53. Слово пред присягою для избрания судей 295

(Printed in the 1844 and 1848 collections). Moses said: I pray to you, Lord; choose another mighty one after him. Ref. 4:13. This is how Moses was denied when he was elected as the representative and leader of the people of Israel. Although the elector was God, the all-good, therefore the election undoubtedly had a beneficial purpose, - omniscient, - therefore He could not sin in the election, - omnipotent, - therefore, He could give the chosen one all the necessary means to justify the election; although God, revealing His election, revealed the saving intention of this election to Moses, and promised His presence and help to him, and enlightened him with the knowledge of His name, and armed him with miraculous power: despite all this, Moses denied election. “I pray to You, Lord; choose another mighty one after him.” But why is this now, perhaps think those present here, who have gathered to ask God for help and to take a vow of fidelity before the Altar in the beginning work of election? Is it necessary for those on whom the election will fall to renounce the election and confuse the voters? I know that if everyone renounced being elected to office as rulers and judges; then there would be no one to rule and judge, and social life would be deprived of the noble instruments through which it moves correctly and is preserved from damage and destruction. But on the contrary, one must know that if everyone wanted to rule and judge; this would lead to the fact that there would be no subordinates, and therefore no management, there would be no people recognizing judgment over themselves, and therefore there would be no place for justice. Between these extremes, from which may God save us! - Let's see if the renunciation of Moses, which however ended in obedience to election, will not show us a safe middle ground, and if this example will not give us useful instructions, not only to those who are elected, but also to the voters themselves. The disposition of a person elected to a public position can be threefold in relation to election: either he seeks and seeks election, or evades it and runs away, or, waiting for where the lot of election will fall, remains indifferent and calm. Whoever is indifferent and calm in this case: we will not bother him or shake him. Let his spiritual strength and inclinations stand in serene balance. We only wish that the focus on which this balance should rest was trust in the election of a visible, but at the same time invisible lot, which never falls blindly, and which, whether noticeable or not, follows, sometimes blindly, the ball of the visible voter. And whoever seeks and strives for election to public positions, especially the highest ones, let us say without hesitation: this is what the example of Moses is brought to; This is why his words are repeated: choose someone else who is mighty! Even before the election it was possible to notice, but after the election it was clearly revealed who Moses was and what He was capable of. He was a Sage and a Prophet. He was able, with one hand and a staff, to protect an entire oppressed people, to repel an entire oppressing people. He was able not only to guide the people and judge by the laws already adopted, but also to draw, under the direct guidance of the Almighty Lawgiver, new laws and put them into use. His spirit was fraught with immensely great things: but he felt small and insignificant, just as an acorn does not know that an oak tree will be born from it. This is the property of truly capable people and exalted souls. The greater their ability, the more elevated their concepts and feelings: the more in the light, the higher above themselves, they represent what is called perfection; consequently, the further from perfection they internally see themselves, the less they rely on themselves, the more they humble themselves, the less they seek visible exaltation, and even sometimes shy away from it and run away. “Choose another who is mighty”! It is advisable that brave and tireless seekers of positions of authority look closely into this mirror in order to better know how the image of their spirit appears in the pure light of truth. Why do they search hard for leadership? Is it because they strongly feel their ability to do so? But the truth shows that the presence of excellent ability turns out to be completely different, even the opposite of that. The explorer of nature calmly examines the moon, determines its path, examines its properties and actions; the baby with tears demands that it be taken down from the sky and given into his hands: does impatience arise from an excess of ability in this case? Are there such seekers of the right to rule or judge who do not bother themselves with careful consideration of whether they are capable of ruling or judging, but are content with pleasant thoughts that they will bear the honorary titles of leaders or judges, achieve advantages, enjoy benefits? We will not, if it pleases them, make it difficult for them to further study their way of thinking; We will be content to give them an easily understandable idea that court is not trade, and honorary titles and advantages are established for positions, merits, merits, and not for vanity. If we do not take the trouble to think, let us at least accept the ready reflection and advice that a wise and experienced man thought out for us long ago. “Do not ask the Lord for dominion, below from the King the seat of glory. “Seek not, that thou mayest be a judge, when thou shalt not be able to take away unrighteousness: lest thou fear the face of the mighty, and put offense in thy righteousness” (Sir.7:4, 6). However, whoever “does not seek, let there be a judge,” and even evades leadership: and so that in this apparently safe way