In lower Manhattan Moshe weekly makes the rounds to all the buildings he owns.  He announces forcefully to all his new tenants that he is merely the superintendent.  Ask him if you can talk with the landlord and he’ll tell you that the landlord is out of town or on vacation.  Only he can talk to the landlord, only he can intercede.  If you have a problem, like no heat or hot water, he will let you know he is not responsible for the actions of the landlord.  Even if you know his ruse, he refuses to show his true face and diminish his power. 

And so it was when the great Darius, King of the Indus, before the time of Babylon and before the time of Pharaoh and before Abraham, called his wits to him.  “My advisors! Tell me how I can garner power over my peoples souls?”  Much thought could be felt in the atmosphere of his palace. 

The priests came to him and said, “We shall make you a god!  With that power you can control their souls.”  Darius said “That sounds wise.  Make it so.” 

“Wait great prince, hear me first.” said a young poet. 

Darius responded with some derision, “Very well and what would be your plan, poet?”

 “It must be for your ears only.” 

Darius said, “Poet if you waste my time then you will have no ears.” 

“Please great prince.” And Darius had the hall cleared.

“So poet what could be greater than to be a god?”

“Your majesty, if you were made a god and should trip on a loose sandal thong what would your people say?  Or should drought or locust invade the fields would not the farmers beseech you to lessen their plight and if you could not would they still hold you in such high esteem?  Or should you raise an army and fail a conquest would your people’s souls be yours to control?

“But should we create a god of great and terrible might who none but you and perhaps your high priest could speak to and we be but the humble servants of this god.  Then the people would be beholden to you for their souls and could not hold you responsible for the actions of this god.  Your power would be as a god, but the cost would be nil.

All other gods must be destroyed and their priests disemboweled as sacrifice to the true god.  The face of the true god must be as the sun, unable to be looked upon without blindness.  And his voice must be so terrible that only his anointed servants can stand to hear it.  The people will be told to pray to this unseen god lest he destroy them and that all things emanate from him but only his anointed can intercede.”

“I suspect you shall be the High Priest my young Zoroaster?”

“If your Majesty has been told by god to make it so.”

“Yes! get yourself the finest robes of gold from the treasury.  Please, ask my guards to come to me.  I have a sacrifice to prepare and temples to confiscate.  Then when robed, have horns blown and announce to the people, that the one and only true god has spoken to me and told me and my people, his chosen people, to worship him.”

“It shall be so Your Majesty and sole Messenger of God.”

“I collect the rent for the landlord, you give me the money. That’s the way it has always been; or you will be evicted”, advised Moshe.