I've been thinking a lot about the word
melech, so common in our
Jewish prayers. G!d is described in our blessing formula as melech
ha'olam, literally, as “King
of the World” or of the Universe.
I have long found
the concept of King to have little meaning for me in terms of my
prayer life, and I know many others who feel the same way. Often
translations try to soften the negative impact while maintaining the
true meaning of the word by using English words such as “Ruler”
or “Sovereign”. These, too, do not mean a lot to me. Especially
not in the context of prayer.
Recently
I decided to confront my smoldering discomfort head on. I began to
search. I looked up melech
in one dictionary, and then in another and another. I checked
multiple dictionaries from different time periods in the development
of the Hebrew language. I checked Biblical, post-Biblical, and modern
dictionaries, as well as in an etymological dictionary. I also looked
in an English dictionary, learning more about the specific meaning of
Sovereign.
My research proved
instructive.
The word melech has the connotation of supreme power. A melech rules alone, and the role is inherited. There is no democratic procedure involved.
From
the etymological dictionary I learned that there are two different
3-letter Hebrew roots for melech.
One has the meanings so far discussed. The other has the meaning of
“counselor.”
Taken
all together, these various meanings began to make sense of the word
melech for me.
G!d as a supreme
power. G!d as the only one with that supreme power. Nobody choosing
which god will be G!d – G!d just is. G!d as my counselor, the one
who guides me.
All of
this fits with my understanding and experience of G!d. I have never
liked to say what G!d is. I find that impossible to do, and I tend to
feel that trying to explain G!d automatically diminishes G!d, for our
words cannot begin to express what is so vast and yet so tiny, both
through space and through time. Yet, in my heart and soul, I know
that G!d's presence is hovering within me and around me. And with
these new understandings of the word melech,
I also envision G!d – melech ha'olam,
King of the Universe – hovering, encircling, holding the entire
Earth, the entire Universe.
Strengthened
by new understanding, a deeper meaning now resonates: Melech
Ha'Olam – the one and only
Source of all that is, encompassing time and space, present because,
just because, there for me to tap into in order to find strength and
compassion and wisdom and healing and courage.
This
description of G!d works for me and has meaning for me. It allows me
to open up my heart to formerly problematic words, melech
ha'olam, and to embrace them as
a rich addition to my prayer life.
I'm glad I took the
time to check it all out.
© 2015 Katy Z. Allen All rights reserved.
Rabbi Katy Allen is a board certified chaplain and serves as a Nature Chaplain and the Facilitator of One Earth Collaborative, a program of Open Spirit. She is the founder and rabbi of Ma'yan Tikvah - A Wellspring of Hope, which holds services outdoors all year long. She is the President pro-tem of the Boston-based Jewish Climate Action Network. She received her ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion.
© 2015 Katy Z. Allen All rights reserved.
Rabbi Katy Allen is a board certified chaplain and serves as a Nature Chaplain and the Facilitator of One Earth Collaborative, a program of Open Spirit. She is the founder and rabbi of Ma'yan Tikvah - A Wellspring of Hope, which holds services outdoors all year long. She is the President pro-tem of the Boston-based Jewish Climate Action Network. She received her ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion.
Really instructive....thanks for sharing. I love the way you explained it. May our God be praised.
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