What a word for this time of year. Possibly even THE word for this season. But why?
We describe His Kingship in all tenses – past, present, and future – using this same word Melech: Hashem melech (present), Hashem malach (past), Hashem yimloch (future) l’olam va’ed. We must also remember that when the Torah uses the word olam, it refers to time eternal – a concept that the human mind struggles to understand. We can look at a globe to understand physical space, but who can understand a limitless amount of time?
These ideas come together when you consider one of the most powerful paragraphs we say – Adon Olam. It opens with a mind-blowing statement – Hashem is the Master of time (olam), who reigned (malach) before any form was created.
If that’s the case, what was He ruling over? The answer is incredibly complex – the concept of Kingship and Reign preceded everything. It’s the ultimate reign.
When we say the word Melech, we can only consider time through the limits of our understanding time – past, present, and future. We are reminded every morning, however, as we say Adon Olam, that Hashem exists and rules beyond our limited ability to understand.
This is what makes Him not only a King, but the King who rules over kings – the Melech Malchei Hamlachim. Take all the kings who have and will ever exist, combine the geographical regions of their reigns, and Hashem is still superior – the only true Melech HaOlam.
