the chant which help drive Johnson out of the race for a second term.
Today’s so-called debate is indeed not unprecedented, but it is nevertheless troubling and sad. Is there nothing new beneath the sun? Kohelet concludes his work with the following:
“The sum of the matter, when all is said and done: Revere God and observe His commandments! For this applies to all mankind: that God will call every creature to account for all their conduct, be it good or bad.”
May the peace and security which the sukkah provides spread over all of us this Shabbat and in the coming months.
