Yesterday we mentioned the pasuk that the Bet HaLevi quotes:
וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף רָאשֵׁי עָם יַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
When is God king? When the leaders gather together..
The Sifri in Parashat Zot HaBeracha (chapter 5) quotes this pasuk as well, and mentions the following mashal from Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai:
This is comparable to a man that bought two boats and tied them together with thick, heavy ropes. Then, atop the boats, he builds his palace.
He has a floating palace. As long as the boats are tied together, the palace stands. But if the boats separate, the palace collapses into the water. So too, the Jewish people. When we are united, then we can hold up God’s kingdom. But if we are separated, has v’Shalom, the kingdom collapses.
It’s a very scary mashal.
In the famed Yeshiva of Kelm, there was a notice hanging on the door, throughout the high holidays season. It was a wondrous awakening that quoted the following logic:
A kingdom is only successful if there is unity in the army and among the people. If there is dissension, the entire nation falls apart. As we know, without fear of kingdom, men will swallow themselves up alive. We see this from riots and civil wars.
If you don’t have unity, the kingdom is worthless. We are supposed to learn from human kings how to serve God. Therefore, he says,
“The main way to make God King upon us is through achdut/ unity. As such, we have to work on ourselves to be involved, throughout the year in the Mitzvah of VeAhavta LeRe’echa Kamocha/Loving your friend like you love yourself.
We may not realize this, but by getting these classes on Ahavat Yisrael, we are preparing for the high holidays!
Every day, we say Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad.
But we start with the introduction of Shema Yisrael first- recognizing that we are a part of the Jewish people. We should have the kavana that there cannot be a Kingdom without unity. This is what we are working on now. We are working on Hashem being King over us.
The Elder of Kelm continues, saying, You don’t have to change in one moment. Slowly but surely you’ll get better. And you’ll be considered a little bit of a Baal Teshuva.
You can’t imagine the zechut/merit for us, and the whole world, if there is a group of people who work on us the whole year.“
This is what we are doing!
He says that it might be a little difficult, but by constantly thinking about it, slowly but surely it will become enjoyable. Therefore, he says that this is something to keep in mind all year. And a good place to have this in mind, he says, is every day in our prayers when we say (right before the Amida in Shaharit) על שפת הים יחד כלם הודו והמליכו
Together they made God into King.
Without that unity, Hashem’s kingdom is incomplete, and we aren’t doing our jobs.
What unbelievable words from this beautiful pasuk!
Have a wonderful day.