83: The king must have a separate Sefer Torah for himself
The Book of Love of God
Laws of Tefillin, Mezuza and Sefer Torah
The king must have a separate Sefer Torah for himself (Deut. 17:18)
a synagogue
a CONGREGANT on the bimah with a Torah scroll open
she is about to begin reading it
a KING pops up from behind the podium
(was he there the whole time??)
he look can only be described as a knock-off of the Burger King
complete with a plastic crown
he stares mischievously at the CONGREGANT
he grabs the Torah scroll
KING
mine!
the KING vanishes behind the podium with the Torah
like literally vanishes
* * *
a RABBI’s office
the RABBI has a Torah scroll open on their desk
they have multiple other books open as well
they are cross-referencing something in the Torah with a book
the office closet door swings open
the KING is inside a trench coat hanging from the door
he hops down (still wearing the trench coat)
stares mischievously at the RABBI
he grabs the Torah scroll
KING
mine!
the KING re-affixes himself to the inside of the closet door
swings it shut while still holding the Torah
the RABBI goes to open the door
but when they look inside the KING is gone
* * *
a museum of Jewish antiquity
dozens of beautiful historical objects on display behind glass
including an enormous Torah scroll draped in lush red velvet
the Torah scroll is larger than a human
MUSEUMGOERS come and go
the KING pops out from behind the enormous Torah
he is inside the glass case with the Torah
he looks around mischievously at all the MUSEUMGOERS
KING
mine!
the KING wraps his arms around the Torah
a puff of smoke engulfs him
when it clears he and the Torah are gone
* * *
a room in a palace filled with hundreds of Torah scrolls
in the middle of the room the KING sits on a throne
he does not open any of the Torah scrolls
he does not read any of them
he simply sits amongst his bounty
he sits for a long time
he sits and he sits and he sits
until something in him shifts
and he starts to weep
END OF PLAY