Behaloscha-Who Did God Vote For?

Did God vote for our esteemed President Obama or our gallant Senator of Arizona McCain?

Truth be told, if the retort would be one of the aforementioned, I’d be barred from uttering it. Employment by a non-for profit organization precludes me of such luxuries.

However, since the answer happens to be apolitical I have figurative license to proceed.

Besides the fact that God isn’t a citizen of the United States much less a human I have a hunch that he is neither Republican nor a Democrat. Also, he isn’t the sort to keep his options open, straddle the fence with indecision or be swayed and swooned by a charismatic speaker or an impressive campaign.

Therefore, His vote isn’t based upon emotion, affiliation with the homosapien species, citizenship, or party.

Frankly, He would vote for neither because 3322 years ago He expressed His opinion about the ideal Government and the underlining principles that fuel its operation.

Diligent perusal of the commentaries on Deuteronomy (17:14-20) and Samuel I (Chapter 8) reveal the Government that God intended. Those sections discuss the mitzvah of monarch coronation and the people’s request for one, respectively. In those commentaries’ discussions it becomes elucidated that the idyllic Jewish government is a Theocracy or a Theocratic Monarchy.

What doctrines should be the foundation pillars of that Government?

The answer perhaps can be found in an insight into this week’s portion.

It states, “Speak to Aaron, and say to him, ‘when you light the lamps etc.’” (Numbers 8:2)

The literal Hebrew translation of ‘when you light’ is make the lamps rise. Why such an

expression?

Rashi (ad locum) explains, “because the flame goes up there is written in reference to lighting them a term denoting ‘going up’, for he must light the candles until the flame goes up by itself.”

The Shinave Rebbe (Divrei Yechezkel, ad locum) asks that it is a scientific fact that when one lights a candle the flame rises. What, then, is Rashi teaching us?

He proposes the following thesis to answer.

How many hours in the day should one dedicate to Torah study?

Joshua (1:8) states, “This Book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth; but you shall meditate on it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written on it.”

How can this be? Doesn’t one also need to eat, sleep, work, relax, spend quality time with family and friends, and pay taxes? If one’s time was exclusively dedicated to study they would unravel literally and figuratively?

This requisite’s implausibility leads us to conclude that Joshua is not literal. Certainly, one’s time should be exactingly employed for study and necessities. Joshua’s statement that ‘the Torah shall not depart from your mouth…day and night’ is communicating a dual message.

Firstly, study. Secondly, let that study pervade all you do. As we say in the silent prayer let it become ‘the Torah of Life’; the guide to living. In this manner the Torah, in Joshua’s words, never departs from us.

Rashi stating the obvious is teaching this lesson. The Candelabra in the Temple represented the Torah (Bava Basra 25b) because its teaching is the light (Proverbs 6:23) that guides through the darkness of the universe. (Sotah 21a)

Hence, Rashi’s comments refer to the figurative Torah light of the candles. They should be lit until the flame of its teaching goes up and saturates our deeds.

Therefore, the foundation of the ideal Jewish government should be the laws, teachings and lessons of the Torah. (Deuteronomy 17:19)

In fact, the propulsion of the vicissitudes of world history with God’s word at the epicenter is acutely focused to usher humanity into the messianic era. (Nineteen Letters by R’ Hirsh)

In this light no candidate or government is ideal, making the decision for whom to vote complex.