Hunter Biden has been on my mind a lot lately. I didn’t pay much attention during his trial, as the facts presented beforehand made it seem inevitable that he would be found guilty. To be clear, I acknowledge that Hunter Biden broke the law, and the judicial system, though far from perfect, reached a verdict based on the evidence considered by a jury of his peers. I support the rule of law in this case, as I do in almost every judgment made in courtrooms across America. However, it’s worth noting that Hunter had the misfortune of being Joe Biden’s son at a time when some individuals have made it their mission to attack the president by any means possible. Had he been anyone else, it’s likely that this case would have never gone to trial. For Hunter Biden, if it wasn’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all.
The full weight of this tragedy struck me after the verdict. I have been gripped by the devastating human wreckage in this story. It begins when Hunter, as a little boy, nearly died in a motor vehicle accident that claimed the lives of his mother and infant sister and injured his brother. Hunter suffered a fractured skull, and his father, Joe, a newly elected senator from Delaware, was utterly devastated by the loss. One can only imagine how difficult it was for this motherless child to witness his father’s grief, anger, and even suicidal thoughts.
This terrible, unimaginable loss and trauma formed the foundation of Hunter Biden’s life. While some people can traverse the valley of the shadow of death relatively unscathed, others are undone by it all. The pain of living can become unbearably crippling.
As a rabbi, I have had the opportunity to know people struggling with addiction. They are individuals with stories of hardship, grappling with feelings of being broken or cursed. They are in pain and seek relief. Addicts often find themselves caught in a cycle of using, self-recrimination, seeking help, perhaps staying in rehab, and then relapsing. When they do emerge after ongoing work and dedication, it is a daily struggle to make it through to the other side.
The wreckage caused by addiction can be widespread and extensive, hurting many people when a loved one falls into darkness. This thought occurred to me as I observed the number of Hunter Biden’s relatives who attended his trial every day – uncles, aunts, sisters, daughters, and his stepmother. This unwavering support for Hunter Biden was not political theater or a calculated move by a media team. It was the natural response of a close-knit, loving family who has watched Hunter battle numerous demons. Regardless of one’s opinion of President Biden, witnessing his family’s pain as their loved one faced an unrelenting barrage from the prosecution revealed the source of the president’s strength as a leader. It highlighted the deep familial roots of his empathy for those who have been wounded by loss and addiction.
I am moved by the courage and love Hunter Biden’s family has shown him. I hope that he can truly embrace this heartfelt offering of grace. The Biden family teaches us the importance of humility and loyalty. The fact that his daughters listened to his addiction stories, that he had to strip away all pretense of dignity and reveal the depths to which he sunk in front of the people he hurt the most, and that they sat there, ready to forgive him – this is the definition of rachmones, mercy. It reminds us that forgiveness is incredibly challenging, requiring us to set aside ego and expectations and instead open our hearts to one another, even when we feel broken and ashamed.
Without family, love, and loyalty, we drift in a cold, heartless world. But with family and community, there is always love, hope, and… forgiveness.
Before Shabbat 