'No more heroes anymore," sang the Stranglers in the 70s; their song became an instant hit, tapping into the disillusionment that we feel when our leaders let us down. Sadly, this applies in the Jewish world too. Our latest scandal involves a distinguished American rabbi, who is accused of mistreating potential converts and planting cameras in a mikveh to peek at women as they showered.
If true, it is perverse and a grotesque breach of trust. The president of the synagogue has spoken of the "shock, devastation and heartbreak" enveloping the community as they struggle to deal with their exposure, their rabbi's alleged crime and his fall from grace.
A true Torah teacher is not just a scholar, but an exemplar of Jewish values. The sages of the Talmud cautioned us only to learn from teachers "who are like angels of God" (Hagigah 15a). These are great expectations, which explain the honour we give to our rabbis, not just for their scholarship, but for their embodiment of Jewish values (Makkot 22b). As Rabbi Sacks puts it: "There are text books and there are text people."
Pope Francis recently urged his clergy "to live so close to their flock that they are like shepherds living with the smell of the sheep". It was an arresting image. In Judaism, we prefer to see the relationship between rabbi and congregants as a familial one.
This means that many Jews enjoy a close relationship with their rabbi. Ordinarily, this is a source of strength, but as the Bible acknowledges, "There is no one who always does right and never sins" (Ecclesiastes 7: 20); even our great biblical heroes occasionally slipped. Indeed, as the Talmud warns, "the greater the person, the greater their evil inclination" (Succah 52a).
Rabbi Akiva was tormented by the apparition of a beautiful woman in the top of a tree
That leaves us all susceptible to sin and the Ethics of the Fathers cautions against complacency until our dying day (2: 5). Its advice is based on the experience of a High Priest whose service in the Temple was exemplary until the end of his days, when he strayed and became a heretic.
If heresy presents a danger, sexual appetites are an even greater peril. The Shema cautions us: "Do not stray after your own heart and eyes".
"The eyes see, the heart craves and the body sins," warns Rashi. Our sacred literature is full of stories of rabbis who teetered on the brink of transgression. The Talmud describes how Rabbi Akiva was contemptuous of such sinners until, one day, he was tormented by an apparition of a beautiful woman in the top of a tree. Seized by passion, he started climbing the tree until he reached half way and regained his self-control (Kiddushin 81a).
When I was training to become a rabbi, the head of our programme, Rabbi Reuben Kruger, warned us that one of the hardest aspects of the rabbinate lies in exhorting your community to become perfect Jews when you are painfully aware of your own shortcomings. Rabbis, like everyone else, are fallible; but with a lifetime of religious training and a modicum of self-discipline, they should be able to uphold exemplary standards.
Indeed, built into the Torah's laws is a recognition of how easily we can go wrong and numerous safeguards to prevent us from error. Muktzah laws forbid us from even handling anything that should not be used on Shabbat; laws of yichud forbid us from being alone with anyone with whom we run the risk of an improper relationship developing.
Experience teaches that we must always be alert for the most flawed and determined abusers. Rare as they are, the damage they can cause is immeasurable, so each community must have measures in place to stop them. Currently, the American Orthodox community is reviewing its own procedures to exclude all possibilities of further wrongdoing. It behoves all religious organisations everywhere to follow suit, ensuring that the privacy, dignity and sensitivities of congregants and potential converts are always respected.
The Stranglers may have had a hit song, but they were wrong. There are heroes and we are blessed that many of them teach in our schools, mentor our youth and lead our communities. These magnificent scholars work with ceaseless love, dedication and professionalism. By ensuring that we have the best safeguards in place, we can confidently enjoy their creativity, learn from their wisdom and appreciate their spiritual guidance.
