(Season Two continues)

This week’s parsha, תְּצַוֶּה, does something unusual.

Moshe’s name disappears.

For the only time from his birth until his death, he is absent from the text. In his place, the Torah turns its attention to the garments of the High Priest — the ephod, the breastplate, the robe with its bells and pomegranates, the golden plate engraved with “Holy to the Lord.”

The focus is not charisma. It is not personality. It is structure, vestment, responsibility.

Leadership, in תְּצַוֶּה, is something worn.

That matters when we think about the prayers we say for those who hold power.

Why Jews Pray for Rulers

In UK synagogues, it is customary to pray for the Royal Family. We also pray for the State of Israel and its leaders. These prayers sit in our liturgy week after week, often recited without drama.

Until something happens.

Recent reports concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his arrest and release under investigation, have once again drawn attention to the Royal Family. I will not comment on the specifics. That is not the purpose here. But such moments inevitably prompt reflection.

Why do Jews pray for rulers at all?

The answer is not sentimentality. It is scriptural realism.

The prophet Jeremiah instructs a vulnerable Jewish community in exile:

“Seek the peace of the........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)