דברים, פרק ל״ג, פסוק ה׳

The national and spiritual journey of the Israelites reaches a profound climax in a rare moment of absolute unity. Leadership, law, and the people themselves merge into a single entity, willingly and peacefully accepting the mantle of supreme authority.

A central question arises regarding the identity of the king appointed over the nation. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to God Himself, who rules over the Israelites when they walk on an upright path [רמב״ן, רש״ר הירש, מלבי״ם]. This uprightness is tied to a sense of clarity and vision. Unlike the masses who blindly follow mortal leaders, the Israelites examined the leadership of God and Moses with open eyes, concluding without a doubt that it was worthy of absolute devotion [כלי יקר, רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. Conversely, some view the king as Moses, who guided the nation through the wilderness with royal authority, surrounded by tribal heads eager to learn the Torah [אבן עזרא, חזקוני, חומת אנך, שטיינזלץ]. A third perspective identifies the king as the Torah itself, serving as the true, guiding ruler of national life, to which even human leaders are subordinate [אבן עזרא בשם ר׳ יהודה הלוי, אור החיים, רש״ר הירש]. Additionally, this moment is seen as laying the groundwork for the future appointment of mortal kings, such as Saul or Joshua. Such a process would demand broad national consensus and the formal decision of a high court of seventy-one elders [אור החיים, רלב״ג, שד״ל, מלבי״ם].

The specific time and place of this great assembly of national leaders are often traced back to the revelation at Mount Sinai. In that historic moment, the elders and heads of the people drew near to accept the yoke of Divine kingship out of free choice [ספורנו, רבנו בחיי, אדרת אליהו, בכור שור]. Another interpretation links the gathering to the census of the Israelites, where the people were counted and gathered in honor of God, thereby making themselves worthy of blessing [רש״י, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים]. This assembly represents an eternal declaration by the Israelites that the Torah commanded by Moses will remain their everlasting inheritance, seamlessly extending their acceptance of the Torah into a perpetual acceptance of God’s rule [רמב״ן, טור הארוך].

However, there is an essential condition for this kingship to take effect: the absolute unity of the tribes. Commentators agree that God's presence and kingship rest upon the Israelites only when they are bound together in peace, entirely free of division. Should discord arise, the Divine kingship departs from the nation [רש״י, הרא״ש, גור אריה, פני דוד, דעת זקנים]. Crucially, this unity does not require the erasing of personal or tribal identities. On the contrary, each individual and tribe fulfills a unique role, understanding that together they form a single, complete body where every part depends on and complements the others [חומש קה״ת].

The power of such a united assembly elevates the nation beyond the boundaries of nature [העמק דבר]. It forms a deep reciprocal bond where God gathers the Israelites, and their very unity draws the Divine presence into their midst [חתם סופר]. Only from this state of social and spiritual wholeness, with no tribe missing, were the people fully prepared to receive the individual blessings that Moses would bestow upon each tribe immediately thereafter [בכור שור, צרור המור].