I’ve seen some commentators online suggesting that only one-fifth of the Israelites in Egypt left with Moses during the Exodus. They offer this as their explanation for why two-thirds of Jewish voters in Michigan reportedly voted for Abdul El-Sayed.

Let me be very clear: the sheer stupidity of liberal Jews’ political choices in America over the past 60 years has nothing to do with the Exodus. Most Jews in Israel would never vote for a candidate they regarded as vile and supportive of terrorism.

The Bible never states that most Israelites stayed behind in Egypt or that only one-fifth left with Moses.

That claim comes from a later rabbinic interpretation of the word וַחֲמֻשִׁים in Exodus 13:18. In context, it means “armed” or “ready for battle.” The interpretation that only “one in five” left is a rabbinic wordplay, not the plain meaning of the text.

Even that tradition says the others died during the plague of darkness - not that they remained alive in Egypt after refusing to follow Moses.

If you want to explain modern voting patterns, make your argument. But don’t present a later rabbinic interpretation as something the Bible explicitly teaches.