Elul 11 - Malchuyot

אמרו לפני [מלכיות זכרונות] ושופרות מלכיות כדי שתמליכוני עליכם זכרונות כדי שיבא זכרונכם לטובה [אמרו לפני] שופרות כדי שתעלה תפלתכם בתרועה לפני.

Tosefta Rosh Hashanah 1:11

... Say before me: Malchuyot, Zichronot and Shofarot. Malchuyot so that you will crown me before them. Zichronot so that your memories will come before me for the good. Shofarot so that your prayers will ascend with trumpeting.

ראש השנה ל״ב א:ט׳

מנין שאומרים מלכיות תניא רבי אומר (ויקרא כג, כב) אני ה' אלהיכם ובחדש השביעי זו מלכות

Rosh Hashanah 32a:9

From where is it derived that that one recites the blessing of Kingship? It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: One verse states: “I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:22), which is referring to God’s Kingship over the world; and two verses later it states: “In the seventh month” (Leviticus 23:24). This teaches that God’s Kingship must be mentioned on Rosh HaShana.

ראש השנה ל״ב א:י״ז

גמ׳ הני עשרה מלכיות כנגד מי אמר (רבי) כנגד עשרה הלולים שאמר דוד בספר תהלים הלולים טובא הוו הנך דכתיב בהו (תהלים קנ, ג) הללוהו בתקע שופר

Rosh Hashanah 32a:17

GEMARA: The Gemara asks: These ten verses of Kingship, to what do they correspond? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said: They correspond to the ten praises that David said in the book of Psalms. The Gemara asks: There are many more praises than that in the book of Psalms. The Gemara answers that he means those in which it is written by them: “Praise Him with the blast of the shofar” (Psalms 150:3). In that chapter the phrase “Praise Him” appears ten times.

שמות ט״ו:י״ח

יְהוָ֥ה ׀ יִמְלֹ֖ךְ לְעֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

Exodus 15:18

The LORD will reign for ever and ever!

This comes at the end of the Song of the Sea, when the Israelites have escaped the Egyptian army. The word is usually translated as “reign” but a more literal translation is “will be king” Reign usually refers to a King, though. Does this evoke an image of kingship for you?

תהילים צ״ג:א׳

יְהוָ֣ה מָלָךְ֮ גֵּא֪וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ לָבֵ֣שׁ יְ֭הוָה עֹ֣ז הִתְאַזָּ֑ר אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט׃

Psalms 93:1

The LORD is king, He is robed in grandeur; the LORD is robed, He is girded with strength. The world stands firm; it cannot be shaken.

This Psalm is giving us a mental image of God. What does the description of God's robes do for you?

תהילים כ״ד:ז׳-י׳

(ז) שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם וְ֝יָב֗וֹא מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃ (ח) מִ֥י זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד יְ֭הוָה עִזּ֣וּז וְגִבּ֑וֹר יְ֝הוָ֗ה גִּבּ֥וֹר מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (ט) שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וּ֭שְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם וְ֝יָבֹא מֶ֣לֶךְ הַכָּבֽוֹד׃ (י) מִ֤י ה֣וּא זֶה֮ מֶ֤לֶךְ הַכָּ֫ב֥וֹד יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֑וֹת ה֤וּא מֶ֖לֶךְ הַכָּב֣וֹד סֶֽלָה׃

Psalms 24:7-10

(7) O gates, lift up your heads! Up high, you everlasting doors, so the King of glory may come in! (8) Who is the King of glory?— the LORD, mighty and valiant, the LORD, valiant in battle. (9) O gates, lift up your heads! Lift them up, you everlasting doors, so the King of glory may come in! (10) Who is the King of glory?— the LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory!Selah.

The focus of this text is on God's glory. How does God's kingship relate to God's glory?

