A King Without a Crown

In 2005, Hasidic Reggae singer Matisyahu had his breakthrough
with the hit song "King without a crown," which reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. What most radio listeners didn't realize, is that the song centers on a deeply significant theme that is the underlying message of the Rosh Hashana holiday.


Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur center around a few major ideas. We pray to G-d, asking to be inscribed for a good & sweet year, materially and spiritually; for ourselves, our family, and for all of Israel. We repent for our mistakes of the past year, asking forgiveness from G-d and from our fellow man whom we may have hurt. But one theme, according to Jewish mysticism, stands above the rest: Appointing G-d as our king.

The Rosh Hashanah service (besides for being long ) centers around the sounding of the shofar. Often likened to the cry of a young child to his parents, the shofar blasts also symbolize the coronation of G-d as King; much like trumpets at the anointing ceremonies of old. The obvious question arises: HOW can lowly us, fashioned by G-d out of dust, possibly have the ability to anoint the Infinite G-d as our King? Imagine you walked into your back yard one afternoon. You spot a small anthill and, walking up to it, announce proudly that you are king of this great ant nation. How absurd! To be a true king, one has to have a nation; one that is close to you in level, but subservient and devoted. So how can we anoint G-d as King?

The answer is very simple, and very powerful: We can anoint G-d as our king because we are close to Him. When G-d Created each speck of creation, from the angels in the highest of heavens to the lowest creatures of the sea bed, the Torah says: "He Spoke." G-d Used speech. But when He created man & woman, the Torah says G-d "Blew" a soul into their bodies. This is all metaphorical, but a clear difference between speech & a deep breath is clearly symbolized here: One can speak for hours & hours without pause, because one uses his external breath with a minimum output. A deep breath comes from the innermost depths of a person, and therefore leaves him quite breathless. When G-d created each of us, placing our precious, individual souls in our bodies, He had a nation that was close to Him, albeit on a hidden level. On Rosh Hashanah, we work to reveal that inner soul & return the crown to the King, asking Him to be our beloved King for another year. It's lovely to have such a great king, especially when you are His prince or princess.

May you & your family have an amazingly sweet year, filled with abundant blessings physically, materially, and spiritually, in all areas of good! If I have wronged you in any way, please forgive me :)
Shana Tovah!

-Daniel