King Without A Crown - Intellectual

This is a reference to the Shema, the twice daily Jewish practice of reciting Deuteronomy 6.4-5 [translation]: “Hear O Israel: The lord is our God, the lord alone. You shall love the lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

At this point in Matisyahu’s career, he was well known for being one of the only well known rappers that was a devoutly Hasidic Jew.

To this day, he often still works the recitation of the Shema into song medleys during his live concert set.

The existence of suffering and temptation to do evil in his life makes it difficult for him to stay on the right path with his faith. This problem is referred to as theodicy.

On another level, the ‘world’ in ancient Hebrew understanding is often a term used to describe the corrupt human systems which oppose God.

If you’re struggling with life and feel you cannot cope, ask God for help and He will provide a means to overcome your struggle.

In ancient Hebrew culture, the sea/ocean was considered a powerful force which was, in a sense, in opposition to God. Imagery was often used to represent turbulence in someone’s life, and therefore the idea of overcoming the ocean/waters is significant. Hence part of the reason why, the story of Jesus' calming the storm and walking on water was of huge cultural importance.

#A LITTLE JOKE.

So there’s this man caught in a flood, who was sitting on the roof of his home as the waters rose around him. If he didn’t get help before the waters swallowed him up, he would surely drown.

A helicopter came by and the pilot asked, “Do you want me to rescue you?” The man said, “I’m fine! God will help me!” And so the helicopter flew away.

Then a boat came by, and the Captain asked, “Hey there! Do you want me to rescue you?!” And the man says, “No, no! I’m fine! God will help me!” So the boat drove away, leaving the man alone.

Finally, the waters rose up around the man, and it is was evident that he was going to drown. With his final breath, he screamed to God in anger, “YOU SAID YOU’D HELP ME! WHY DIDN’T YOU HELP ME?!”

To which God replied…

#“I sent you a boat AND a helicopter! What MORE do you want?!”

Matisyahu is overwhelmed by a feeling of love so furious that he feels it cannot be contained in the room, much less his own heart.

“So we put our hands up
Like the ceiling can’t hold us”
– Macklemore x Ryan Lewis, “Can’t Hold Us”

One interesting reference to a hole in the ceiling comes from Christianity. In Luke 5:19, a story is told of a group of friends waiting to bring their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus. Unable to make it through the crowd, they climb to the roof, rip a hole in it and lower him directly in front of Jesus. A real expression of true love.

Beyond the more obvious symbolism, this line also contains a powerful Kabbalistic statement. In Kabbalah, a school of Jewish Mysticism prominent in Hasidic communities, Kether (Hebrew for Crown) refers to both the part of the soul that connects directly with G-d, from which all other parts of the soul flow forth, as well the point in Creation connected directly to G-d, from which all of existence emanates from. Without this crown, a king would literally be nothing – lacking a soul and non-existent.

Here, ‘stay high’ means to be proud and self-righteous. In Judeo-Christian understandings, God doesn’t like a prideful heart and will always resist people who have a higher than necessary opinion of themselves.

A reference to Proverbs 16:18

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Jesus (who was Jewish) also touched on this idea, in Matthew 23:12

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

At first glance this is a typical metaphor for God being very important to him, however it’s worth noting that in Hebrew culture there is little separation (if any) between the spiritual and the physical. The traditional Jewish belief is that all natural processes are governed by God, so in away, Matisyahu is also being literal. The essence of God is actually what he breathes in.

It is also notable that one of the Hebrew words for “spirit” is ruach, which also means wind. Nefesh, or soul, which also means “neck” or “throat,” is what God is said to breathe into Adam in Genesis.

He’s about to talk about what really matters.

The ‘layers’ to be stripped away may represent tangible things like the person’s wealth, status, or perhaps even aspects of his/her persona which are not true reflections of his/her inner being.

A possible allusion to 1 Samuel 16:7.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

Kabbalah and other mystical traditions go into greater detail into the nature of the soul. Kabbalah separates the soul into five elements, corresponding to the five worlds.

Nephesh, related to natural instinct.
Ruach, related to emotion and morality.
Neshamah, related to intellect and the awareness of God.
Chaya, considered a part of God, as it were.
Yechidah, also termed the pintele Yid (the “essential [inner] Jew”). This aspect is essentially one with G‑d.

If you already think really highly of yourself, you will be unable to improve your character and work toward being a better person.

This is an extension of the theme introduced by the last couple of lines; the downfall of being prideful. Unlike the proud, the person who is truly humble acknowledges that he has room to grow, increase in knowledge, wisdom, love and understanding.

A feeling that can only be experienced when your mind, soul, and body are equally balanced.

After this balance have been achieved, a person will no longer desire being king, even though they are probably they best suited for the job.

Nullification of oneself (bittul ha-yesh) is an ideal in Hasidic Judaism, something Matisyahu adhered to at this time. The One is a way of referring to God that the Hasidic tradition took up from medieval Jewish philosophy.

A reference to Psalm 121:1-2.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains–
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

HaShem is Hebrew for “The Name”, and it is one of many terms in Hebrew culture for YHWH, the God of Israel.

Here he’s saying that God’s glorious splendor is as obvious to him as the brightness of burning fire in the sky, and it compels him to believe.

It’s also noteworthy that in the Tanakh, the God of Israel often appeared in the form of fire. Two key examples being the Burning Bush (Exodus 3:1-21) and the burning column of fire (Exodus 13:21)

Here he’s saying that while he fights with all his might, it is The Name of God – ehyeh asher ehyeh, I AM WHO AM – as God defined and gave His Name to Moses in the burning bush – that gets “these demons to flee” and he’s also saying that God’s glorious splendor is as obvious…

the term “Moshiach” means ‘Anointed one’, or ‘messiah’. The Jewish people believe that this Person who’s coming has been prophesied for millenia has not arrived, and are earnestly waiting for his coming to redeem Israel

Not a physical hunger, but the spiritual kind where one contemplates the eternal and immutable. Common imagery for desiring God is ‘hunger’ and ‘thirst’ such as in Psalms 63:1. The substance can be thought of as such things as divine revelation, wisdom, and satisfaction; in fact, it is referred to many times in the Torah (which, if written today, would definitely be reppin RG’s very own baller water, the holy water of the postmodern era).

A reference to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, as well as the oral laws that would later become the Mishnah, the basis of the Talmud. Looking up to the mountain during this time was an awe-inspiring experience, as it was shrouded in smoke, thunder, flames, casting an otherworldly, numinous sensation upon the people below.

One of the formative incidents in the Bible in terms of Jewish identity; it is said that all Jews, past, present, and future, born or converts, were at Sinai in spirit.

Refusing to accept that human-a is less important than human-b, and vice versa.

You said God wasn’t there in your time of need, but it was because you looked in the wrong places.

A loose reference, possibly, to the idea presented in 1 Kings 19:11, where Elijah looks to the wind, the earthquake, and the fire for the voice of God, but instead it came in a gentle whisper

Most likely another reference to God’s manifestation as a column of fire at night through to dawn to guide the Israelites flight through the desert (Exodus 13:21)

Crown Heights in Brooklyn is the worldwide headquarters for the Chabad movement and has a big population of Orthodox Jews. Lyrically, the “Crown” in “Crown Heights” plays on the “Crown” in the song’s title and hook.

Twofold meaning:

Literal – if God didn’t exist, then nothing would exist, as God is the creator of all things.
Figurative – Matisyahu finds his complete identity in God