The Source of Our Authority
Yael Eckstein | February 17, 2023
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. — Deuteronomy 17:18
This month marks the fourth anniversary of the passing of my father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. In his honor, I offer you a selection of devotions on the spiritual importance of legacy and leadership.
Do you want to live in a monarchy, under the rule of a powerful king? I doubt that many of you answered “yes” to this question. We are all grateful that we live in a time and place in history where governments are elected by the citizens, rather than being ruled by unelected kings.
You may be wondering right now, “Wait a minute. Doesn’t the Bible call for a king of Israel?” While it’s true that the Bible does, in fact, speak of a king for the nation of Israel, the biblical ideal for a monarchy was not what most people think of when they think of ancient kings.
The Source of Our Authority
We see this in Deuteronomy 17 where laws relating to the king are stated. Almost all the rules are restrictions that limit the king’s authority. But the most striking law pertaining to the king of Israel is what the Bible says he must do upon taking the throne: “When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests.”
The very first thing the king was required to do was to write his own Torah scroll, start to finish. If you’ve ever seen a Torah scroll, you know that this is a huge task that takes many months to complete.
Think about that! The president of the United States takes his oath of office by placing his hand on the Bible. But the king of Israel actually had to write the first five books of the Bible himself!
God wanted to ensure that the king never forgot the source of his authority, namely, God’s law in the Torah. The king then was to carry the Torah scroll with him at all times to guard him against arrogance and abuse of power because the true purpose of a Jewish king was to serve as a moral guide and leader to his people.
Your Turn:
Each of us holds some position of authority, whether at home or at work. Like the king of Israel, we must remember the source of our authority and “carry” the Word of God with us to guide us.