Shoftim: Israel and Kings
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Share(ח) כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵא֩ מִמְּךָ֨ דָבָ֜ר לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט בֵּֽין־דָּ֨ם ׀ לְדָ֜ם בֵּֽין־דִּ֣ין לְדִ֗ין וּבֵ֥ין נֶ֙גַע֙ לָנֶ֔גַע דִּבְרֵ֥י רִיבֹ֖ת בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֣ וְעָלִ֔יתָ אֶ֨ל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃ (ט) וּבָאתָ֗ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְאֶ֨ל־הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙ וְהִגִּ֣ידוּ לְךָ֔ אֵ֖ת דְּבַ֥ר הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (י) וְעָשִׂ֗יתָ עַל־פִּ֤י הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַגִּ֣ידֽוּ לְךָ֔ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִבְחַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹרֽוּךָ׃ (יא) עַל־פִּ֨י הַתּוֹרָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יוֹר֗וּךָ וְעַל־הַמִּשְׁפָּ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־יֹאמְר֥וּ לְךָ֖ תַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה לֹ֣א תָס֗וּר מִן־הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־יַגִּ֥ידֽוּ לְךָ֖ יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹֽאל׃ (יב) וְהָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה בְזָד֗וֹן לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤עַ אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן֙ הָעֹמֵ֞ד לְשָׁ֤רֶת שָׁם֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ א֖וֹ אֶל־הַשֹּׁפֵ֑ט וּמֵת֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥ הָרָ֖ע מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (יג) וְכׇל־הָעָ֖ם יִשְׁמְע֣וּ וְיִרָ֑אוּ וְלֹ֥א יְזִיד֖וּן עֽוֹד׃ {ס} (יד) כִּֽי־תָבֹ֣א אֶל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ נֹתֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֣בְתָּה בָּ֑הּ וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ אָשִׂ֤ימָה עָלַי֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ כְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִיבֹתָֽי׃ (טו) שׂ֣וֹם תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּ֑וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב אַחֶ֗יךָ תָּשִׂ֤ים עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ מֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א תוּכַ֗ל לָתֵ֤ת עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ נׇכְרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אָחִ֖יךָ הֽוּא׃ (טז) רַק֮ לֹא־יַרְבֶּה־לּ֣וֹ סוּסִים֒ וְלֹֽא־יָשִׁ֤יב אֶת־הָעָם֙ מִצְרַ֔יְמָה לְמַ֖עַן הַרְבּ֣וֹת ס֑וּס וַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר לָכֶ֔ם לֹ֣א תֹסִפ֗וּן לָשׁ֛וּב בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ הַזֶּ֖ה עֽוֹד׃ (יז) וְלֹ֤א יַרְבֶּה־לּוֹ֙ נָשִׁ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָס֖וּר לְבָב֑וֹ וְכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א יַרְבֶּה־לּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃ (יח) וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֨תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֨ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֖י הַכֹּהֲנִ֥ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (יט) וְהָיְתָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְקָ֥רָא ב֖וֹ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו לְמַ֣עַן יִלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֔יו לִ֠שְׁמֹ֠ר אֶֽת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֞י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את וְאֶת־הַחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לַעֲשֹׂתָֽם׃ (כ) לְבִלְתִּ֤י רוּם־לְבָבוֹ֙ מֵֽאֶחָ֔יו וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י ס֥וּר מִן־הַמִּצְוָ֖ה יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לְמַ֩עַן֩ יַאֲרִ֨יךְ יָמִ֧ים עַל־מַמְלַכְתּ֛וֹ ה֥וּא וּבָנָ֖יו בְּקֶ֥רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס}
(8) If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts—you shall promptly repair to the place that your God יהוה will have chosen, (9) and appear before the levitical priests, or the magistrate in charge at the time, and present your problem. When they have announced to you the verdict in the case, (10) you shall carry out the verdict that is announced to you from that place that יהוה chose, observing scrupulously all their instructions to you. (11) You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left. (12) Should either party [to the dispute] act presumptuously and disregard the priest charged with serving there your God יהוה, or the magistrate, that party shall die. Thus you will sweep out evil from Israel: (13) all the people will hear and be afraid and will not act presumptuously again. (14) If, after you have entered the land that your God יהוה has assigned to you, and taken possession of it and settled in it, you decide, “I will set a king over me, as do all the nations about me,” (15) you shall be free to set a king over yourself, one chosen by your God יהוה. Be sure to set as king over yourself one of your own people; you must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your kin. (16) Moreover, he shall not keep many horses or send people back to Egypt to add to his horses, since יהוה has warned you, “You must not go back that way again.” (17) And he shall not have many wives, lest his heart go astray; nor shall he amass silver and gold to excess. (18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by*by Nuance of Heb. milliphne uncertain. the levitical priests. (19) Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere his God יהוה, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws. (20) Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows or deviate from the Instruction to the right or to the left, to the end that he and his descendants may reign long in the midst of Israel.
