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As was already mentioned, the term "democracy" is used in many
different ways. If we limit ourselves for the moment to a form of
rule, we are immediately faced with the problem posed by the mitzva of
melekh. Of course, we are all familiar with the Abarbanel, but would
be in the end forced to admit that his is a minority opinion.
Furthermore, one could argue that the Jewish monarchy is built on
certain democratic principles. However in general this approach which
can lead to certain fundamentalists to various conclusions, some of
which are quite dangerous.
However, the issue of Democracy and halacha should also be
treated from a different perspective. Are the values which democracy
tries to uphold commensurate with halachic values or not. Would
setting up a monarchy (in what some like to refer to as a midinat
halacha) uphold these halachic values any better? Were halachic goals
always furthered during the rule of the kings in the first and second
commonwealth?
There is no doubt that this perspective leads me to very
different conclusions that the first. Nevertheless, I still pray with
all of klal Yisrael for the coming of "melekh hamashiach" as quickly as
possible, however that I will leave to Hashem.
Yair Kahn</HTML>
