King of kings - Shoftim
כִּי תָבֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּה בָּהּ וְאָמַרְתָּ אָשִׂימָה עָלַי מֶלֶךְ כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי. שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ בּוֹ מִקֶּרֶב אַחֶיךָ תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ לֹא תוּכַל לָתֵת עָלֶיךָ אִישׁ נׇכְרִי אֲשֶׁר לֹא אָחִיךָ הוּא. (דברים יז, יד-טו)
In the Torah there is a concept אַחֲרֵי רַבִּים לְהַטֹּת (שמות כג, ב), that in matters of doubt, we follow the majority opinion. From this it would seem that the preferred form of government in Am Yisrael, originally intended by HKB"H is … a democracy. Nominate a few worthy candidates and elect whoever gets the majority vote.
However, this is not the case. In this week's parsha we read שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ בּוֹ, according to the Rambam (הלכות מלכים ומלחמות א, א), a מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, to appoint a king … chosen by HKB"H, not by democratic vote.
This would be the end of the shiur … if not for the preceding passuk.
כִּי תָבֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱ-לֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּה בָּהּ וְאָמַרְתָּ אָשִׂימָה עָלַי מֶלֶךְ כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי. When you get to Eretz Yisrael that HKB"H has given you as an inheritance and you settle there and you say "I will appoint a king over me, like all the nations around me!" From this passuk, it seems that appointing a king is not לְכַתְּחִלָּה, not HKB"H's first choice. It seems that HKB"H is responding שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ only because Am Yisrael initiated the request! If Am Yisrael would not have asked, perhaps HKB"H would not have commanded them to appoint a king? That would make it בְּדִיעֲבַד and not לְכַתְּחִלָּה?
This is actually a machloket Tannaim in the Gemara (סנהדרין כ, ע"ב).
R' Yehuda says that it is a מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, to appoint a king ג' מִצְוֹת נִצְטַוּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּכְנִיסָתָן לָאָרֶץ לְהַעֲמִיד לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ וּלְהַכְרִית זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק וְלִבְנוֹת לָהֶם בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה. According to R' Yehuda, appointing a king over Am Yisrael was HKB"H's original plan and therefore it is a מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה דְּאוֹרָיְתָא לְכַתְּחִלָּה.
R' Nehorai says that this passuk שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ was only in response to Am Yisrael's complaint לֹא נֶאֶמְרָה פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד תַּרְעוֹמָתָּן. According to R' Nehorai, this is not a mitzva at all, but is instead a בְּדִיעֲבַד "solution" to an imperfect situation.
It is very easy to understand R' Nehorai's reasoning. If it was a מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, to appoint a king when Am Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael and settled there (after conquering it from the seven nations), they would have immediately performed this מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה and appointed a king. Instead, they waited many generations of the Shoftim, about 328 years, until they asked Shmuel Hanavi to appoint a king. And what was Shmuel's response to such a request? It was negative in the extreme וַיֵּרַע הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי שְׁמוּאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ תְּנָה לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשׇׁפְטֵנוּ... (שמואל א ח, ו).
So, Shmuel davened to HKB"H to ask Him what to do. HKB"H's response - וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמַע בְּקוֹל הָעָם לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ כִּי לֹא אֹתְךָ מָאָסוּ כִּי אֹתִי מָאֲסוּ מִמְּלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם (שם ז). HKB"H tells Shmuel to acquiesce to Am Yisrael's request, but it seems that HKB"H is also upset with the request. This seems clear proof that R' Nehorai's shita is correct – HKB"H Himself says He is not happy with the request, but, since they already asked – go ahead and appoint a king. a בְּדִיעֲבַד "solution" to an imperfect situation.
That is on the one hand. On the other hand, R' Yehuda's reasoning also seems correct.
In a previous shiur (Balak 2025) we explored why Avraham made so much effort to rescue his wayward nephew Lot – it was to ensure the birth of Moav, Rut and David HaMelech.
In the story of Yosef and his brothers Yosef has dreams of monarchy to which his brothers angrily respond וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אִם מָשׁוֹל תִּמְשֹׁל בָּנוּ וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ עַל חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל דְּבָרָיו (בראשית לז, ח). The Or HaChaim (ibid.) says שֶׁכְּבָר בָּאָה לָהֶם הַקַּבָּלָה כִּי יְהוּדָה מֶלֶךְ עַל כּוּלָּם וְאֵיךְ יָבֹא הַחִזָּיוֹן לְהֶפֶךְ קַבָּלָה אֲמִיתִּית, that the brothers already had prophecies that Yehuda was to be king, not Yosef. They regarded Yosef as מוֹרֵד בַּמַּלְכוּת and that is why they planned to execute him, but in the end sold him into slavery.
