A "foolish consistency"? A Jewish view on integrity and power ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Thursday, April 10, 2025

A "foolish consistency"? A Jewish view on integrity and power

Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said "a foolish consistency [is] the hobgoblin of little minds."

Is it?

Judaism takes a very different view. It demands consistency—not for its own sake, but because consistency is the foundation of integrity. The Talmud has lots of opinions and lots of arguments - each of them is respected. But it spends what appears to be an inordinate amount of time to ensure that a sage's opinion, and even the implications of that opinion, are consistent with the implications of his other opinions in wildly different contexts. A rabbi who rules one way in one context and the opposite in another, without reconciling the contradiction, loses credibility. The system allows for disagreement, even celebrates it, but only when it's intellectually and morally coherent.

Consistency, in this view, isn't rigidity. It's respect—for truth, for others, and for oneself.

In today’s world, much of political discourse is framed around Left and Right, liberal and conservative. Things are so polarized that positions that were once associated with one side can become anathema, and the other side that used to oppose that opinion now embraces it.

Are those categories truly opposites—or just competing instincts?

When you strip away the noise, here are the fundamental positions of each side:

Liberalism, in its pure form, it prioritizes individual freedom, progress, and equality. It believes human beings flourish when liberated from oppressive structures.
Conservatism values stability, tradition, and moral restraint. It sees inherited wisdom as a safeguard against chaos and hubris.

These aren't inherently opposed. In fact, Jewish thought reflects both instincts. The Torah emphasizes ideas like the obligation to give charity, welcoming the stranger, helping orphans and widows, that align with liberal ideals. At the same time, its respect for tradition, hierarchy, and moral order reflects conservative ones.

It’s not the values that are the problem - it’s the partisanship that makes people betray them.

And the reason for that is that there is an unspoken, real consistency among the Left and the Right, between Republicans and Democrats alike.

The principles don't matter. Power does.

The pursuit of political power has become the overriding goal—often at the expense of the very principles each side claims to hold dear. Liberals who once championed free speech now tolerate censorship in the name of "safety." Conservatives who once decried moral relativism now excuse the personal failings and immorality of their political heroes. Budget hawks forget about deficits once their party is in power. Anti-war activists go silent when their side controls the drones.

These are not mere hypocrisies. They point to a deeper truth: power has become the supreme value. And that, more than anything, explains the wild inconsistencies of modern politics. Today's partisanship ensures that most people don't speak out against these inconsistencies on their own side.

Judaism, by contrast, is highly suspicious of power. It does not glorify power—it limits it.

The Torah permits kingship reluctantly, and only under strict conditions. A king must not amass wealth, horses, or wives, and must carry a Torah scroll to remind him that he, too, is bound by the law.

Prophets do not flatter kings; they confront them. Nathan rebukes David. Elijah challenges Ahab.

The story of Korach is perhaps the best example of the Torah denigrating politicians who want power above all. Korach pretends to be a populist, he pretends to be righteous, he attracts followers in his challenge to Moses' authority. But it is clear that all he wants is political power and he is using the pretext of principles to reach his goal, His ending shows how Judaism feels about using political deception to obtain power.

Power is tolerated, not celebrated. Authority is legitimate only when restrained by law, tradition, and ethical accountability.

Judaism offers more than an ethical code—it offers a different framework for thinking about public life. It doesn’t ask whether an idea is liberal or conservative. It asks whether it is moral, just, consistent, and rooted in truth. As in the Talmud, where debate is sacred but inconsistency is disqualifying, this framework holds ideas - and people - to a higher standard.

Jewish ethics does not try to convert you. It doesn't demand that everyone agree. But it does demand that people apply the same standards to themselves as they do to their opponents.

This is why partisan politics are so corrosive: they encourage people to abandon principle for the sake of the team. But Jewish moral reasoning encourages something more difficult—and more enduring: consistency, integrity, and the humility to admit when your side is wrong.

In a world where so many are loyal to Left or Right, Judaism remains loyal to something deeper.

And that is where its enduring power lies - not in domination, but in moral clarity.