Kings:
Must Be/ Must Have: of the kin, no foreigners,
Must Do: read the scroll regularly and keep the laws, be faithful to God
Must Not Do: not many wives, no amass silver, no amassing horses, no deals with Egypt
Must Be/ Must Have: of the kin, no foreigners,
Must Do: read the scroll regularly and keep the laws, be faithful to God
Must Not Do: not many wives, no amass silver, no amassing horses, no deals with Egypt
Plato, "The Republic," ca. 375 BCE
Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils — no, nor the human race, as I believe — and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.
Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils — no, nor the human race, as I believe — and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.
(ד) וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֔וּ כֹּ֖ל זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הָרָמָֽתָה׃ (ה) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּה֙ אַתָּ֣ה זָקַ֔נְתָּ וּבָנֶ֕יךָ לֹ֥א הָלְכ֖וּ בִּדְרָכֶ֑יךָ עַתָּ֗ה שִֽׂימָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֛לֶךְ לְשׇׁפְטֵ֖נוּ כְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ו) וַיֵּ֤רַע הַדָּבָר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמְר֔וּ תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ מֶ֖לֶךְ לְשׇׁפְטֵ֑נוּ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(4) All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah, (5) and they said to him, “You have grown old, and your sons have not followed your ways. Therefore appoint a king for us, to govern us like all other nations.” (6) Samuel was displeased that they said “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD,
(יח) וּזְעַקְתֶּם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא מִלִּפְנֵ֣י מַלְכְּכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם לָכֶ֑ם וְלֹא־יַעֲנֶ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (יט) וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ הָעָ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י אִם־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִֽהְיֶ֥ה עָלֵֽינוּ׃ (כ) וְהָיִ֥ינוּ גַם־אֲנַ֖חְנוּ כְּכׇל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּשְׁפָטָ֤נוּ מַלְכֵּ֙נוּ֙ וְיָצָ֣א לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ וְנִלְחַ֖ם אֶת־מִלְחֲמֹתֵֽנוּ׃ (כא) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַֽיְדַבְּרֵ֖ם בְּאׇזְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(כב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֔ם וְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ לָהֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְעִירֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(כב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵל֙ שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקוֹלָ֔ם וְהִמְלַכְתָּ֥ לָהֶ֖ם מֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְעִירֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(18) The day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen; and the LORD will not answer you on that day.” (19) But the people would not listen to Samuel’s warning. “No,” they said. “We must have a king over us, (20) that we may be like all the other nations: Let our king rule over us and go out at our head and fight our battles.” (21) When Samuel heard all that the people said, he reported it to the LORD. (22) And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their demands and appoint a king for them.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “All of you go home.”
(א) דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃ (ב) מַה־בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶ֗ה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃ (ג) אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין׃ (ד) אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים (או) [אֵ֣י] שֵׁכָֽר׃ (ה) פֶּן־יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִ֝ישַׁנֶּ֗ה דִּ֣ין כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃ (ו) תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֥ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַ֗יִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (ז) יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכׇּר־עֽוֹד׃ {פ}
(ח) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃ (ט) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ {פ}
(ח) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃ (ט) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ {פ}
(1) The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother admonished him:
(2) No, my son!
No, O son of my womb!