When Yaakov blesses his sons, what is the blessing given to Yehuda? יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ. גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ. לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים. (בראשית מט, ח-י).
This is clear reference to R' Yehuda's three mitzvot in the Gemara –
1. לְהַכְרִית זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק = "יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ"
2. לִבְנוֹת לָהֶם בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה = "כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה"
(the Heichal resembled a crouching lion)
3. לְהַעֲמִיד לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ = "לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו"
From this it is clear that appointing a king was something planned – ordained even before Creation of the world. The Gemara (פסחים נד, ע"א) says שִׁבְעָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם וְאֵלּוּ הֵן תּוֹרָה וּתְשׁוּבָה וְגַן עֵדֶן וְגֵיהִנָּם וְכִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד וּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ.
Both R' Yehuda and R' Nehorai are right! So, who is more right? The Rambam paskens הֲלָכָה לְמַעֲשֶׂה like R' Yehuda –
שָׁלֹשׁ מִצְוֹת נִצְטַוּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁעַת כְּנִיסָתָן לָאָרֶץ לְמַנּוֹת לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ וּלְהַכְרִית זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל עֲמָלֵק שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק וְלִבְנוֹת בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ וּבָאתָ שָׁמָּה. (הלכות מלכים ומלחמות א, א)
The Rambam himself addresses the shita of R' Nehorai that it appears that Shmuel Hanavi and HKB"H were not happy with the request and says לָמָּה לֹא רָצָה הקב"ה כְּשֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ מֶלֶךְ מִשְּׁמוּאֵל לְפִי שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ בְּתַרְעוֹמֶת וְלֹא שָׁאֲלוּ לְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוָה אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּצוּ בִּשְׁמוּאֵל הַנָּבִיא (הלכות מלכים ומלחמות א, ב). According to the Rambam, it was not the request itself that was problematic, but the way it was presented, not to perform the mitzva but to make a slur against Shmuel.
From this it is quite clear that the mitzva to appoint a king is a מִצְוָה דְּאוֹרָיְתָא לְכַתְּחִילָּה and that it follows an initiative from Am Yisrael. Am Yisrael need to come to the realization that a king is necessary and when they do – that is when the time is ripe to appoint the king, not before.
Many of the Mefarshim disagree with the Rambam (Sforno, Ibn Ezra, Abravanel, etc.) and say that appointing a king is either optional or a בְּדִיעֲבַד solution to an imperfect situation. The Abravanel takes it as far as to say that appointing a king is a bad system of government that invites corruption.
In this shiur, I would like to present a different view that reconciles all the Mefarshim above.
There is no question that HKB"H planned that there would be a king in Am Yisrael, because He already defined the name of that king (Mashiach) before Creation. There is also no question that Yehuda was ordained as the tribe from which this king would emerge. There is similarly no question that this king would be descended from David HaMelech. The entirety of history was working towards the birth of David HaMelech (re: Avraham and Lot, etc.).
There is only one question – timing! How long does it take for this king to appear?
The Torah is telling us that before appointing a king – the ordained king - an initiative has to first come from Am Yisrael, וְאָמַרְתָּ אָשִׂימָה עָלַי מֶלֶךְ כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי.
Many Mefarshim interpret this phrase "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" in a derogatory sense. To them it appears that Am Yisrael's claim in this passuk is that they desire to be like all the other nations around them. HKB"H told us in a prophecy (through Bilam) הֶן עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן – we are not like the other nations. How can we ask to be like the other nations?
I believe that this is not what Am Yisrael are asking at all.
In order for the ordained king to appear to lead Am Yisrael, there first has to be the infrastructure. This infrastructure is based on the fundamental principle "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי". When we fully apply this principle, the time will be ripe for the ordained king to appear in Am Yisrael.
The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם (בראשית ג, יט), the punishment of Adam HaRishon. What was the essence of Adam HaRishon's sin? It was lack of gratitude, that Adam HaRishon was not שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ. He was not content with what HKB"H gave him and felt it necessary to "steal" something that was not his. In order for the ordained king to emerge, Am Yisrael in its entirety need to be שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ.
What was the cataclysm of Yosef and the brothers? It was an inherent insecurity of the brothers regarding their purpose in life. They misunderstood the function they each had to play in the future Am Yisrael and as such perceived Yosef as a threat to them and their roles. They could not conceive that Yosef had his own unique role and function that was not a contradiction to theirs. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is – אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, י"א. The eleven brothers were complicit in Yosef being sold to slavery in Egypt (even Binyamin, through his silence). This is why the Ketoret has eleven ingredients, it is כַּפָּרָה for this sin. The prerequisite to the appearance of the ordained king, is that the eleven tribes are שֲׂמֵחַים בְּחֶלְקָם to such a degree that they will accept the king from the tribe of Yehuda unquestioningly.
