The Mitzvah of Appointing a King
The mitzvah of appointing a king is one of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah, as stated "You shall surely set over yourself a king whom Hashem your G-d will choose." Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the one who chooses the kings of Israel through His servants the prophets, and they are the ones who establish the king and anoint him with the anointing oil.
The Selection of the House of David edit
Since Hashem chose the House of David, any king who arises from his descendants does not need either the selection by a prophet or the anointing oil. But even after this, the mitzvah of appointing a king was not nullified, and it is expressed in the obligation placed upon us to establish the kingship in the hands of that king from the House of David and to accept his yoke upon ourselves, as stated in the Jerusalem Talmud: "It does not say 'I will set' but rather 'you shall set' - that you shall establish upon yourself."
Even Melech HaMoshiach is not chosen by us - the Moshiach is "a king whom Hashem your G-d will choose," and therefore he must be from the House of David to whom kingship was promised. But we have the privilege and responsibility to seek him and accept his kingship upon ourselves.
As it is written "And they shall seek Hashem their G-d and David their king." And it is said about this in the Jerusalem Talmud "This is Melech HaMoshiach" who will be sought by the people.
There Is No King Without a Nation edit
In addition to the basic mitzvah of appointing the king, Rabbeinu Bachya in his commentary on the Torah mentions the principle "There is no king without a nation." Realistically, the king can never be a king if there is no nation that accepts him.
This principle is also expressed in the halacha that any king who stands over Israel, whether through a prophet or through inheritance, becomes a king only when the people accept his kingship.
This matter of the nation's power in crowning the king is also found in the words of the Rebbe:
"The reality of the king depends on the people, 'There is no king without a nation,' meaning, even though they are called 'a nation,' from the term 'dimness... distant from the level of the king,' together with this (and moreover - because of this) they bring about the kingship - the king. As is also emphasized in the coronation of the king - when the people proclaim 'Long live the king' (as we find also in the kingship of the House of David), which also emphasizes that the people's action is in the life of the king, the life of a king... and within this itself 'may the king succeed... for the prayer is for life and success.'"
If the connection with the people is so important for every king, when we deal with Melech HaMoshiach, the relationship of 'king - nation' is emphasized and is much more internal, as he explains further:
"Regarding Melech HaMoshiach, the connection and relationship to all of Israel is emphasized even more - that their essential soul, the level of Yechidah, is a spark from the soul of Moshiach, and therefore, the concept of 'There is no king without a nation' (the content of the people's proclamation 'Long live the king') is with extra emphasis for Melech HaMoshiach."
The connection between every Jew and Melech HaMoshiach is a connection from the level of 'Yechidah' - the innermost and deepest level of the soul. This is a super-conscious connection that exists within every Jew in every situation, whether great or small, whether righteous or not.
See Also edit
- Appointment of the Rebbe as Melech HaMoshiach