Halakha Bilangan 27:21: Sefer HaMitzvot & Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars

And now I am going to begin mentioning every single mitzvah, and I will explain them, as I made clear at the beginning that this is the intention of the book. ... I will also explain the punishments for not doing a mitzvah or for a transgression ... And every one of those negative commandments for which we do not count a punishment among the punishments, you should know that that is like the mitzvah of a king, that for one that transgresses it we have no punishment in record. Even though for positive commandments in which one is obligated we have that one receives lashes if one refrains from observing them until that person either dies or does it, in any instance if the time is passed we refrain from doing [such punishment], like for instance a person during Sukkot who did not dwell in a sukkah, we do not lash such person due to his/her transgression, and you should know this. And I also announced the mitzvot in which women are not obligated, whether positive or negative... in several mitzvot I do not need to explain to you that they are not obligated, such as the mitzvot that deal with the temple or optional wars, because those are wordy add-ons that are superfluous, and this is also the case regarding mitzvot that only apply in the Land of Israel or when the Temple is standing. It is known that sacrifices are not done outside of the Temple area, and so too capital punishments are not judged unless the Temple is standing. And in the language of the Mechilta:  "from where do we know that we do not sentence to death unless in front of the Temple? The text says: 'from My altar you will take him to die' (Exodus 21:14) - behold, if you have the Temple you make him die, if you don't have the Temple you don't." And there too it says "from where do we know that the Sanhedrin needs to be close to the altar? From what is said: 'from My altar'." And it is known that both prophecy and kingship have been taken away from us until we refrain from our constant sins, and then He will be forgiving to us, and will merciful to us, as we have testimony regarding prophecy: "And it will be, after I pour My spirit on all flesh, your sons and your daughters will prophesy" (Joel 2:28). And regarding the return of the kingship: "On that day I will restore the fallen sukkah of David, and I will repair its breaches and set up its ruins anew, I will build it firm as in the days of old" (Amos 9:11). And it is known that war and conquering of the cities cannot happen without a king and without the advice of the Great Sanhedrin and without a High Priest, as it says "he [Joshua] shall present himself in front of Eleazar the Priest [who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim]" (Numbers 27:21). And therefore it should be announced for all people that all positive commandments that are dependent on sacrifices, Temple rituals, capital punishments, Sanhedrin, prophet and king, or optional wars one does not have to say that there is no obligation regarding those unless the Temple is standing, as we explained, may we be sufficient, and rouse ourselves for it, with God's help. And now I will begin the mentioning of each and every mitzvah with the help of Shaddai.

The king gets his hair cut every day. He grooms himself and adorns himself in resplendent garments, as it says, “your eyes shall gaze upon the king in his beauty” (Isaiah 33:17). The king sits on a throne in his palace and he wears a crown on his head. The entire nation comes to him when he wants, and stands before him and bows to the ground. Even a prophet stands before the king and bows to the ground, as it says, “…behold, Nathan the Prophet; and he came in before the king and bowed down to the king with his face to the ground” (I Kings 1:23). However, the Kohen Godol does not appear before the king unless he¹⁴The Kohen Godol. wants to nor does he stand before him. Rather, the king stands before the Kohen Godol, as it says, “and he stood before Eliezer the Kohen” (Numbers 27:21). Nevertheless, the Kohen Godol is commanded to honor the king, he seats him, and stands before him when he comes to him. The king should not stand before him unless he is there to ask of the Urim. The king must give honor to those who study Torah. When the Sanhedrin and the Sages of Israel enter, he must stand for them and he seats them by his side. So did Asa¹⁵In some editions: Yehoshofat. King of Judah do when he stood up from his throne for a Torah scholar and kissed him and called him “my rabbi, and my teacher”. This applies when the king is at home alone with only his servants present, and he does this and similar things privately. But in public, before the people, he does not do this. Then he stands for no one and does not speak gently and does not call any one, but by his name. This is so that reverence¹⁶Lit., awe. for him will fill the hearts of all.