I don't want to talk politics. It is generally a waste of time and speech. But I do want to talk about a politician.
"Shimon his son [the son of Rabban Gamliel of the previous mishna] said: All my life I have been raised among the Sages, and I have not found anything better for oneself than silence. Study is not the primary thing but action. Whoever talks excessively brings about sin."
Rambam, in his commentary to this mishna, has a lengthy but very worthwhile discussion about speech which we will summarize below. He divides speech into five categories.
(1) Obligatory: speech which the Torah requires us to utter. The primary example of this is Torah study.
(2) Praiseworthy: speech which is not commanded by the Torah, but which fulfills a positive purpose. This would include complimenting others, praising good people and qualities, and denigrating bad qualities. Also words -- as well as song -- which inspire, which touch the soul of the listeners and goad them to become greater people would fall under this category.
(3) Permissible: speech which relates to our businesses and our basic needs -- food, clothing etc. One is considered praiseworthy if he minimizes his speech in this category.
(4) Undesirable: empty talk, that which the listener gains little from. This would include much of what we hear in the news. The commentators give such examples as discussing how a person became rich or died (or both), or how a wall was constructed. Today - who hit a ninth inning homer, who was traded for whom. Which politician said what and which politician answered. Most talk we hear is in this category.
(5) Forbidden: that which the Torah explicitly forbids -- cursing, false testimony, gossip (whether true or false), vulgar language, etc.
That being said - there is an important mussar to be learned from President Trump that is in category two and will conclude in category one. When he was running for President and after, I was constantly haunted by the thought "What does he need this for?" He has anything and everything most people dream about. Unlimited funds, power, clout, connections, a huuuuuuge tower in Manhattan with his name on it, a storied career, GOOD HEALTH, a wife, children etc. etc. How many Gentiles can even get Yiddishe nachas from their children and grandchildren??? Not normal. So I'm like "Donald. You're about 70 years old. 5 years already a senior citizen. Enjoy the rest of your life. Relax. Sleep a little late. Play tennis. Travel. Read books. Do WHATEVER YOU WANT all day. Spend enjoyable time with your wife, children and grandchildren. Listen to music. You like business? Do some business on the side if it makes you feel good. Buy a third world country. Go through Tanach bi-iyun [he claimed that the Bible is his favorite book and constantly invokes G-d's name]".
But no. it wasn't enough. He needed to be President of the United States - the MOST DIFFICULT, HIGHLY PRESSURED JOB ON THE PLANET!!!! Whyyyyyyyyy? Let someone else do it. He claimed that "only I can do the job" but with a little humility he would have realized that others can do EXACTLY what he is doing - some things right and other things wrong....
I see him as a sad, pathetic figure. He is the most embattled, attacked, criticized President in our history, no doubt. He rarely hears from his supporters. He hears all day and all night from the media whom he hates [with much mutual feelings] and who incessantly attack him. I would guess that Nixon after Watergate was far more popular than Trump is now. He is a HYPER-SENSITIVE person and takes all of the criticism to heart as shown by his never ending efforts to prove how right and just he is. [Note - He is NEVER wrong].
So why does he need all of this???
Do you think he regrets running for president? There was recently an interview he gave to Reuters where he candidly admits that he misses his old life and that this job is much harder than he thought [what was he thinking???].
President Donald Trump on Thursday reflected on his first 100 days in office with a wistful look at his life before the White House.
"I loved my previous life. I had so many things going," Trump told Reuters in an interview. "This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier."
Trump, who said he was accustomed to not having privacy in his "old life," expressed surprise at how little he had now. And he made clear he was still getting used to having 24-hour Secret Service protection and its accompanying constraints.
"You're really into your own little cocoon, because you have such massive protection that you really can't go anywhere," he said.
When the president leaves the White House, it is usually in a limousine or an SUV.
He said he missed being behind the wheel himself.
"I like to drive," he said. "I can't drive anymore."
Believe me! The driving and the annoying secret service are the LEAST of his problems.
When I look at him I see a miserable human being and my heart really goes out to him. Now he can't turn back [that would be a admission of failure or error and he can't do that] and he is in this horrific torture chamber called the White House for 3 and a half more years.
I am not saying that he is a bad or good president. I really don't know. He claims that he is doing a GREAT job, has created a million more jobs, is beating the heck out of ISIS etc. etc. Maybe. But he is suffering and he brought much of this suffering upon himself.
THE LESSON: FIND SATISFACTION IN WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHO YOU ARE AND YOU WON'T NEED TO CONSTANTLY TRY TO ACHIEVE AND ATTAIN THINGS THAT YOU THINK WILL GIVE YOU HAPPINESS. Happiness comes from an internal state of satisfaction - not from titles, office, fame or power.
He is a literal human commentary on [many, but at least] two Maamarei Chazal:
איזהו עשיר ? השמח בחלקו
הקנאה והתאוה והכבוד מוציאים את האדם מן העולם
