The Main Thing - Coronation of the King

28 Elul 5786

It's easy to get so caught up in the "slichah" of the slichot season that we short-change the malchuyot aspect of the Yamim Noraim.

Crowning God as king is a central spiritual theme in Jewish tradition, representing the ultimate acceptance of divine sovereignty, especially during the High Holidays.

Jewish Tradition and Rosh Hashanah

Core Theme: On Rosh Hashanah, the primary focus of prayer is not just asking for personal needs, but Crowning God King.

The Concept of Malchuyot: As discussed in rabbinic texts...God commands us to declare and crown Him as King, aligning human will with divine purpose.

Surrender of Ego: Worshippers nullify their own pride to accept God as their beloved and revered monarch.

The central core of the Rosh Hashanah Musaf service features three unique middle blessings—known as Malchiyot, Zichronot, and Shofrot—that expand the standard Amidah into nine total blessings.

1. Malchiyot (Sovereignty) Theme: Declares God as King of the universe, acknowledging His divine rule and supreme authority over all creation.

Focus: Accepting God's sovereignty upon ourselves and the world during the New Year.

2.  Zichronot (Remembrances) Theme: Recalls how God remembers the deeds of humanity, the covenant with the patriarchs, and past merits.

Focus: Praying that God looks upon us with mercy and remembers our good actions and the binding of Isaac.

3.  Shofrot (Shofar Blasts) Theme: Connects the day's judgment to the sounding of the ram's horn.

Focus: Looks forward to the ultimate redemption and the great future blast of the shofar that gathers the displaced.

The shofar blasts signify both the coronation of the King as well as the announcement of the King’s arrival.

The Talmud tells us that G‑d says to us on Rosh Hashanah, “Say before Me verses whose themes are sovereignty, remembrances and shofar. Sovereignty, so that you should crown Me king over you; remembrances, so that I should remember you for good; and with what? With a shofar.” 

Thus, it is through the shofar that the first two “objectives,” coronation and remembrance, are accomplished. Additionally, the sounding of the shofar reminds us of the two greatest events in all time: the giving of the Torah and the coming of Moshiach. Thus, we recite verses describing the revelation at Sinai as well as a prayer for the sounding of the great shofar heralding the final redemption.

The following is just to give you a very small and simple taste of what is in store for the future...

Majestic reception: Prince Charles Coronation Fanfare 1

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If you agree, click the pic...

May each and every one of you be blessed for a

good and sweet new year.  Ketivah v'chatimah tovah!!