Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit to Israel in January 2014 attracted the attention of Jews worldwide. As the Prime Minister addressed the Knesset, vowing unwavering support of the Jewish nation because “it is right to do so,” many Jews from other countries looked on, longing for the day when their leader would be as supportive.

The trip was successful; it strengthened the relationship between political allies and furthered the economic relationship between the two countries through trade agreements. Foreign support, from Canada and other nations, especially in such an overt way, is often viewed as critical to the survival of our small state. In fact, most of AIPAC’s work is focused on this exact goal. And an important one it is. Without the foreign military and economic support provided to Israel, how is a country of eight million, surrounded by over 100 million Arabs, many of them hostile toward the Jewish state, to survive?

While this attitude seems completely logical, a cursory look at Tanakh may prove otherwise. In the military realm, the poet (Tehillim 20:8) says, “Some [nations] with chariots, and some [nations] with horses; but we, in the name of Hashem, our G-d, call out.” Rabbi David Kimkhi explains that the poet is informing us that while our enemies come upon us with chariots and horses, and believe that their military might will ensure their victory, we will call out in the name of G-d, and we will be victorious, despite our lack of physical weapons.

Moving from Tehillim to Sefer Bamidbar, we find a prophecy stating that the Jewish people are destined to dwell alone. After being hired by King Balak to curse the Jewish nation, Bilam predicts that the Jewish people “shall dwell alone, and will not be reckoned among the nations” (Bamidbar 23:9). Onkelos explains that the trait of living in solitude was inherited from our forefathers, yet despite this isolation, Am Yisrael will not be annihilated.

King Balak accuses Bilam of failing, in that he blessed the Jewish people when he was commissioned to curse them (Bamidbar 24:10), and from this we may infer that dwelling alone is a positive. Yet our sages aren’t as convinced that it is a blessing to dwell in isolation. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana (Sanhedrin 105b) said, “All of [Bilam’s blessings] were eventually transformed into the curse [he had intended] except for [the curse regarding] shuls and batei midrashot.” The idea that dwelling alone is truly a curse is not hard to accept. The Torah introduces the concept of loneliness in a negative context, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Bereishit 2:18). Other references to solitude in Tanakh are made in regards to a leper (VaYikra 13:46) and Jerusalem in a state of destruction (Eikha 1:1), not placing this attribute in the greatest light. Perhaps this is why the commentators do not read Bilam’s statement as one that prophesizes detachment, functioning without partners or allies. For example, Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra suggests that the prophecy speaks of the Jews avoiding assimilation, while Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno posits that dwelling in solitude refers to a solely Jewish presence in the Land of Israel. The commentators specifically avoid saying that Bilam’s blessing meant living without the need for allies.[1]

Having allies can be extremely beneficial, as Shlomo HaMelekh learned. Inheriting an empire that was strong and stable, Shlomo HaMelekh’s main goal was to build the Temple his father did not merit to build. He also expanded foreign relations, building strong ties with many leaders of other nations. While the direct benefits can be seen in trade agreements that were made—which enabled Shlomo HaMelekh to access much-needed supplies such as wood and gold—these relationships were clearly not only pragmatic. Melakhim I, Chapter 9:10-14, describes but one of the relationships with a foreign leader that Shlomo maintained well after the Temple’s construction was complete. Investing in these relationships with foreign diplomats and creating new ones enabled Shlomo HaMelekh to expand his empire, enhancing both its physical, as well as its intellectual, property.

But for what? What was his end goal? If the Jewish people were safe and secure, why did Shlomo HaMelekh continue to grow and solidify these foreign relationships? An answer can be found in the previous chapter:

If the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, comes from a distant land for the sake of Your Name—For they shall hear about Your Great Name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm—when he comes to pray towards this House, listen in Your heavenly abode, and grant all that the foreigner asks You for. Thus, the peoples of the earth will know Your Name and revere You as does Your people Israel, and they will recognize that Your Name is attached to this House that I have built.

Melakhim I, 8:41-43

וְגַם אֶל־הַנָּכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא־מֵעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וּבָא מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ. כִּי יִשְׁמְעוּן אֶת־שִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל וְאֶת־יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה וּזְרֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה וּבָא וְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה. אַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם מְכוֹן שִׁבְתֶּךָ וְעָשִׂיתָ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא אֵלֶיךָ הַנָּכְרִי לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּן כָּל־עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ לְיִרְאָה אֹתְךָ כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָדַעַת כִּי־שִׁמְךָ נִקְרָא עַל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי.

מלכים א' ח:מא-מג

Shlomo HaMelekh hopes to build an empire that will be magnificent and impressive, one that foreigners will hear of and come to see with their own eyes. Once there, they will encounter a kingdom that is both wealthy and knowledgeable, but most significantly, in a direct relationship with G-d.

Mark Twain’s famous quote about the immortality of the Jew carries truth.[2] The Torah[3] promises us that our people are eternal. This is true, irrespective of the existence of friends and/or allies. But it does not mean we will thrive in isolation, and it does not mean that it will be easy to be alone. But perhaps more importantly, on the ideological level, we can’t accomplish our divine mission, to be a “mamlekhet kohanim v'goy kadosh,”[4] without allies and friends. Our goals of Kiddush Hashem and spreading the true faith[5] will not be realized if nobody takes notice of who we are, what we have created, and above all, what we have to offer. As Shlomo HaMelekh showed us, perhaps the relationship is circular. Our allies can provide us materials, both physical and intellectual, that increase our country’s splendor, and in turn, the nations of the world will then be drawn to come and see our magnificence. However, the circle will only be complete once they have blessed God, fulfilling their true purpose, and ours.[6]

[1] Ideas in this paragraph came from Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks: www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-5771-balak-a-people-that-dwells-alone/.

[2] "The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed; and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?” Mark Twain, “Concerning The Jews,” Harper’s Magazine, 1899.

[3] Vayikra 26:39-45, for example.

[4] Shemot, 19:6.

[5] Rambam, Hilkhot Melakhim, Chapter 12:1.

[6] Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno to Shemot 19:6, comments on the verse, “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests,” writing: “Through this you will be more treasured (segulah) than the others, for you will be a nation of priests to understand and to teach all of humanity to call out in the name of God, and to serve Him as one unified group, as will be the nature of the Jewish nation in the future, as it says, (Yeshayahu 61:6), ‘And you shall be called the priests of the Lord,’ and as it says, (ibid, 2:3), ‘for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth.’”