We refer to the idea that G-d is King in every blessing we say: “Blessed are You, Ad-nai, Our G-d, King of the Universe….” But on the High Holy Days, the liturgy is absolutely permeated by emphasis on G-d as King of the Universe. And there are a lot of people who are uncomfortable with that idea. None of us live under a king, or want to. We are all dedicated to the democratic ideal, and it’s hard for us to wrap our heads around the idea of nobility, much less monarchy. So some have suggested that we move away from such archaic monarchic imagery.
To my mind, this would be a mistake. Even while we recognize the obvious practical merits of democracy when compared to monarchy, the psychological and spiritual power of monarchy resonates with something deep inside of ourselves. Consider this: every single book on the top ten of all time best seller list, from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, to Lord of the Rings, to Don Quixote, is filled with monarchic imagery.
Why this fascination? According to Carl Gustav Jung (my favorite psychologist) kings fit into the archetype of “ruler.” They, like we, seek power; imagine that we will use it for good; all too often fall into the trap of using it for raw self-interest. They, like we, have ultimate responsibility for what goes on in the world, but they, like we, often shirk our responsibility and try to place the blame on someone else (“off with their heads!”) They, like we, seek love, adulation, and obedience; and act with petulance when we don’t get it.
The difference, of course, is that our Divine King deserves all of that; while human rulers, as we know all too well, have the muddiest of clay feet.
All the rest of the year, we can imagine ourselves to be in control of our lives, masters of our fate, subject to our own judgment alone.
On the High Holy Days, not so much.