King Who Bestows Honor
במדרש ראה נתתיך אלהים לפרעה מי זה מלך הכבוד כו' לולי שאמר שלמה זה ביקשו לרוץ ראשו כו' בו"ד אין משתמשין כו' והקב"ה אמר למשה נתתיך אלקים כו'.
In the Midrash: “See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh.” “Who is the King of Glory?” etc. Were it not that Solomon said this, they would have sought to stone his head, etc. People of flesh and blood do not allow their honor to be used by others, etc., but the Holy One said to Moses: “I have made you a god,” etc.
The Sefat Emet opens by citing the Midrash, which marvels that God grants divine-like authority to Moses—something human kings never do, for they do not share their honor. God, however, does share His honor.
פי' זה כי זה נק' מלך הכבוד מה שהכבוד בידו לתתו לאחרים.
The explanation is: One is called “King of Glory” because the glory is in his possession to give to others.
True kingship is shown not by receiving honor but by having the power to bestow it.
כי זה שמכבדין אותו אינו נק' בזה מלך הכבוד.
For one who is honored by others is not thereby called the King of Glory.
Being honored does not define kingship; giving honor does.
אדרבא הוא מקבל מן הכבוד והכבוד עושהו למלך.
On the contrary, he receives honor, and the honor makes him king.
Human rulers depend on external honor, which actually creates their status.
וכן הרשעים שהם ברשות לבם נקראו חסרי לב.
Similarly, the wicked, who are ruled by their hearts, are called “heartless.”
The Sefat Emet draws a parallel: just as a false king is ruled by honor, the wicked are ruled by their impulses.
כי אין להם הלב.
For they do not possess the heart.
Their desires control them; they lack mastery of their inner faculties.
רק אדרבא הלב מושל בהם.
On the contrary, the heart rules over them.
This inversion highlights their lack of sovereignty over themselves.
רק הצדיק שלבו ברשותו הוא יש לו לב.
Only the righteous person, whose heart is in his control, truly possesses a heart.
Righteousness means internal mastery: the person governs the heart, not the reverse.
ושלמה המלך ע"ה שנתן לו הקב"ה הרבה כבוד.
And King Solomon, to whom the Holy One gave much honor—
Solomon serves as the prime example of God granting extraordinary honor.
הודיע זה לבני אדם.
—made this known to humankind.
He taught that God’s honor is shown by His willingness to bestow honor on others.
כי זה כבודו של הקב"ה מה שנותן הכבוד לאחרים.
For this is the honor of the Holy One: that He gives honor to others.
God’s greatness is revealed in His generosity.
ואיתא הממליך מלכים ולו המלוכה.
And it is stated: “He crowns kings, yet the kingship is His.”
Even when God grants authority, ultimate sovereignty remains His.
כי בזה שנותן מלכות לבו"ד.
For in granting kingship to flesh and blood—
God empowers human rulers, though they remain subordinate.
ניכר שהוא המלך.
—it becomes evident that He is the King.
His ability to give authority proves His absolute authority.
וזהו שהראה הקב"ה למרע"ה כי הי' תמה על הד' מלכיות למה נתן הקב"ה מלוכה להם.
And this is what God showed Moses, for he wondered about the four kingdoms—why God granted them dominion.
Moses questioned the rise of oppressive empires; God explained the principle behind it.
וע"ז התירוץ כי אדרבא מזה ניכר מלכותו ית'.
And the answer is: On the contrary, from this His kingship becomes evident.
The existence of foreign powers ultimately highlights God’s sovereignty.
כי בו"ד ירא למסור המלכות לאחר כי יטלנו מידו.
For a mortal king fears giving his kingship to another, lest it be taken from him.
Human rulers hoard power because they are insecure.
אבל מלך האמת נותן מלוכה לאחרים.
But the true King grants kingship to others.
God’s authority is so absolute that He can freely delegate it.
ועכ"ז אין המלוכה יוצא מתחת רשותו.
And nevertheless, the kingship never departs from His rule.
Delegation does not diminish His sovereignty.
כי הוא המלך באמת.
For He is the true King.
All authority originates in Him and remains rooted in Him.
ונק' מלך הכבוד כנ"ל.
And He is called the King of Glory, as explained above.
God is the King of Glory precisely because He bestows glory.
Summary: The Sefat Emet explains that true kingship is defined not by receiving honor but by having the power to give it. God reveals His sovereignty by granting honor and authority—even kingship—to others, without any diminishment to Himself. This principle applies spiritually as well: the righteous rule their hearts, while the wicked are ruled by them. Moses’ question about the empires is answered by showing that God’s sovereignty is displayed precisely in His ability to grant power while remaining the ultimate King.