The first Presidential Debate is now over, and I hope it is the last. If I were Joe Biden, I would have seriously considered walking off the stage. But that of course has its own dangers and people would spin it as cowardice or lack of gumption. The whole thing was a disgrace and an embarrassment to this country. I wanted someone in the audio booth to shut off their mikes every time they went over their two minutes or every time, they interrupted each other. I especially wanted one mike shut off more than the other.
This morning on one of my list serves, I was recommended to a sermon by Rabbi Ammi Hirsch of the Stephen S Wise Free Synagogue in New York. It was called, “And God Weeps.” He taught a lesson of the dangers inherent in our democracy right now from a Talmudic source which describes God weeping, every day, because people who can do not learn from each other, because people who can’t try and succeed in making Torah (Wisdom) a part of their lives and because of a domineering leader. It is worth watching Rabbi Hirsch though spoiler alert it is 40 plus minutes long. (Even a little bit long for me.)
Because people do not learn: I am saddened that we as a nation has succumbed to this level of baseness. Our current President has no regard for the truth or for the Torah of science. A domineering leader: Our current President cares only for himself and will do/say anything to push his own agenda of self-aggrandizement. And that includes catering to the racists and anti-Semites on the far right and don’t be so smug to think that there are no racists on the left. They just use different language: The language of BDS and anti-Zionism.
On Yom Kippur morning, Rabbi Salkin reminded me and and all of us that In Jewish tradition, the Talmud records that after a heated debate between two different Rabbis, God came down and declared: Elu V’Elu – both these opinions are the words of the Living God. I am not sure God would have said that after last night. But this is what Elu V’Elu means to me: Maybe God lives in our willingness to listen to each other. Maybe God lives in our willingness to consider the truths we consider inviolate from a different point of view. Maybe God lives in our ability to see the Divine presence even in those with whom we disagree. God did not live in last night’s debate.
Last night God wept.
rabbiunplugged 
The debate last night was an insult to all Americans. Interrupting, talking over each other, ignoring rules, disregarding the moderator–it all just got uglier and uglier. Is this what is meant by “Make America Great Again?”
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Beautiful, Rabbi. Thanks. Love your phrase ‘Torah of science” That’s a keeper.
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Agreed and so saddened and disgusted.
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Love it!
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I agree with you Rabbi. I was saddened and sickened by what I saw.
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“God lives in our willingness to listen to each other” – those are wise words and certainly words that our country needs to hear right now. I think you are absolutely right – last night, God wept. Thank you for your helpful reflection.
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Wow! well said.
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It was made obvious last night that trump understands he has lost the election. The bellicose behavior was meant to keep him from debating. Now we get to see how the repubes are going to keep mail-in ballots from being counted and how they can delay a conclusion of the election so they can go to the Supreme Court for resolution. And Jews actually vote for this guy… because he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capitol. That’s all it takes? If you support a racist, an anti-Semite, a homophobe, a misogynist – then that’s who you are.
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Well stated. I had to replay a few parts a few times — with the closed captioning on! I couldn’t believe my ears — so I wanted to read it in writing. What a shame.
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thank you Rabbi for your beautiful words. I agree 100%. last night was a disgrace.
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Thank you Rabbi, always thought provoking… we are all weeping… Thank you also for your beautiful words at Yizkor. May this year be a better year for us all!!
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So very well said and so on point.
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The whole debate experience was so upsetting it’s hard to comment. I hope “God” was listening and plans to send Devine intervention?
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We are on the same page. God weeping is correct in my view. I turned it off and went to sleep. Awful to watch. Not doing that again.
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Trump’s performance was the epitome of not listening. And, we have listened to him saying the same things for 4 years. We know what he has to say. We don’t need to hear it anymore. Neither do the Proud Boys.
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