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Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur

Trumping The Kings

by Rabbi Pinchas Kantrowitz
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Trumping The Kings - Rabbi Pinchas Kantrowitz

"There will soon be only five kings left: The Kings of England, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, and Clubs." So declared King Farouk, King of Egypt to Lord Boyd-Orr of England in 1951, shortly before the declaration of the Egyptian republic in 1953. But King Farouk forgot one - the King of Kings, Hashem.

"For the sovereignty is Hashem's and He rules over nations." (Psalms 22:29) If the sovereignty is Hashem's then why must we be taught that He rules over nations? Isn't it obvious?

The Vilna Gaon taught that a sovereign (melech in Hebrew) refers to a king who is willingly accepted by his subjects, whereas a ruler (moshel in Hebrew) is a king who forces his subjects to obey him.

King Farouk and many others among the nations have forgotten that Hashem is King, therefore He rules over them as a Moshel, by force. Only the nation of Israel accepts Hashem as our Melech or Sovereign.

May we crown Hashem our King on Rosh Hashana and usher in a sweet new year filled with blessing! By crowning Hashem King of Kings, we unify the Eternal as the One G-d, the "Ace" that "trumps" the remaining Kings of Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, Clubs, and even of England!

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