Meloch – Carlebach (Ishay Ribo)

August 27, 2020

One of the main avodahs of Rosh Hashanah is to accept and crown Hashem as King of the Universe. So in order to properly do so, we must actualize in our minds and hearts the fact that Hashem truly does rule over the world and everything in it. Easier said than done? Maybe. It takes preparation. We cannot just fall into it come Rosh Hashanah morning. We can’t expect to fulfill this important obligation without first reviewing this integral concept and having it ingrained in our hearts.

We can start to prepare ourselves by recognizing and accepting Hashem’s involvement in every aspect of our lives. Accomplishments, achievements, adversities, mishaps, misfortunes and milestones; everything is directly from Hashem. In the Rosh Hashanah Shemoneh Esrei, we say “Elokeinu, v’Elokei avoseinu, meloch al kol ha’olam kulo b’chvodecha.”

However, one word seems extraneous. Why the repetition of “kulo”? If we are already saying “kol ha’olam – the whole world,” isn’t that sufficient? “Kulo” appears redundant. The Taz (Rav Dovid haLevi Segal (c. 1586 – 1667), also known by his most famous sefer, the Turei Zahav) is bothered by this question.

We often make a serious mistake when we daven. We think that the weak need Hashem more than the strong, the sick need Him more than the healthy, or that the poor need Him more than the rich. But when Rosh Hashanah comes, we realize this is not true. Our strength can dissipate, our health can fail, and our wealth can disappear – all in the blink of an eye.

By saying “meloch al kol ha’olam kulo,” we tell the Ribono Shel Olam that – young and old, rich and poor, healthy and sick – everyone needs His Divine assistance and benevolence. We must first be aware and accept that everything is from Him in order to fully appreciate and thank Him for everything He gives us. And this is not just for once a year, but for all year round!

So on Rosh Hashanah, says the Taz, when we say “kol ha’olam kulo,” it is for this emphasis: Hashem rules over every part of our entire world. Every business deal, every cut, bump and bruise, every safe landing, spill of milk or flat tire…

Everything in our lives is given to us, specifically for us, by The King of the Universe, Hashem.

I believe that this transcendent niggun can help us get into this correct frame of mind. R’ Shlomo Carlebach z’l composed Meloch and recorded it for his Days Are Coming record back in 1979. Since then, other artists have covered the tune, but for obvious reasons we’ll be choosing Ishay Ribo’s adaptation from his 2019 album called Elul 5779. The song surely speaks for itself but Ribo does what he always does and somehow takes a soul-stirring melody and brings it to another level entirely.

May we merit to see Hashem clearly in each area of our lives and to see the fulfillment of “Meloch al kol ha’olam kulo,” – to finally witness Hashem’s Malchus in its full glory.

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