Excitement gripped all the residents of the Romanian town of Jilbau, and King Carol II of Romania was about to visit the town, which had tens of thousands of inhabitants, and to talk to its representatives. Months before the king's arrival, workers worked to clean the streets and decorate the houses, and the children in the schools also prepared for the singing of the choir and the festive raising of flags in honor of the king. The mayor of Miral Constanta conducted the work with enthusiasm, he had been the mayor for many years, and although the king would recognize the successful management of the town.
The Jews of the place, on the other hand, prepared in their own way to welcome the king. In contrast to Mayor Constanta, they hoped that the king would get a negative impression of the place, reprimand the mayor and dismiss him from office. Because of Miral Constanta's incessant harassment of Jewish residents. Constanta, who was a devout Catholic Christian, saw it as a goal to restrict the feet of those who do not believe in Christianity. The Jews were allowed to live in narrow streets near the river and the industrial zones full of noise and soot. On the contrary, the Jewish merchants had to fight for every license to run a business in the small town. The king's arrival gave hope to the leaders of the Jewish community, who demanded to be interviewed by the king, and their request was given to them.
The next day, the Jews appeared in the luxurious room in which he was staying and poured out their hearts to him. They told him about Constanta's harassment, about the miserable places they were allowed to live in, and about the humiliating treatment of every request. The king listened attentively, and promised to investigate their complaints. In the meantime, the king returned to his palace in the capital, and a month later the representatives of the community received an official invitation to interview the king. When the time came, they all stood before the king, who said: "I have examined the grievances of the Jewish citizens in the town of Zilbao, and I have also heard the answers of the mayor. It is difficult for me to decide on the matter - and therefore my decision is that elections will be held in the town for the position of mayor."
It was a revolutionary decision. In those days, the mayor was elected by the king or his representatives. King Carol II's decision was a rare step, but the Jews saw Constanta smiling broadly and confidently. He was convinced that no one had any chance of running against him in the elections in a city where he had ruled as king for twenty-five years. The Jews thanked the king, and returned to the town with a heavy heart.
At an urgent meeting held that night, the head of the community suggested that all Jewish citizens support Laura Dragos who was one of the mayor's most prominent opponents, who announced immediately after the decision was published that she considered herself a candidate for the mayor's office. Dragos was a decent woman, who expressed her position strongly against the mayor's attitude toward the Jews. However, Dragos' chances of winning the position were not high. According to the estimates of the participants in the meeting, She could have won 30 to 40 percent of the vote. The incumbent mayor, who controlled government institutions and workplaces, was expected to receive no less than 60 or 70 percent of the votes. There was considerable despair on the faces of the participants, and one of the participants said in a distraught voice: 'Maybe we should go to Constanta and ask for his forgiveness for the complaint!? There was silence after the proposal, and then the head of the community knocked on the hand of the table and said: 'If G-d helped us and led us to elections, something that has not happened until now, we must accept this gift and take advantage of it! We must not despair! '
Two days before the elections, two new residents appeared in the town's population registry. They asked to register as citizens of the city and presented certificates of rent and work in the city. Two Jewish merchants testified that the two were indeed hired to work for them for the next month, and that the municipal clerk had no choice but to register the years as residents for all intents and purposes. From there, the years turned to another department in the municipality – the Elections Committee appointed by the King for the proper management of the election campaign. They appeared before the committee and asked to present their candidacy for mayor. The members of the committee looked at them in wonder and asked: 'Who are you?' The years have produced documents proving that they are residents of the city, and that they have the full right like any other resident to run for office. The head of the Elections Committee shrugged his shoulders and asked to write down their names: "Miral Constanta" and "Miral Constanta." Again the members of the committee glanced at the two in astonishment, but they proved by their identity cards that this was their name from birth.
Since Miral Constanta is not a very uncommon name in Romania. They asked their party to be called 'the old Miral Constanta', and 'the original Miral Constanta.' It made no sense in their behavior, but everything was perfectly legal. Everyone was allowed to run, and everyone was allowed to choose what would be written on their ballot. Election day came, and the residents who flocked to the polling stations were surprised to discover three ballots with the name 'Miral Constanta'. The mayor was urgently summoned and tried to disqualify the exchange ballots. But the Elections Committee made it clear to him that everything was legal and that they had the full right to run. The confused residents voted for Miral Constanta without knowing who they were voting for, and at the end of the election day, the following result was obtained: Mayor Miral Constanta received 25 percent of the votes. Miral Constanta 'old' received 25 percent of the votes. The 'original' Miral Constanta received 16 percent of the votes.
Mrs. Laura Dragos received 35 percent of the vote and was declared the winner and the next mayor of the town of Gilbao. The two actors with the same name 'Miral Constanta' shook hands with the losing mayor who looked at them with disgust, and said to him: 'We have a very beautiful name, Mr. former mayor'...
In this week's Torah portion, Balak's plan to curse the people of Israel is described, for which he hires Tabalaam and even builds altars for him, but in the end Bilam blesses the people of Israel. Balak was angry with Bilam for not fulfilling his mission, and Bilam explained to him that it was not up to him: "Whatever the Lord puts in his mouth, I will keep the word." A person can plan things as much as he wants, but in the end, it is Rakah who decides what will happen.
