The Jewish Electoral College

The subject of the פר העלם דבר של ציבור, where the Sanhedrin gives an inadvertent erroneous decision, has similarities to the United States, and the Electoral College.

The bull that is offered on behalf of the entire community, when the majority transgresses, is a matter of debate. There is some difficulty in determining what constitutes a majority of the population.

If there was a clear majority of the entire population, there would be no problem. That would be an indisputable majority. It is also considered a majority, if only six of the twelve tribes transgress, but they constitute a majority of the population.

The Halacha that resembles the Electoral College, applies when there are seven tribes who transgress, but the population of all seven tribes does not surpass half of the total population. The number of tribes is considered a majority, because seven is a majority of twelve.

The subject of these cases is found in Masechet Horiot. This is a short Tractate that will be studied as part of Daf Yomi, shortly before this coming Rosh Hashanah. It is quite fascinating to know that the founding fathers of America, were not the first ones to come up with the idea of the Electoral College.