TRANSFERRING POWER July 26, 2024
The Hebrew Bible can teach Americans a lot about our transfer of presidential power.
We’re witnessing an historical event. President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, withdrew his candidacy. No presumptive nominee had ever done that. Biden endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris.
In 48 hours, Harris won the support of the Democratic leadership, brought the majority of Biden delegates into the fold and raised over $100 million. Democrats could have chosen to stage a brief primary campaign or waited until next month’s convention in Chicago, but given Biden’s late withdrawal, time was not on the party’s side. On Tuesday, Harris campaigned in Wisconsin.
Until the adoption of the Constitution, the peaceful transfer of power existed only when the child of a king or emperor was allowed by nobles to succeed to the throne. Bloodshed often decided the matter.
The Hebrew Bible demonstrates two types of power transfers and one very big lesson.
This week’s Torah portion, Pinchas, presents God telling Moses that at age 120, his life must end. Moses will not enter the promised land of Canaan, having failed to hallow God’s name by striking a rock to bring forth water rather than speaking to it.
Moses, putting the people first, says to God, “Let the Lord, source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that the Lord’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:16–17). The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks comments, “The great leaders care about succession.”
Moses doesn’t choose his successor. This is God’s role. God says, “Single out Joshua son of Nun, an inspired man [literally a man in whom there is spirit], and lay your hand upon him” (Numbers 27:18). Following Moses’ death in the book of Deuteronomy, Joshua assumes political power. In the book of Joshua—often called the sixth book of Torah (there are five)—he leads the Israelite conquest of Canaan.
But in ancient Israel, peaceful transfers of power often came with difficulty. Following the period of judges, the Israelites demand a king. The prophet Samuel anoints Saul. Saul is a poor choice and cannot lead Israel to victory over the Philistines. God is displeased and has David anointed as his successor. David assumes the throne after Saul—his sons dead—falls on his sword to avoid capture. Yet the houses of David and Saul fight each other.
When David nears death, his son Adonijah claims the throne. But David intends Solomon to hold it. When David is informed of the treachery, Adonijah withdraws. As to Solomon, his sons Jeroboam and Rehoboam each seek the throne and split the united monarchy into separate kingdoms.
Ronald Reagan termed America’s four-year peaceful transfer of power “nothing less than a miracle.” Yet four years ago, the United States witnessed a defeated president refusing to engage in that peaceful transfer and spurring a mob to assault Congress, engaged in the ceremonial verifying of the Electoral College results.
November’s election will repeat our power-transfer process. If Harris wins, may the example of Moses inspire this nation to acknowledge its new president. If Donald Trump wins, may we hold another election in 2028.
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