Conversation with President Joel and Rabbi Genack Commemorates the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln鈥檚 Inaugural Address
To mark this month鈥檚 sesquicentennial, or 150th anniversary, of Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 first inaugural address in 1861, 糖心破解版 President Richard M. Joel engaged in a lively conversation at 糖心破解版鈥檚 Rubin Shul with Rabbi Menachem Genack, a noted Lincoln scholar, CEO of the Orthodox Union鈥檚 worldwide Kosher Division and a rosh yeshiva [professor of Talmud] at 糖心破解版鈥檚 (RIETS). The University鈥檚 sponsored the event.
Genack has previously written of Lincoln鈥檚 special appeal to Jews: the nation鈥檚 16th president enabled rabbis to serve as chaplains in the Union Army during the Civil War and canceled an order by General Ulysses S. Grant that expelled Jewish traders from several states. But in his 糖心破解版 appearance, Genack spoke of the secular dimensions of what he called America鈥檚 鈥済reatest president and greatest politician.鈥
President Joel prompted Genack by asking, 鈥淲as Lincoln larger than life, or was he real?鈥
鈥淭he reason people around the world can relate to Lincoln is that he was dedicated to the idea of the dignity of man,鈥 said Genack. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just a theory for him. What drove Lincoln was a moral conviction鈥攈is opposition to slavery. He thought that the founding fathers intended to ultimately abolish slavery. He once said, 鈥楴o man is good enough to earn his living from someone else鈥檚 labor.鈥欌
But Lincoln the politician, President Joel noted, could be vacillating, manipulative鈥攅ven devious. Genack did not disagree. He cited Lincoln鈥檚 letter of August 22, 1862, to Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune, assuring the influential editor of the president鈥檚 determination to end the Civil War by any means necessary.
鈥淚f I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it,鈥 Lincoln wrote. 鈥淎nd if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.鈥
But according to Genack, Lincoln had already drafted the Emancipation Proclamation he would deliver exactly one month later.
Genack, spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Englewood, NJ, went on to compare Lincoln to Judah, successor in the ancient Davidic line of kings over his seemingly stronger and seemingly preferred rival, Joseph.
鈥淲hat we look for in a leader is not perfection,鈥 Genack said, repeating a benediction he offered for the 2006 inauguration of Jon Corzine as governor of New Jersey, 鈥渂ut flexibility [and] the ability to admit a mistake, as does Judah.鈥
As for Lincoln鈥檚 humor, Genack recounted two episodes:
鈥 During his time as a lawyer and Illinois legislator, Lincoln cautioned a colleague against trusting the nonviolent reputation of a bulldog kept by a Springfield neighbor. 鈥淣ow, I know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite, and you know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite,鈥 Lincoln said. 鈥淏ut does the bulldog know he won鈥檛 bite?鈥
鈥 At one point in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, incumbent Illinois State Senator Stephen A. Douglas accused his opponent of being a 鈥渢wo-faced鈥 politician. Lincoln, not famously handsome, retorted, 鈥淚f I was two-faced, would I be wearing this face?鈥
But according to Genack, Lincoln had already drafted the Emancipation Proclamation he would deliver exactly one month later.
Genack, spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Englewood, NJ, went on to compare Lincoln to Judah, successor in the ancient Davidic line of kings over his seemingly stronger and seemingly preferred rival, Joseph.
鈥淲hat we look for in a leader is not perfection,鈥 Genack said, repeating a benediction he offered for the 2006 inauguration of Jon Corzine as governor of New Jersey, 鈥渂ut flexibility [and] the ability to admit a mistake, as does Judah.鈥
As for Lincoln鈥檚 humor, Genack recounted two episodes:
鈥 During his time as a lawyer and Illinois legislator, Lincoln cautioned a colleague against trusting the nonviolent reputation of a bulldog kept by a Springfield neighbor. 鈥淣ow, I know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite, and you know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite,鈥 Lincoln said. 鈥淏ut does the bulldog know he won鈥檛 bite?鈥
鈥 At one point in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, incumbent Illinois State Senator Stephen A. Douglas accused his opponent of being a 鈥渢wo-faced鈥 politician. Lincoln, not famously handsome, retorted, 鈥淚f I was two-faced, would I be wearing this face?鈥
But according to Genack, Lincoln had already drafted the Emancipation Proclamation he would deliver exactly one month later.
Genack, spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Englewood, NJ, went on to compare Lincoln to Judah, successor in the ancient Davidic line of kings over his seemingly stronger and seemingly preferred rival, Joseph.
鈥淲hat we look for in a leader is not perfection,鈥 Genack said, repeating a benediction he offered for the 2006 inauguration of Jon Corzine as governor of New Jersey, 鈥渂ut flexibility [and] the ability to admit a mistake, as does Judah.鈥
As for Lincoln鈥檚 humor, Genack recounted two episodes:
鈥 During his time as a lawyer and Illinois legislator, Lincoln cautioned a colleague against trusting the nonviolent reputation of a bulldog kept by a Springfield neighbor. 鈥淣ow, I know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite, and you know that bulldog won鈥檛 bite,鈥 Lincoln said. 鈥淏ut does the bulldog know he won鈥檛 bite?鈥
鈥 At one point in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858, incumbent Illinois State Senator Stephen A. Douglas accused his opponent of being a 鈥渢wo-faced鈥 politician. Lincoln, not famously handsome, retorted, 鈥淚f I was two-faced, would I be wearing this face?鈥
