Hi On daf 11b, at top,in horiyos it says that no one is above a king. In perkei Avos in the sixth perek it says that the famous 48 ways to Torah. It says Torah is greater than kehunah and malchus
Elie
The Rambam, in Perush ha'Mishnayos (13a, on the Mishnah that states that a Kohen takes precedence to a Levi), writes that when the Gemara there (13a) states that a Talmid Chacham takes precedence to a king, this applies only to what we should believe is more important. This is because the usefulness of the Talmid Chacham to the nation is very great. However, when it comes to a practical scenario, the Torah tells us that nothing comes before the honor of the king, as the Torah commands us, "You shall surely place the king over you" (Devarim 17:15).
Possibly we may explain this by saying that in the true way that things are thought of in Heaven, it is clear that the Talmid Chacham is greater than the king, and this is what every Jew must strive to believe. However, regrettably in this world, not everyone appreciates this fully and, therefore, for the peace of the nation, it is necessary that no one should be higher than the king.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom
My chevrusah said on this that in perkei Avos it says that by character traits he's better and it's harder but not better
If you look at the Bi'ur ha'Gra on Pirkei Avos 6:5, you see that he lists the 30 Ma'alos of the king. They are mostly privileges; for instance, he is allowed to break down fences in order to clear the way for his entourage to travel. These are physical advantages that he has over the rest of the people.
Then if you look at the 48 ways of the Talmid Chacham, you see that a lot of them are character traits. He is "happy with his portion."
Maybe that is what your Chavrusa means, that the Torah teaches us that the most important thing is to have good Midos.
Hi again!
I was just learning in masechet rosh hashanah 21b
That says that moshe rabbeinu knew all the 50 parts of wisdom minus one.
Moshe was a talmud chacham.
But king shlomo according to the gemara, because he was a king he knew more wisdom! Isn't this a proof that a king talmud chacham is on a higher level than a talmud chacham?
He could be like shlomo and know even more than moshe rabbeinu who was a navi, the greatest navi that there was and will be.5
But a king coukd reach higher.
Not only that he is even respected more because he's also a talmud chacham he should also be appreciated!
Elie, Chag Same'ach!
According to the first Peshat in Rosh Hashanah 21b, Shlomo wanted to be like Moshe, but the Bas Kol announced that nobody could be as great as Moshe. According to the second Peshat there, Shlomo was as great as Moshe but nobody says that he was greater and reached 50 gates.
I should add that the Midrash Rabah (Parshas Chukas 19:3) explains the verse (Melachim I 5:11) about Shlomo ha'Melech: "He was the wisest of all men... wiser than Heimon."
The Midrash tells us that "Heimon" refers to Moshe. So since the Midrash tells us that Shlomo was wiser than Moshe, possibly one could argue that this means that Shlomo attained the 50th gate. However, as I wrote above, it seems that this does not fit with the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah 21b. In fact, it seems to me that the Midrash is referring to wisdom in knowledge of the physical world, but it does not mean that he was greater than Moshe in Torah.
Dovid Bloom