We learn from King Solomon in the Bible that one of the ways to determine the righteousness of a man is to see how he behaves toward people who cannot help him. How does a man treat someone who is homeless, a waiter, a janitor, or anyone else who cannot advance his financial or social position? If he treats all people with great respect and caring, then he is righteous in the deepest ways.
Based on that definition alone, we must all mourn the loss of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a truly righteous man in ways that most people never saw.
Most people know about his career as a senator, but fewer know that he also served in the Air Force, achieved the rank of colonel in the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps, and continued serving in the Air Force Reserve while he was in the Senate. He served on active duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star for the work that he did there.
There are many people who can comment on Lindsey Graham’s political prowess and knowledge, his wisdom and understanding of international relations. But knowledge does not make someone righteous. And there’s a story that is not widely known that I think demonstrates Graham’s great character.
In 2018, Graham was at the forefront of the fight to get Justice Brett Kavanaugh seated on the Supreme Court and to quash the fallacious accusations being made against him. During that time, I happened to be with my family in Washington, D.C. One night while we were there, on the evening after Kavanaugh was first seated on the Court, my family and I had dinner at The Monocle restaurant. For those unaware, The Monocle is a place where just about every politician has had lunch or dinner, and the walls of the establishment are filled with photographs of the many political icons who have eaten there. My family sat down to eat, and shortly afterward, Graham came in and sat down alone in a booth, waiting for his guest.
I am rarely starstruck, but I wanted to thank him for the work he did defending Justice Brett Kavanaugh. I asked the manager of the restaurant if it would be okay for me to go over and speak with him, and the manager said, “People don’t know it, but that is the nicest man in both houses of Congress.”
I went over to Graham and thanked him for his defense of Kavanaugh. He was humble, saying that he was just doing his job in defending a good man. He then asked me about myself, and I told him I was a rabbi in California. He asked me who I was with, and I told him I was with my wife and two young children, who were 9 years old at the time. Then he did something that shocked me and demonstrated who he really was…
Graham asked if I would like him to come over and say hi to my family. I naturally was grateful and happy to accept his offer. He came over and spent 15 minutes talking to my children. He spoke to them about the importance of civic duty, how they should be proud to be Americans, and how, as they got older, they should take on the responsibility of being politically active and supporting this great nation. He offered to take a picture with my children, which is something they still treasure.
This man, a senator concerned with so many large issues facing our nation and the world, took time out of his busy schedule to speak with and teach a pair of young children from California. I was not someone who could ever help him in any way. I was not financially wealthy enough to help his campaigns; we lived in California and could not help him in any of his campaigns or causes; and he gained absolutely nothing by spending time with us. Yet he made the conscious choice to encourage children to become patriotic Americans.
This is the sign of a truly righteous man: someone who spends his time and energy being kind to people he does not know and who cannot help him in any way. He performed an act of kindness, and to me, that said more about who he was as a human being than any of the many political accomplishments he achieved.
America has lost a great leader. The nation has lost a vibrant and courageous voice. And, as importantly — or more importantly — the world has lost a truly righteous man who gave his time and energy to people he did not know.
May his family be comforted, and may his soul be welcomed into heaven with joy and grace.
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