ורב יוסף אמר אף מתקנת רבן יוחנן בן זכאי ואילך ביצה אסורה מ"ט הוי דבר שבמנין וכל דבר שבמנין צריך מנין אחר להתירו אמר רב יוסף מנא אמינא לה
And Rav Yoseif said: "Even from [the time of] the decree of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai and forward, the egg is forbidden; what's the reason? It [the original decree] was a matter [decided] in a vote, and any matter that was [decided] in a vote needs another vote to permit it."
The question is whether an egg laid by a chicken on the day of Rosh HaShanah is permitted to be eaten. This section of Talmud stresses the thoroughness needed when one is voting. For this reason, anyone who is voting in an election should be certain they actually know who they are voting for. What are their platforms, their experience, their plans?
Discussion Question: For the rabbis to establish a new law, essentially placing a fence around the laws of the Torah, G-d is thought to be involved. Creating law is Divine will. Thus, what does it mean that Divine law must be put to several votes? What does that say about our sacred duty to vote?
תני רשב"י: משל לבני אדם, שהיו יושבין בספינה נטל אחד מהן מקדח והתחיל קודח תחתיו. אמרו לו חבריו: מה אתה יושב ועושה?! אמר להם: מה אכפת לכם לא תחתי אני קודח?! אמרו לו: שהמים עולין ומציפין עלינו את הספינה.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught a parable: Men were on a ship. One of them took a drill and started drilling underneath him. The others said to him: What are sitting and doing?! He replied: What do you care. Is this not underneath my area that I am drilling?! They said to him: But the water will rise and flood us all on this ship!
Here we learn the lesson that we are on the same sinking boat. Thus, whether or not one chooses to vote, that person suffers the same fate as us all. The day after an election, we all must accept who was elected whether or not we voted.
Discussion Question: How does the person drilling under his own seat compare to people you have met in regards to voting in an election?
Here is an example of the prophets of Israel finding it nearly impossible to choose between G-d and the pagans' god, Baal. The prophet Elijah scolds them and tells them to stop hopping back and forth and to make a decision.
Discussion Question: How does this influence your opinion of those who struggle, even up to the day of an election, to decide for whom they will vote?