Next week we change our prayers to reflect the fact that God is our sovereign.
One of the interesting things that happens during the period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur is that we change the wording of the Amidah. Instead of saying HaEl HaKadosh—“the Holy God”—we say HaMelech HaKadosh—“the Holy King.”
We do this every year, but it is worth stopping and thinking about what those words mean.
During the Ten Days of Repentance, we emphasize the sovereignty of God. God is not simply our God; He is Melech—King, Sovereign of the universe. Rosh Hashanah, in particular, is filled with this theme of Malchuyot, recognizing God’s kingship.
This idea goes back throughout Tanach. When Gideon was asked to establish a hereditary rule over Israel, he refused, saying, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” Human rulers may govern, but ultimate sovereignty belongs to God.
That brings me to something interesting that I have noticed over many years of traveling. Americans frequently speak about our “God-given rights.” That language is deeply embedded in the American political tradition. The Declaration of Independence says that human beings “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
The government does not create those rights. If they come from the Creator, government is obligated to respect them.
This provides an interesting contrast with the Torah.
American political thought frequently speaks in the language of rights, with obligations implied alongside them. The Torah generally approaches society from the opposite direction. It speaks primarily in the language of obligations.
I am obligated not to steal. Therefore, you have a right to your property.
I am obligated to pay my worker on time. Therefore, the worker has a right to receive his wages.
I am obligated not to oppress the stranger, widow, or orphan. Therefore, the vulnerable have a right to protection.
The Torah does not need to begin by saying, “You have a right.” It begins by telling the other person, “You have an obligation.”
And even the king is subject to those obligations.
Throughout Tanach, the prophets confront kings. Nathan confronts David. Elijah confronts Ahab. The king cannot simply answer, “I am the king, therefore whatever I do is right.” There is a law above the king because there is a Sovereign above the king.
That is one of the great messages of Rosh Hashanah.
When we change the words of our prayers and say HaMelech HaKadosh, we are reminding ourselves that ultimately we are not sovereign. God is.
And if God is sovereign, then the question during these days is not simply, “What am I entitled to?” It is also, and perhaps more importantly, “What am I obligated to do?”
What obligations have I fulfilled this past year? Where have I failed? Whom have I hurt? What responsibilities have I neglected? And what can I do differently in the coming year?
Recognizing God as King is not merely a theological statement. It places demands upon us.
During these days leading from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, we acknowledge that we are not completely in control. What we can control is how we respond to the responsibilities God has placed before us—and whether we make the effort to become better people in the year ahead.
Something to think about.
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