Word Prompt – KING – Shmuel Phillips

The Netziv understands that the mitzvah to appoint a king is conditional upon the approval and request of the nation: “And you say “I will appoint.’”

He then shows how, in some situations, a monarch is necessary to unite and lead a nation, while at other times the people are unable to handle the power of a king. For this reason, even though appointing a king is a mitzvah and an ideal, it is not an absolutely and permanently binding commandment, because its suitability depends on the political situation of the nation. Authority can only be centralized under a single monarch and dynasty when the people themselves seek a king, having recognized the benefits that this can bring.

Consistent with this, our job in Elul and Rosh Hashanah may not be limited to a verbal acknowledgement that G-d is the Master of the universe. Rather we are to spend time reflecting on our relationship with G-d on an individual, communal and national level in order for the notion of Divine authority and leadership to be both real and advantageous to us.