No, O son of my vows! (3) Do not give your strength to women,
Your vigor,aLit. “ways.” bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.to those who destroy kings.-b (4) Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel;
Not for kings to drink,
Nor any strong drink for princes, (5) Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained,
And infringe on the rights of the poor. (6) Give strong drink to the hapless
And wine to the embittered. (7) Let them drink and forget their poverty,
And put their troubles out of mind. (8) Speak up for the dumb,
For the rights of all the unfortunate. (9) Speak up, judge righteously,
Champion the poor and the needy.
(2) No, my son!
No, O son of my womb!
No, O son of my vows! (3) Do not give your strength to women,
Your vigor,aLit. “ways.” bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.to those who destroy kings.-b (4) Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel;
Not for kings to drink,
Nor any strong drink for princes, (5) Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained,
And infringe on the rights of the poor. (6) Give strong drink to the hapless
And wine to the embittered. (7) Let them drink and forget their poverty,
And put their troubles out of mind. (8) Speak up for the dumb,
For the rights of all the unfortunate. (9) Speak up, judge righteously,
Champion the poor and the needy.
(ד) לְמַ֩עַן֩ יָקִ֨ים יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־דְּבָר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלַי֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֜יךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֗ם לָלֶ֤כֶת לְפָנַי֙ בֶּאֱמֶ֔ת בְּכׇל־לְבָבָ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשָׁ֑ם לֵאמֹ֕ר לֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֤ת לְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ מֵעַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ה) וְגַ֣ם אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֡עְתָּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֨שָׂה לִ֜י יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֣ה לִשְׁנֵֽי־שָׂרֵ֣י צִבְא֣וֹת יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל לְאַבְנֵ֨ר בֶּן־נֵ֜ר וְלַעֲמָשָׂ֤א בֶן־יֶ֙תֶר֙ וַיַּ֣הַרְגֵ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דְּמֵֽי־מִלְחָמָ֖ה בְּשָׁלֹ֑ם וַיִּתֵּ֞ן דְּמֵ֣י מִלְחָמָ֗ה בַּחֲגֹֽרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמׇתְנָ֔יו וּֽבְנַעֲל֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּרַגְלָֽיו׃
(4) Then GOD will fulfill the promise that was made concerning me: ‘If your descendants are scrupulous in their conduct, and walk before Me faithfully, with all their heart and soul, your line on the throne of Israel shall never end!’byour line on the throne…shall never end Lit. “there shall never cease to be a man of yours on the throne,” i.e., ruling on your behalf. Cf. 2 Sam. 7.12–16. (5) “Further, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s forces, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether: he killed them, sheddingcshedding Meaning of Heb. uncertain. blood of war in peacetime, staining the girdle of his loins and the sandals on his feet with blood of war.dstaining … with blood of war I.e., Joab had thus brought bloodguilt on David’s house; see 2 Sam. 3.27; 20.10.
Rambam- The Laws of Kings and Wars encompasses twenty-three Commandments, ten Positive
Commandments and thirteen Negative Precepts. Here are the first 11:
1. To appoint a king of Israel.
2. That he not be appointed from among the converts.
3. That he may not have an excess number of wives.
4. That he may not have an excess number of horses.
5. That he may not amass silver and gold.
6. To extirpate the Seven Nations.
7. Not to leave any one of them alive.
8. To destroy the descendants of Amalek.
9. To remember what Amalek did.
10. Not to forget their evil deeds and their ambush on the route.
11. Not to dwell in the Land of Egypt.
When mentioning this law, Hilchot Melachim 1:7 continues: "Not only the monarchy, but all other positions of authority and appointments in Israel, are transferred to one's children and grand-children as inheritances forever." The order of inheritance of the crown follows the order of inheritance of property as explained in Hilchot Nachalot, ch. 1. The first in line for the monarchy are the deceased king's sons, in order of age. Should none of his sons be alive, the right is passed to his grandchildren. The children of the elder son are granted preference. If the king has no male descendants the monarchy is given to his brothers. If they are not alive, it is granted to their sons. From them, the right to the throne passes to the deceased king's nephews (his sister's sons), then to his uncles, to his first cousins.
