As I read Parshat Emor, I am struck not by the privilege of the priest—but by his burden.

The Torah sets the kohen apart. Not to elevate him above others, but to constrain him. His life is governed by limits—who he may marry, what he may touch, how he must behave. The higher his role, the tighter the boundaries.

This is not power as we understand it today.

The kohen is not free to do more. He is required to do less—more carefully, more consciously, more responsibly.

And perhaps this is the Torah’s first and most uncomfortable lesson about leadership:

If authority does not come with restraint, it is already corrupted.

From Sacred Order to Political Reality

The priesthood maintained order in the Temple—structured, bounded, and taken seriously.

Pirkei Avot (3:2) extends that idea into society:

“Pray for the welfare of the government, for were it not for the fear of it, people would swallow one another alive.”

This is not philosophical. It is brutally realistic.

Without law, without enforcement, without consequence—civilization does not become enlightened.

But Pirkei Avot 3.2 does not stop there. It adds a second warning—one that feels even more urgent today:

“Do not sit among a gathering of mockers.”

A society cannot survive on authority alone.

It requires seriousness.

The Rise of the Mockers

We are living in an age where seriousness is collapsing.

Not just humor—but a culture that reduces complexity to slogans, replaces inquiry with outrage, and trades truth for attention.

There is now a clear formula for influence:

Take a side. Simplify the story. Amplify the accusation.

In the case of Israel, it is even easier:

Say “Free Palestine.” Accuse Israel of something monstrous. And the reaction is immediate.

Outrage spreads faster than facts. Certainty replaces curiosity.

No pause. No questions.

What happened? Why did it happen? Who was involved—and in what capacity?

These are no longer the starting point. They are often never asked.

When Governments Stop Governing

At the heart of Pirkei Avot is a simple, uncomfortable truth:

A society depends not just on laws—but on the willingness to enforce them.

Today, in many........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)