When Am Yisrael were redeemed from Egypt, they crossed over Yam Suf, each tribe in their own unique lane, performing their allotted function in Am Yisrael, cognizant of the other tribes alongside them. This miracle was immortalized in Shirat HaYam, the gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is – נָחִיתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ עַם זוּ גָּאָלְתָּ (שמות טו, יג). This is what facilitated Am Yisrael camping as one, in perfect unity, at the foot of Har Sinai וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר (שמות יט, ב). The gematria of וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר is מֶלֶךְ אֶחָד - כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי.
Perfect achdut in Am Yisrael is the awareness that the one cannot exist without the other. If you take the five individual fingers in a hand, on their own they are weak. However, if you combine all five into a sixth, consolidated entity, they become the most powerful force. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is אֲגוּדָל, אֶצְבַּע, אָמָה, קְמִיצָה, זֶרֶת – יָד. This is why the Lechem HaPanim on the Shulchan in two stacks of six represent perfect unity. To hold up six fingers, one hand is insufficient, you need one finger from the other hand to complete the six. This is the vav hachibur. The configuration of the twelve Lechem HaPanim on the Shulchan represents the interdependence of the tribes.
Even if all twelve tribes have a different role and purpose, as long as they all speak with a single language and work together towards a singular common goal, they are fulfilling their destiny, like the twelve brothers declared to Yaakov before he died שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד (דברים ו, ד). The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד (with the כּוֹלֵל).
When Am Yisrael reaches the required maturity that they embody all the above principles of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" - then and only then can they take the initiative and ask HKB"H to appoint a king over them. If they jump the gun and prematurely ask for a king before they have reached the required maturity, this leads to all the negative things mentioned in sefer Shmuel and that the Mefarshim (re: Abravanel, Sforno, Ibn Ezra, etc.) described. It leads to corruption, disunity, civil war and destruction. The opinion of R' Nehorai in the Gemara is not wrong, it is simply indicative of prematurity.
Preceding the emergence of this ordained king, many nations will gather against us and subjugate us. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - וְעַתָּה נֶאֶסְפוּ עָלַיִךְ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים (מיכה ד, יא). The lengthy galut will allow Am Yisrael to acquire the maturity to do teshuva. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - וּמָצָאתָ אֶת לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן (נחמיה ט, ח).
When Am Yisrael reach the required maturity, the ordained king will emerge, the מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. This king will embody the principle of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי". This king will encompass the wisdom that HKB"H gave to all the other nations around us, combined with all the wisdom of the Torah that HKB"H gave to Am Yisrael. This king will restore the wisdom of Edom to its rightful source. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה and also אִישׁ יְמִינֶךָ ... בֶּן אָדָם אִמַּצְתָּ לָּךְ (תהילים פ, יח). Rashi (ibid.) says this is referring to Eisav who HKB"H will take retribution from and restore it to the rightful son, Am Yisrael.
The Rambam says that the appointment of this ordained king precedes the war with Amalek (הלכות מלכים ומלחמות א, ב). The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק (שמות יז, ט).
Following the war with Amalek, this king will rebuild the Beit HaMikdash. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ (ויקרא טז, ג).
Finally, the era of Geulah will commence. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - שְׁנוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ and שִׁלְטוֹן אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים.
Right now, as we speak, Am Yisrael has not yet reached this maturity. We are all still "individual fingers", poking each other in the proverbial eye. We are still embroiled in the "democratic" mindset of the goyim and not in the monarchy mindset of HKB"H and His מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
We are fast approaching a new set of national elections in Israel, which I prefer to refer to as "national psychosis", primarily because this is not the natural form of government for Am Yisrael and also because it in no form resembles the democracy it is supposed to idolize. Any resemblance between the Israeli elections and democracy is purely coincidental.
This period is perhaps the most critical for Am Yisrael, because right now we are at our weakest, most vulnerable and most divided.
What can each of us do in such challenging times? Firstly, daven to HKB"H to help us. Secondly, be מַרְבֶּה in acts of kindness and chessed towards our fellow Jews, regardless which sector they belong to. Thirdly, stay as far away from the media and the hate as possible and spend the "freed up" time strengthening family bonds. The gematria of "כְּכׇל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָי" is - עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְאַחֵד בְּאַהֲבָה.
Finally, and most importantly, thank HKB"H for everything He has given us and be grateful. Try to apply as many of the principles listed in this shiur as we can and perhaps that little mitzva we each do will be the tipping point that will allow HKB"H to hasten the arrival of the Geulah and מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
