Why the Jews Don’t Need a Pope: Lessons from Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

 

In this episode of Torah from Boca, I share a story I love—a hilarious (and surprisingly deep) tale of a silent debate between a pope and a Jew named Moishe. It's funny, yes—but like so many Jewish jokes, there’s truth beneath the humor.

Watching the world await the white smoke of the papal election, I felt something stir in me. Not jealousy, but what Bishop Krister Stendahl once called sacred envy—the ability to admire another religion’s spiritual beauty without wanting to imitate it.

But then I turned to this week’s Torah portion, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, and was reminded of how Judaism offers something radical and powerful: the democratization of holiness. We don’t have a pope. We don’t wait for one person in a robe to bring us close to God. The Torah teaches that each of us—yes, even those with broken Hebrew or bad Latin—can live lives of holiness through our actions.

Join me as I reflect on what this parashah teaches us about leadership, holiness, and the sacred challenge of showing up fully—no titles required.