No doubt that it was not the job of Sanhedrin to put up street lights. But declaring war did have to pass them. The Gemara tells of the Sanhedrin going to meet Nevuchadnetzar in the time of Tzidkiyahu (although that Gemara seems to weave in and out of a literal depiction). Lay leaders are useful and important but the direction and official position of the Jewish community can only be that of its Rabbonim. This is the way it always was, and you do seem to agree. I don’t think LF took it further than this.
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