TABC’s legal holiday shiurim series continued on Monday with a Presidents Day shiur by Rabbi Daniel Fridman. The shiur focused on the diverse range of attitudes in rabbinic literature to representatives of government, concerning the balance between the respect required for government officials, חלקו כבוד למלכות, with a rejection of naiveté regarding agendas which governments may have, הוו זהירים ברשות.

Second, the shiur developed the obligation of praying for the government as relating to one of three imperatives: the need to avoid the chaos of the state of nature, a general sense that the welfare of the government will protect the Jewish people or, most ambitiously, the notion that in praying for the government, we ultimately are praying for all of humanity, whom the government represents. The shiur concluded with a discussion of the responsibilities of leadership, the need to shape and mold the environment around oneself, whether one is in a formal position of authority or in a position to impact one’s family, one’s community and then, the entire world. TABC is proud to consistently have a nice crowd join for optional learning on days off from school.