In Public Service, Character Matters Most: A Rabbi’s Plea from the Pulpit

The podium from which I address my congregation each week, a podium previously occupied by giants of Great Neck’s historic Jewish community, bears an inscription from the 119^th psalm: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” This profound statement signifies our belief that, in a world of uncertainty, the ancient wisdom of our religious tradition can illuminate the path of good and right.

As a rabbi, it is my responsibility to shine the light of the Torah, Judaism’s sacred teachings, on the complexities of our world. Sometimes, this holy calling demands that I confront our community with uncomfortable truths.

I love and admire many people who support President Donald Trump, including family members, friends, and cherished members of my congregation. I am a pluralist, and I believe everyone’s opinion should be respected, even if I don’t agree with them. I support some of President Trump’s policies and oppose others. However, to quote again from the 119th Psalm, “I am afflicted very much,” because what I see in our president is a moral depravity that overshadows any policy he might pursue. As consequential as his actions are for issues like the economy, national security, antisemitism, and Israel, they feel secondary to me given his bankruptcy of character.

Some have said to me: “Rabbi, leave politics out of the pulpit. Stick to the Torah.” My answer to them is: This is the heart of the Torah. What kind of spiritual leader would I be if I didn’t talk about the importance of good character? How could I stand behind a podium dedicated to proclaiming honesty and truth and yet keep silent about the moral rot at the head of our country?

I am not naïve. Before becoming a rabbi, I worked in Illinois politics, a state where one governor was convicted of selling commercial driver’s licenses for campaign cash and another was sent to prison for attempting to auction off a US Senate seat to the highest bidder. Yet these public corruption schemes seem quaint in comparison to the way President Trump and his family appear to be monetizing the presidency to enrich themselves. For example, according to recent news reports, the Trump family has already profited to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars since January from various crypto-currency ventures bearing the president’s image and name. While these schemes might or might not be legal, they are highly unethical exploitations of the public trust.

Jewish tradition is clear: good moral character is a prerequisite for public leadership. The great medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides taught that a national leader “should be gracious and merciful to the small and the great alike… protect the honor of even the humblest of men… speak gently… and bear the nation’s difficulties, burdens, complaints, and anger as a nurse carries an infant.” The prophet Ezekiel condemned the greedy and self-absorbed leaders of his time as shepherds who “feed themselves” and not their flocks. Jewish law prioritizes character even over acumen, stipulating that only someone who is humble and has a reputation for honesty and righteousness should represent the community. Only after establishing this character requirement does the law say anything about a prospective leader’s skills or knowledge.

The message is clear: character matters most. If a person lacks good moral character, their knowledge, experience, and policies are of no importance because they simply cannot be trusted with the responsibility of public office.

Tragically, it seems that our country has lost sight of this principle and, consequently, we are lost in a moral wilderness. Some of President Trump’s policies might indeed make America strong, safe, and wealthy again, but America will never be great again until we embrace the priority of good moral character—not only in our leaders, but in our communities, in our marketplaces, in our children and grandchildren, and in ourselves.

(This article is adapted from a sermon delivered on May 30, 2025.)