Moreshet Shaul: A Crown and its Scepter – part III | Various Rabbis | Beit Midrash

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קטגוריה משנית

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We conclude the draft of Rav Yisraeli’s speech for his installation as rabbi of Kfar Haro’eh (Chanuka 5698, 1938).

You have placed upon me the lofty position of rabbi in your moshav. You have placed on my head the crown of the rabbinate and the stewardship of a community of members of the holy nation. I know that the crown was not placed on my head to glorify me. Indeed, I am not worthy of it, and I do not plan to resort to behavior of dominion. Intensive work awaits me, the work of bringing together the people’s individual strengths in the moshav and focusing them on the goal that unites us. The authorization that each of you gave me was in order that you should receive in return, in the form of helping the individual and the community progress.

The Rabbis expounded (see Rashi to Sanhedrin 21b) that the crown of King David had a special form that tested whether an aspirant for the crown could be accepted. There was a scepter extending on its inside from one side to the other, so that the candidate for king had to have an indentation in the correct spot on his head so that the crown of greatness and dominion over the nation would fit. This required special criteria to shoulder the great responsibilities and various difficulties. He required specific awareness and sacrifice in order not to be discouraged, not by those who try to "pull him to the right" or by those who want to "pull him to the left." The indentation in the head is that which makes the candidate fit for the crown to fit.

David was a king who "dirtied his hands" with the small details needed to make Jewish homes fully functional (see Berachot 4a). He was a king about whom the Rabbis expounded that Hashem declared that He cherishes the justice and charity that David did more than the sacrifices he brought. His kingdom was less dominion than it was dedicated work on behalf of the nation. (Rav Kook wrote beautifully along the lines of this idea in connection with Melachim I, 1:33.)

Dominion that is used just on behalf of the nation is not always simple to accomplish. It often brings on bitter disappointments and frustration. Not always does that which was planned come to fruition, which causes great pain when one recognizes the great responsibility that is upon his shoulders. This pain and disappointment are the metaphorical scepter in the crown, which does not allow respite for the one who wears it. Rather, it always causes great pain, unless there were great preparations – good will with true love – as love atones for all sins. This is the indentation in the head, which lines up with the protrusion in the crown. That is what makes one fit to wear the crown in a proper manner.

From the time the crown of Jewish monarchy was removed, we have only the crown of Torah, which is what you have decided to crown me with today. This crown also has a scepter in it, and it takes a tremendous amount of toil to make it fit. I have sat at the feet of the saintly Rav (Rav A.Y. Kook), z.t.l, from whom I learned the "paths of life." I learned the means of acquiring Torah from my master, the great Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, shlita. I have tried, to the extent possible, to prepare and develop the "indentation in the head." This is my prayer: "It should be Your will that the indentation should be aligned opposite the scepter in the crown, so that it fit. Shoulder to shoulder shall we rise up and progress toward the lofty dream of a full national liberation, as the Rabbis said (Devarim Rabba 5:7): ‘When you do charity and justice, I will liberate you a full liberation,’" amen.