Not only King of the World

11 Nissan 5782

“[All] this shall be as an eternal statute for you, to effect atonement upon the children of Israel, for all their sins, once each year. And he did as the L‑rd had commanded Moses.” (Vayikra 16:34)

Rashi explains, “And he did as the L‑rd had commanded Moses: i.e., when Yom Kippur arrived, Aaron performed the service according to its order, and this verse is written to tell Aaron’s praise, namely, that he did not don those special garments of the Kohen Gadol for his self-aggrandizement, but rather, as one who is fulfilling the King’s decree thus, ‘he did as the L‑rd had commanded.’”

“‘And, behold, G‑d [Himself] stands over him,’ and ‘The whole world is full only with His Glory,’ and not only being omnipresent does He see everything but moreover He scrutinizes him in particular, and searches his reins and heart i.e., his innermost thoughts and emotions [to see] if he is serving Him as is fitting.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 41)

A person must meditate, especially before every mitzvah, how Hashem is not only King of the world, but also King specifically over him. By keeping this in mind constantly, he will never come to draw pride or self-serving interest of any kind from a mitzvah. He will do them purely “as one who is fulfilling the King’s decree.”

The Holy Ruzhiner Rebbe was known as an earthly king, not merely a spiritual figure. His wealth was so astounding that the Russian nobility, including the Tsar, began to envy him. He lived in a palatial home with splendid furnishings, rode in a silver-handled carriage drawn by four white horses, was accompanied by an entourage of attendants, and wore a golden yarmulke and stylish clothing with solid-gold buttons. Nevertheless, on his deathbed he testified to his disciple, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Fastan: “The holy master, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, Rabbeinu Hakadosh, testified about himself that he did not take pleasure from this world, even as much as a small finger. I bear self-witness, Heaven and Earth, that I did not take enjoyment from this world even as much as a slender thread. As for my behaving with overt leadership and pomp, this was all done to honor the Holy One, Blessed is He.”

“Men are but vanity; people [but] transients. Were they to be raised upon the scale, they would be lighter than vanity.” (Tehillim 62:10)

In the face of Hashem, who stands over every person and whose Glory fills the whole world, everything else is but vanity, lighter than vanity:

“Wherever the [Holy Ruzhiner] Rebbe went crowds came to see him. The Rebbe travelled in a beautiful carriage drawn by four white horses. On one occasion, the Rebbe was asked how he keeps himself from having haughty thoughts when he sees the many people pushing to see him. The Rebbe answered the question with a moshol.

There was once a king who ruled over a country which was too big for him to control by himself. He therefore appointed a governor over each province. One day the king decided to visit one of his faraway provinces that he had never been to before. When the king arrived he asked the governor to accompany him for a stroll through the main street of the area. As they walked down the street together, crowds began to push each other to get a better view of their governor. The king, however, was not recognized by anyone. In the commotion to see the governor, the king got pushed and shoved around along with everyone else. Can you imagine how embarrassed the governor must have been? His importance came only from the king, he must have felt terrible to see that the kiwas getting pushed around. ‘Similarly,’ ended the Ruzhiner, ‘When I see the way people try to honor me, I think to myself, if only they would honor Hashem like this as well, and it makes me so upset that the idea of becoming haughty doesn’t even occur to me!’” (Golden Dynasty, nishamos.org)