A Kingdom of Priests and the Three Crowns of Israel

"And you shall be Mine" (Exodus 19:6): set apart for Me, busy with My Torah and busy with My commandments. "A kingdom" (mamlakhah). Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: In the time to come there will not be a single one of you who will not have children like those who came out of Egypt, as it is said, "In place of your fathers shall be your sons" (Psalms 45:17). One might think they will be poor people; therefore Scripture says, "You shall make them princes in all the land" (ibid.). One might think princes who are merchants; therefore Scripture says "a kingdom." One might think kings who wage war; therefore Scripture says "priests." If priests [then perhaps idle men], as it is said, "And David's sons were priests" (2 Samuel 8:18); therefore Scripture says "a holy nation." From here they said: Israel was fit to eat of the holy offerings before they made the calf; once they made the calf, it was taken from them and given to the priests. "And a nation" (goy): this teaches that they are like one body and one soul, and so it says, "And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land" (1 Chronicles 17:21). When one of them sins, all are punished, as it is said, "Did not Achan son of Zerah commit a trespass concerning the devoted thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he was but one man—he did not perish alone in his iniquity" (compare Joshua 22:20). When one of them is struck, all feel it, and so it says, "Israel is a scattered sheep" (Jeremiah 50:17): just as with a ewe, when one of its limbs is struck all feel it, so with Israel, when one of them is struck all feel it; but the nations all rejoice over one another's downfall. "Holy." What does Scripture teach? From what is said, "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 14:2)—how is this? This is the holiness of the commandments, for whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, adds a commandment to Israel, He adds holiness to them. "These" (eleh): in the holy tongue; "these"—in this manner; "these"—in this order; "these"—with these stops; "these"—with these sections; "these"—neither less nor more. "These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel." What are the words? These are the three crowns with which they were crowned: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of kingship. Torah, as it is written, "And you shall keep My covenant." Priesthood and kingship, as it is written, "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests." Rabbi Natan says: And the crown of a good name is above them all.