[Avodah] HaShem HaMelech

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 05:27:32PM +0000, shalomyitz at comcast.net wrote:
: As a metaphor it seems to work in an obvious way if you think of
: a king like Henry the Eighth or someone: Absolute and widespread
: power. But, was that really what a melekh was like in the days of
: matan Torah?

I am not sure it's a metaphor. It could be that Melukhah is an
exact *description* of the relationship between G-d and man.

Thus the obligation, twice daily, of qabbalas ol malkhus Shamayim.

As for how we should think of it. I couldn't find "Melekh" or "haMelekh"
referring to HQBH in chumash or Neviim rishonim. The first (in historical
order) reference I could find is Tehillim 10:16, which I believe is
attributed to David haMelekh. So Judaism's first king was probably the
first to refer to Hashem as King. I would therefore start there.

On Tue, Apr 12, 2011 at 09:27:54AM -0700, Daniel M. Israel wrote:
> Hence "HaMelech, Malchei HaMelachim."...

The Achaemenid Emperors (c. 550-330 BCE) of Paras called themselves
Cheshaytheiya Cheshayathiyanam -- Mkelekh haMelakhim. (And thus the
Shah was more fully called "Shahanshah", Shah of Shahs.) Eg Daryaveish
writes on the Rock of Behistun something generally translated, "I am
Darius the great king, the king of kings, the king of Persia, the king
of the provinces..."

So, Melekh Malkei haMelakhim quite probably dates back to that
period, declaring HQBH as above even the emperor. And thus dovetails
well to what I said about the idiom being David haMelekh's invention.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 10th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        1 week and 3 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Tifferes sheb'Gevurah: When does strict
Fax: (270) 514-1507                  judgment bring balance and harmony?