he does not deviate into temptation and does not fall into untruth, it is not useless to point out a reliable predecessor in the path of renunciation, again the same one who said: “Choose another who is mighty.” Why was Moses denied election? Is it because he has a lot of his own business, which is given to him by his growing family, the farm of a relative he manages, and the need to think about organizing his own farm? - No. Is it because this pupil of Pharaoh’s daughter, having been so close to the throne, and voluntarily moving away from it, after this finds it boring, or low for himself, to lead a not-glorious tribe of cattle feeders and plywood makers? - No. Trying to reject the election from himself to “others who are able,” through this he acknowledges his weakness, and on this recognition he bases his renunciation. Moreover, he does not reject election boldly and stubbornly: but asks for liberation from it meekly and humbly: “I pray to You, Lord!” How quickly the Most High Elector revealed Himself adamant in His will: immediately the chosen one bowed before His fate, went, and justified the election. This is how worthy people develop new dignity in themselves when they renounce dignity. They shy away from public positions not because they find them not quite consistent with their personal benefit, not quite pleasant, not quite honorable: but out of pure humility. They do not dare to accept the election when it is approaching: but they also do not dare not to accept the election when it has taken place. Judge, therefore, whether he is on the right path who, without any particular need, out of desire only for his own benefit or peace, runs away from public affairs to his own personal and domestic ones. Tell me, noble and enlightened men, is it an enlightened way of thinking, is it a noble way of feeling, if for me what is more important than the public, and I am more valuable than the fatherland? Can I really do better without society than society without me? Can my affairs be organized and made safe if public affairs are neglected and allowed to fall into disarray? How lofty is this thought when some people find certain degrees of public selective service low for themselves, and therefore do not accept election! Oh God Almighty! How is it possible for You not to rule this lowly world? “What is man, since you remember him? Or the son of man, because you visit him” (Psalm 8:5)? If you had thought in your mind that this was low, you would have forgotten him, and he would have disappeared! But when it is not low for the Most High God to remember and visit, to preserve and endure, to have mercy and to save this mortal and sinful, and therefore of course very low, creature: you, son of man, who think that caring for some people like you, and even ruling over them, is low for you - are you really higher than the Most High? He who loves the high: let him learn the true means of making his public service high. “Whoever wills to be in you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). This, due to our poverty, is enough for those elected. Let us turn the rest of our word to those who vote. More than once Moses denied election: even to the point that for this “the Lord was angry with Moses with rage” (Ex. 4:14). But anger at denial did not overcome favor towards dignity; and the denial of the chosen one did not prevent the Supreme Elector from completing the work of election. Moses denied; On the contrary, Korah, Dathan, Abiron, with a whole host of like-minded people, sought: the one who denied was elected, and those who sought were rejected. Look closely, well-meaning voters, at these “images taken by the ancients, but written for our instruction”: and learn from the important matter of election. For a great or a small society, it makes no small difference whether to choose Moses or Korah. Try to recognize Moses, or those like him: be able to distinguish from them Korah, or his imitators. It is not uncommon for Moses to run away and hide: one must find him and recognize his dignity through the veil of modesty and humility. It may happen that he will deny election: he should not immediately take revenge for this by rejection, he should judge calmly whether it is fairer to respect the denial, or whether it is more useful to insist on election. Korah, on the contrary, goes from booth to booth; recruits accomplices for his election; tries to warn the “leaders of the host” in his favor, and spreads out a net of flattering speeches for everyone, “like the whole host, all are holy” (Num. 16:2, 3): be careful, do not let yourself be caught. Elect not the one who seeks the office, but the one who seeks the office. Give society faithful guardians of order and justice: and do not betray society to seekers of power or self-interest. What a good institution, what a trust of the Supreme Power to the classes of subjects, when they are granted the right 296 to choose for themselves direct guardians of order and justice from among themselves! Strengthen a good institution with good performance; justify the power of attorney; use this right 297 so that the Supreme Power has no reason to repent having granted it. “See for yourself,” I will finally say with one of the ancient advisers, see for yourself “strong men who fear God, righteous men who hate pride” (Ex. 18:21). With the intention of such election, now pronounce your vow before God, who knows the heart. May He, infallible in his temporal as in his eternal election, bless and complete the acceptable election, for the good of everyone. Amen. According to Jew. collection appears to have been spoken at the Kazan Cathedral on December 16. According to Jew. collection: what kind of freedom is there for them when they are given the right... 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