Jeffrey Tigay, JPS Torah Commentary, Deuteronomy
Comment to v. 9
It is not clear why Deuteronomy assigns the priests a role in civil and criminal cases; nor do we understand why it gives them a role on the high court. Several factors may have contributed to their presence. Priests were educated, with civil and criminal law forming part of their knowledge. According to verse 18 and 31:9 and 24, they have charge of the scroll of God's teachings, and according to Leviticus 10:11, their tasks include teaching the people all of God's laws. In addition, by abolishing sacrifice at local sanctuaries, Deuteronomy may have created a need to make up for the priests' loss of duties and revenues and, at the same time, have made them available for new responsibilities. ...
Comment to v. 9
It is not clear why Deuteronomy assigns the priests a role in civil and criminal cases; nor do we understand why it gives them a role on the high court. Several factors may have contributed to their presence. Priests were educated, with civil and criminal law forming part of their knowledge. According to verse 18 and 31:9 and 24, they have charge of the scroll of God's teachings, and according to Leviticus 10:11, their tasks include teaching the people all of God's laws. In addition, by abolishing sacrifice at local sanctuaries, Deuteronomy may have created a need to make up for the priests' loss of duties and revenues and, at the same time, have made them available for new responsibilities. ...
Abravanel on Deut 17:14-15
Accordingly, the subject of the king is a positive commandment that depends on the exercise of an option. If you should choose to do so, even though it is inappropriate, do not do it other than in this manner. This is similar to the section "when you go out in battle against your enemies...and you see among the captives [a beautiful woman]." One is not commanded to desire her and cohabit with her as she is. This is an optional matter, the work of the evil inclination.
Also similar to this is the section of "When you have begotten children and children's children and are long established in the land, should you act wickedly..." (Deut 4:25). It is not a commandment [to act wickedly] but rather a heinous sin. However, the mitzvah of "you shall turn back to Hashem your God" is connected to it. When they become sinners, they must return to Hashem. Similar is the matter of the king. Requesting a king is not the fulfillment of a commandment but rather an option, the work of the evil inclination, despite the fact that the commandment to appoint a king solely by Hashem's selection from among the people depends on that request. (DR)
Accordingly, the subject of the king is a positive commandment that depends on the exercise of an option. If you should choose to do so, even though it is inappropriate, do not do it other than in this manner. This is similar to the section "when you go out in battle against your enemies...and you see among the captives [a beautiful woman]." One is not commanded to desire her and cohabit with her as she is. This is an optional matter, the work of the evil inclination.
Also similar to this is the section of "When you have begotten children and children's children and are long established in the land, should you act wickedly..." (Deut 4:25). It is not a commandment [to act wickedly] but rather a heinous sin. However, the mitzvah of "you shall turn back to Hashem your God" is connected to it. When they become sinners, they must return to Hashem. Similar is the matter of the king. Requesting a king is not the fulfillment of a commandment but rather an option, the work of the evil inclination, despite the fact that the commandment to appoint a king solely by Hashem's selection from among the people depends on that request. (DR)
Limitations on the King
Bernard Levinson to 17:18 (in The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford))
The law requires the king to be subject to the law, not above it. The common status of the monarch throughout the ancient Near East as promulgator of the law (as in the Laws of Hammurabi) and as enjoying a special relationship with the divinity...might suggest that the king would be exempt from the law's requirements. To emphasize its rejection of that norm, Deuteronomy requires the king to have a copy of this Teaching written for him: The king must daily read the law that limits his powers.
The law requires the king to be subject to the law, not above it. The common status of the monarch throughout the ancient Near East as promulgator of the law (as in the Laws of Hammurabi) and as enjoying a special relationship with the divinity...might suggest that the king would be exempt from the law's requirements. To emphasize its rejection of that norm, Deuteronomy requires the king to have a copy of this Teaching written for him: The king must daily read the law that limits his powers.
The Torah: A Women's Commentary
Deuteronomy 17:17. He shall not have many wives. This criticism also is built on the portrait of Solomon, who reportedly had a thousand wives (I Kings 11:1-5), many of them foreigners with whom he made political marriages. Such marriages were common in the ancient world for their diplomatic benefits, for they worked to assure peaceful relations between the royal families and thus their countries. ... The Bible is concerned with the importation of foreign wives, because it believed these wives introduced their own forms of foreign worship into the royal court, thereby 'leading the people astray' with idolatrous practices. Jezebel stands out as a prime example, for this Phoenician princess and wife of King Ahab worshiped Baal--and led her husband to do so as well (I Kings 16:31-33; 21:25-26).
