Melachim uMilchamot - Chapter 2

The king must be treated with great honor. We must implant awe and fear of him in the hearts of all men. The command Deuteronomy 17:15: "Appoint a king" implies the obligation to be in awe of him.

We may not ride on his horse, nor sit on his throne, use his scepter, wear his crown, or use any of his utensils. When he dies, they should all be burned before his bier.

Similarly, only another king is allowed to make use of his servants, maids, and attendants. Accordingly, Avishag was permitted to Solomon, but prohibited to Adoniyahu.

However, a king's wife is forbidden to share intimacy with another person forever. Even another king may not marry a king's widow or divorced ex-wife.

It is forbidden to observe him while he is naked, while he is having his hair cut, while he is in the baths, or while he is drying himself afterwards.

He may not perform chalitzah, for concerning that ritual, it is said Deuteronomy 25:9: "And she shall spit before him." This would be disrespectful to the king.

Even if he desires to perform this mitzvah, he is not given the opportunity because a king's honor must be preserved even though he is willing to forgo it.

Since he is not allowed to perform chalitzah, he is not eligible to participate in yibbum. Similarly, in the event of his death, since it is forbidden to initiate yibbum with his wife, chalitzah is also not performed for her. Rather, she must remain in her state of attachment forever.

Even if one of his close relatives dies, he may not leave his palace. When he is served the meal of comfort, the entire nation should sit on the ground and he should sit on a low couch.

If he enters the Temple courtyard, and he is of David's descendents, he may sit. For the only ones who may sit in the Temple Courtyard are kings of the Davidic dynasty, as II Samuel 7:18 states: "And David sat before God."

A king should have his hair cut every day. He should dress and adorn himself in attractive and impressive garments, as Isaiah 33:17 states: "Your eyes shall behold the king in his beauty."

He sits on his throne in his palace and has a crown placed on his head.

When he desires, the nation must present themselves before him. They should stand before him and prostrate themselves to the ground. Even a prophet must stand before the king and prostrate himself on the ground, as I Kings 1:23 states: "Behold, Nathan, the prophet came before the king and prostrated himself before the king."

However, a High Priest need not come before the king unless he the High Priest desires to do so. The High Priest need not stand before the king. Rather, the king stands before the High Priest, as Numbers 27:21 states: "And he shall stand before Elazar, the priest."

Nevertheless, it is a mitzvah for the High Priest to honor the king by having him seated and standing in his presence when he visits him. The king should only stand before him when he consults the Urim and Tumim.

Similarly, it is a mitzvah for the king to honor students of Torah when they enter his presence. He should stand before the Sanhedrin and the Sages of Israel and seat them at his side.

Jehosephat, King of Judah would follow this practice. Whenever even a student of a Torah scholar would come to him, he would rise from his throne and kiss him and address him as "My teacher and master."

When does the above apply? When the king is alone in his palace. Then, in private, before his servants, he should behave in this fashion. However, in public, before the people at large, he should not conduct himself in this manner. He should not stand before anyone. He should not speak gently and should address a person using his name alone in order that the awe of him will be implanted in everyone's hearts.

Just as the Torah has granted him great honor and obligated everyone to revere him; so, too, has it commanded him to be lowly and empty at heart, as Psalms 109:22 states: "My heart is a void within me." Nor should he treat Israel with overbearing haughtiness. For Deuteronomy 17:20 describes how "he should not lift up his heart above his brothers."

He should be gracious and merciful to the small and the great, involving himself in their good and welfare. He should protect the honor of even the humblest of men.

When he speaks to the people as a community, he should speak gently, as I Chronicles 28:2 states "Listen my brothers and my people...." Similarly, I Kings 12:7 states "If today, you will be a servant to these people...."

He should always conduct himself with great humility. There is none greater than Moses, our teacher. Yet, he said Exodus 16:8: "What are we? Your complaints are not against us." He should bear the nation's difficulties, burdens, complaints, and anger as a nurse carries an infant.

Psalms 78:71 refers to a king as a shepherd: "to pasture, Jacob, His nation." The prophets have described the behavior of a shepherd (Isaiah 40:11): "He shall pasture His flock like a shepherd, He shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry them in His bosom."