To me a direct analogy exists between the sons of David and the sons of
Aaron. Who is greater in Israel the King or the High Priest?
1) THE KING: is like a Baalebos. He sits upon the throne, and acts as the
head of the household of Israel. He may own property, and accumulate
wealth. Even the gentiles bow to him and seek his favor. Yet, regarding
Torah, he is commanded: "It shall be with him, and he shall read in it all
the days of his life, that he may learn to fear Hashem his G-d, by keeping
all the words of this Torah and these statutes, and doing them". Deut. 17:19.
2) THE HIGH PRIEST: On the other hand, the High Priest is the Chief Judge
of the Sanhedrin, who sits in the Beit Din inside the Temple as the final
authority on how to interpret Torah. Those who are not involved in
spiritual matters, are not closely affected by his rulings, unlike the
rulings of the King which affect even the secular matters of Am Yisrael.
As a Levite, the Priest must be wholly devoted to the service of Hashem in
His tabernacle, and has no inheritance in the land, and is not a property
owner.
If it is possible to determine who is greater, the King or the High Priest
/ the Baalebos or Rosh Yeshiva, then the answer would be found in the
character of Mashiach. After all, who can be greater than he who sits on
G-d's throne forever?
Well, Messiah is the son of David, a King, so that would seem to resolve
the issue in favor of the King/Baalebos. (See e.g. Isaiah 11 and I
Chronicles 17:11-12).
Yet, in reference to Mashiach, David himself said in Psalm 110:4: "You are
a Priest forever after the order of Malki-tzedek."
Thus,although the eternal King is not a Levite, but a Malki-tzedekite, he
is still a Priest. Therefore, Mashiach is both King and High Priest, two
in one, Baalebos and Rosh Yeshiva all in one package. Hence, the only
answer to the debate is that neither is greater than the other, but each
serves his purpose according the plan of the Holy One, Baruch Hu!
MICHAEL STEPAKOFF, ESQUIRE
TAMPA, FLORIDA