Deuteronomy 17:17. He shall not have many wives. This criticism also is built on the portrait of Solomon, who reportedly had a thousand wives (I Kings 11:1-5), many of them foreigners with whom he made political marriages. Such marriages were common in the ancient world for their diplomatic benefits, for they worked to assure peaceful relations between the royal families and thus their countries. ... The Bible is concerned with the importation of foreign wives, because it believed these wives introduced their own forms of foreign worship into the royal court, thereby 'leading the people astray' with idolatrous practices. Jezebel stands out as a prime example, for this Phoenician princess and wife of King Ahab worshiped Baal--and led her husband to do so as well (I Kings 16:31-33; 21:25-26).
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, "Covenant and Conversation" for Parashat Shofetim, 5778 (2018).
Note: Rabbi Sacks passed away on Shabbat, November 7, 2020.
"To Lead is to Serve"
...Judaism is an argument for the limitation, secularisation and transformation of power.
Limitation: Israel’s kings were the only rulers in the ancient world without the power to legislate. For us, the laws that matter come from God, not from human beings. To be sure, in Jewish law, kings may issue temporary regulations for the better ordering of society, but so may rabbis, courts, or local councils (the shiva tuvei ha-ir).
Secularisation: in Judaism, kings were not high priests and high priests were not kings. Jews were the first people to create a “separation of powers,” a doctrine normally attributed to Montesquieu in the eighteenth century. When some of the Hasmonean rulers sought to combine the two offices, the Talmud records the objection of the sages: “Let the royal crown be sufficient for you; leave the priestly crown to the descendants of Aaron." (Talmud Kiddush 66a).
Transformation: fundamental to Judaism is the idea of servant leadership. There is a wonderful statement of it in our parsha. The king must have his own sefer Torah, “and he shall read from it all the days of his life … not considering himself superior to his kinsfolk, or straying from the commandments to the right or to the left” (Deut. 17:19-20). Humility is the essence of royalty, because to lead is to serve.
Failure to remember this caused what, in retrospect, can be seen as the single most disastrous political decision in Jewish history. After the death of Solomon, the people came to Rehoboam, his son, asking him to lighten the load that Solomon’s projects had imposed on the people. The king asked his father’s advisers what he should do. They told him to accede to their request: “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants’(1 Kings 12:7). Note the threefold appearance of the word ‘serve’ in this verse. Rehoboam ignored their advice. The kingdom split and the nation never fully recovered.
Note: Rabbi Sacks passed away on Shabbat, November 7, 2020.
"To Lead is to Serve"
...Judaism is an argument for the limitation, secularisation and transformation of power.
Limitation: Israel’s kings were the only rulers in the ancient world without the power to legislate. For us, the laws that matter come from God, not from human beings. To be sure, in Jewish law, kings may issue temporary regulations for the better ordering of society, but so may rabbis, courts, or local councils (the shiva tuvei ha-ir).
Secularisation: in Judaism, kings were not high priests and high priests were not kings. Jews were the first people to create a “separation of powers,” a doctrine normally attributed to Montesquieu in the eighteenth century. When some of the Hasmonean rulers sought to combine the two offices, the Talmud records the objection of the sages: “Let the royal crown be sufficient for you; leave the priestly crown to the descendants of Aaron." (Talmud Kiddush 66a).
Transformation: fundamental to Judaism is the idea of servant leadership. There is a wonderful statement of it in our parsha. The king must have his own sefer Torah, “and he shall read from it all the days of his life … not considering himself superior to his kinsfolk, or straying from the commandments to the right or to the left” (Deut. 17:19-20). Humility is the essence of royalty, because to lead is to serve.
Failure to remember this caused what, in retrospect, can be seen as the single most disastrous political decision in Jewish history. After the death of Solomon, the people came to Rehoboam, his son, asking him to lighten the load that Solomon’s projects had imposed on the people. The king asked his father’s advisers what he should do. They told him to accede to their request: “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favourable answer, they will always be your servants’(1 Kings 12:7). Note the threefold appearance of the word ‘serve’ in this verse. Rehoboam ignored their advice. The kingdom split and the nation never fully recovered.