Deuteronômio 17:20 Halacá: Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars, Mishneh Torah, Blessings & Sefer HaChinukh

The king is anointed with the (original) Anointing Oil⁴Prepared by Moses., as it says, “Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it upon his head, and he kissed him” (I Samuel 10:1). The anointing qualifies him and his sons in perpetuity, and ensures that the monarchy will be hereditary, as it says, “In order that he may have many days in his reign, he and his sons, among Israel” (Deut. 17:20). If the king (dies and) leaves a young son, the monarchy is retained for him until he gets older, as Yehoyadah did with Yoash. Those who take precedence in (the laws of) inheritance, take precedence for succession to the throne; and the older son precedes the younger one. This is not only true for the monarchy but for all governing Positions and all appointments in Israel – a son inherits from his father, and so his son from him, forever. This is as long as the son follows in his father’s footsteps with regard to wisdom and awe. If the son was G-d-fearing but lacked wisdom, he is appointed to succeed his father, and trained. However, if he was not G-d-fearing, even though he was very wise, he is not appointed to a Position in Israel. From the time David was anointed he merited the crown of kingship, the monarchy became his and that of his male descendents for all time, as it says, “Your throne, will be established forever” (II Samuel 7:16). This only refers to those who are of legitimate lineage, as it says, “If your sons shall observe my covenant” (Psalms 132:12). Even thought he only merited the monarchy for his descendents who have legitimate lineage, the monarchy will never be withdrawn from the descendants of David. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, had promised him as such, as it says, “If his children forsake my Torah and walk not in My statutes,…and I shall visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with disease. But My mercy I shall not break off from him” (Psalms 89:31-34).

Why does one not add "Amen" to the blessing one has said on partaking of fruit etc.? Because it is a single blessing, and Amen is only added to a final blessing, when preceded by one or more blessings; for example, the blessings recited by the King or the High Priest,^*Mentioned in Mishnah Sotah, chapter I, paragraph 1 and set forth in detail in paragraphs 7 and 8. Paragraph 7:—Blessings recited after reading by the High Priest, or someone else, in his presence, during the night of the Day of Atonement, sections from the Book of Leviticus appertaining to the Day (Leviticus ch. 16 and ch. 23:26-32). Paragraph 8:—Blessings after recital in public of passages from the Book of Deuteronomy, on the second evening of the Feast of Tabernacles after the close of the Sabbatical year. This in accordance with the precept (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). The reading was done in the courtyard of the Temple on Mount Zion. The King was the Reader. If there was no King, the chief leader of the people was the reader. The passages read were Deuteronomy 1:1 till 6:9; 11:13 till 11:21; 14:22 till 14:29; 26:12 till 26:15, 17:15 till 17:20; chapter 28; and 17:15 till 17:20 were repeated. the addition of the Amen in these cases indicating that all the blessings had been completed.

In the same way that Scriptures has given him great honor, and everyone is obliged to give him honor, so has he been commanded to be of a subdued and unpretentious heart, as it says, “and my heart is empty within me” (Psalms 109:22). He must not act overly haughty towards Israel, as it says, “lest his heart become haughty over his brothers” (Deut. 17:20). He must be merciful and compassionate to the small and great with regard¹⁷Lit., and deal with. to their wants and welfare. He must show respect for even the lowest of the low. When he speaks to the entire Congregation together, he is to speak sensitively, as it says, “listen to me my brothers and my people” (I Chronicles 28:2) and “and should you today be a servant to your people…” (I Kings 12:7). He must always behave with extreme modesty, for we have never had anyone greater than Moses Our Teacher who said, “and what are we? your complaint is not against us” (Exodus 16:7-8). He must suffer their burdens and criticisms and anger, “as a nursing father carries the sucking child” (Num. 11:12). Scriptures calls him ‘shepherd’, “To be a shepherd over Jacob His people” (Psalms 78:71), and the (proper) behavior of a shepherd is as has been defined in the Tradition, as it says, “As a shepherd who leads his flock, and with his arm he gathers the lambs, and in his breast he carries….” (Isaiah 40:11).