As we prepare for Chanukah we are once again reminded that Jewish survival requires two components, physical and spiritual. Chanukah is the story of physical and spiritual survival despite virtually insurmountable odds. On Chanukah we also celebrate the integration of these two worlds, knowing full well that our Judaism permeates everything we do, be it spiritual or physical.

Thus the message, like all of Torah, is both timeless and timely. With this backdrop of Chanukah in mind, I’d like to raise a question posed to me recently: Is universal health care mandated by Torah? I am well aware that there are Rabbis on both sides of the issue that argue strongly that Torah and Judaism demand a specific approach — either for or against. That is to say, if you are a “Torah-true” Jew you must support or oppose universal health care.

I couldn’t disagree more strongly. Certainly, many of the ideas that are proffered both in favor and against the implementation of universal health care are found in the tenets of our faith, but to say that one is in consonance with Halacha or violative of Halacha by taking a specific stance is disingenuous. Healing and giving are indeed Jewish ideas, as is our responsibility to help others in need. But our tradition is not specific in terms of the methods by which we bring about that end result. Indeed, the Talmud, while addressing health care issues in some brief instances, does not detail at length what that health care system was!

More importantly, using our tradition to advance any political agenda is profoundly inappropriate, and runs contrary to the message of Chanukah, where we successfully synthesized the holy and the mundane, rather than manipulating one to the benefit of the other.

Beile and I wish you all a freilichen Chanukah.

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