Elderly leaders – Ask the Rabbi
Q. Should a nation allow an elderly person to be its leader?
A. It all depends on the leader. If he or she is like Moses, they can still lead in extreme old age if “their eyesight is not dim or their natural force abated” (Deut. 34:7).
In the 1960s there was a saying, “Don’t trust anyone over 30”, but some people under 30 are unfit to lead and some who are over 70 or 80 are capable of exercising power with great wisdom.
When Dr Johnson was asked who were better, men or women, he said, “Which man, which woman?”
Likewise we should say, who is the better leader, an old person or a young one, and the answer is, “Which old person, which young one?