מחזור אשכנז לראש השנה, תפילת מוסף, יום ראשון של ראש השנה, מלכויות ב׳

עָלֵֽינוּ לְשַׁבֵּֽחַ לַאֲדוֹן הַכֹּל לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לְיוֹצֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁלֹּא עָשָֽׂנוּ כְּגוֹיֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת וְלֹא שָׂמָֽנוּ כְּמִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאֲדָמָה שֶׁלֹּא שָׂם חֶלְקֵֽנוּ כָּהֶם וְגוֹרָלֵֽנוּ כְּכָל הֲמוֹנָם: שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לַהֶֽבֶל וָרִיק וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים אֶל אֵל לֹא יושִֽׁיעַ. וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ כֹּרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וּמוֹדִים לִפְנֵי מֶֽלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. שֶׁהוּא נוֹטֶה שָׁמַֽיִם וְיוֹסֵד אָֽרֶץ. וּמוֹשַׁב יְקָרוֹ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם מִמַּֽעַל. וּשְׁכִינַת עֻזּוֹ בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים. הוּא אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ אֵין עוֹד. אֱמֶת מַלְכֵּֽנוּ אֶֽפֶס זוּלָתוֹ כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרָתוֹ וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶֽךָ כִּי יְהֹוָה הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם מִמַּֽעַל וְעַל הָאָֽרֶץ מִתָּֽחַת אֵין עוֹד:

Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, Musaf, First Day of Rosh Hashana, Malkhuyot 2

It is our obligation to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of [the world in] the beginning: that He has not made us like the nations of the lands, and has not positioned us like the families of the earth; that He has not assigned our portion like theirs, nor our lot like that of all their multitudes. For they prostrate themselves to vanity and nothingness, and pray to a god that cannot deliver. But we bow, prostrate ourselves, and offer thanks before the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One blessed is He, Who spreads the heavens, and establishes the earth, and the seat of His glory is in the heaven above, and the abode of His invincible might is in the loftier heights. He is our God, there is nothing else. Our King is true, all else is insignificant, as it is written in His Torah: “And You shall know this day and take into your heart that Adonoy is God in the heavens above and upon the earth below; there is nothing else.”

Aleinu began in the Rosh Hashanah musaf. Why do you think it was added to the daily liturgy? Do you think the reference to God as King impacted this decision? Do you think about these words when you recite Aleinu?

זכריה י״ד:ט׳

וְהָיָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃

Zechariah 14:9

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one LORD with one name.

This phrase is at the end of Aleinu and also evokes the Sh'ma. When you recite the Sh'ma, do you think about Kingship?

מחזור אשכנז לראש השנה, תפילת שחרית, יום ראשון של ראש השנה, חזרת הש"ץ ע׳

(ע) יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ יְהֹוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, The Morning Prayers, First Day of Rosh Hashana, Reader's Repetition 70

(70) Adonai is King, Adonai was King Adonai will be King forever.

מחזור אשכנז לראש השנה, תפילת שחרית, יום ראשון של ראש השנה, חזרת הש"ץ ע״א

אַדִּירֵי אֲיֻמָּה יַאְדִּֽירוּ בְקוֹל. יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ: בְּרוּאֵי בָרָק יְבָרְכוּ בְקוֹל. יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ: גִּבּֽוֹרֵי גֹּֽבַהּ יַגְבִּֽירוּ בְקוֹל. יְהֹוָה יִמְלֹךְ: יְהֹוָה מֶֽלֶךְ יְהֹוָה מָלָךְ יְהֹוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz, The Morning Prayers, First Day of Rosh Hashana, Reader's Repetition 71

[Yisrael who is] noble and awesome, recognize His majesty, proclaiming: Adonoy is King; [Angels] creatures of lightning, bless Him, proclaiming: Adonoy was King; [the Ofanim²⁵See Yechezkel 1:18.] mighty on high, attribute strength to Him, proclaiming: Adonoy will be King. Adonoy is King, Adonoy was King, Adonoy will be King forever.

This section of the Shacharit liturgy proclaims that Adonai was, is and will be King. How do you relate to this prayer?