Crowning Hashem as King to inherit the nations

איתא אמרו לפני מלכיות כדי שתמליכוני עליכם.

It is taught: Recite before Me verses of Malchiyos (Kingship) so that you may crown Me as King over you.

On Rosh Hashanah, Hashem asks Bnei Yisrael to declare His sovereignty, accepting Him as their King.

כי באמת מלכות שמים הוא לכלל כל הבריאה ולבנ"י מיוחד ענין יצ"מ כמ"ש אנכי ה' אלקיך אשר הוצאתיך.

For in truth, malchus Shomayim (the Kingship of Heaven) extends over all of creation, while to Bnei Yisrael the matter of Yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus) is unique, as it is written: "I am Hashem your God who took you out."

Hashem's kingship over the world is universal, but Bnei Yisrael have a special, intimate bond with Him rooted in the redemption from Mitzrayim, expressed in the opening words of the Aseres Hadibros.

וחודש ניסן דכ' החודש הזה לכם מיוחד לבנ"י כמ"ש למלכי ישראל מניסן מנינן.

And the month of Nissan, of which it is written "This month is for you," is unique to Bnei Yisrael, as it is said: "For the kings of Yisrael we count from Nissan."

Nissan belongs especially to Bnei Yisrael — it marks their own calendar and their special relationship with Hashem, distinct from the rest of the world.

אכן גם חודש תשרי שהוא כלל הבריאה זה היום תחילת מעשיך נתן השי"ת לבנ"י כמ"ש למה התחיל בבראשית משום כח מעשיו הגיד לעמו.

Yet even the month of Tishrei, which represents all of creation — "this day is the beginning of Your works" — Hashem gave to Bnei Yisrael, as it is said: Why did the Torah begin with "Bereishis"? Because "the power of His works He told to His people."

Even the universal month of Tishrei, marking the creation of the whole world, was entrusted to Bnei Yisrael, for the Torah begins with creation to teach that the entire world is given over to them.

וזה הוא ר"ה שנקרא כח מעשיו והוא חיות כל השנה.

And this is Rosh Hashanah, which is called "the power of His works," and it is the life-force of the entire year.

Rosh Hashanah is the day that contains the creative energy of the whole world, and from it flows the chiyus (vitality) of the entire coming year.

אמנם בנ"י צריכין ליקח זאת הבחינה בכח התעוררות שלהם כי יש בחי' בנים ועבדים ובנ"י נקראו בנים למקום ב"ה.

However, Bnei Yisrael must take hold of this aspect through the power of their own arousal, for there are two aspects — sons and servants — and Bnei Yisrael are called sons to Hashem.

To draw down this universal life-force, Bnei Yisrael must arouse themselves. They relate to Hashem essentially as beloved children, not merely as servants.

אכן צריכין להיות גם בבחי' עבדים לקבל עול מלכותו ית' בכלל כל הבריאה וז"ש אמרו לפני מלכיות כדי שגם בבחי' מלכותו יהי' מיוחד רק לבנ"י כנ"ל לתת להם נחלת גוים.

Yet they must also take on the aspect of servants, to accept the yoke of His Kingship together with all of creation. And this is the meaning of "Recite before Me Malchiyos" — so that even in the aspect of His Kingship over all, it should be unique to Bnei Yisrael, as above, to give them "the inheritance of nations."

On Rosh Hashanah, Bnei Yisrael must also become servants who accept Hashem's universal sovereignty alongside the whole world. By crowning Him as King over all, they draw even that universal kingship into their special bond, meriting "the inheritance of nations."

וזה ענין שהוזכר במד' אמור החטא על אבינו יעקב שלא רצה לעלות על הסולם כו'.

And this is the matter mentioned in the Midrash on Emor, that the "sin" is laid upon our father Yaakov, who did not wish to ascend the ladder, etc.

The Midrash relates that Yaakov was reluctant to climb the ladder of his vision — to enter the realm of worldly engagement and the kingdoms it represents.

כי בוודאי שורש בנ"י למעלה מזה.

For certainly the root of Bnei Yisrael is above all this.

By their very essence, Bnei Yisrael belong to a level higher than the worldly hierarchy of nations and their ascents and descents.

אך הי' צריך לכנוס גם במדריגה זו כדי לקיים הבריאה.

But he needed to enter this level as well, in order to sustain creation.

Yaakov nonetheless had to descend into worldly involvement, because it is precisely Bnei Yisrael's engagement that upholds and sustains the whole world.

וכמו כן צריכין בנ"י בכל שנה לכנוס עצמו בכלל הבריאה ועל ידי זה מקיימין כל הבריאה וממילא ניתן להם נחלת גוים כנ"ל:

And likewise Bnei Yisrael must, each year, enter themselves into the totality of creation; and through this they sustain all of creation, and consequently they are given "the inheritance of nations," as above.

Every Rosh Hashanah, Bnei Yisrael lower themselves to accept Hashem's kingship over the entire world. By doing so they keep all of creation in existence, and as a result they inherit the spiritual portion of all the nations.

Summary: On Rosh Hashanah, Bnei Yisrael are asked to recite Malchiyos and crown Hashem as King. Though their essential bond with Him is that of beloved sons, standing above the worldly order, they must also take on the role of servants who accept His universal sovereignty over all creation. By entering into the totality of the world and sustaining it — like Yaakov who descended to the ladder to uphold creation — they draw even Hashem's universal kingship into their unique relationship and merit the inheritance of the nations.