In just the second prayer of the shemoneh esrei, there are several themes which are quite . . . weird. Or at least perhaps not part of the usual line of thought when thinking about and engaging in prayer, meditation, and spirituality. Specifically, those around death: reviving the dead, reviving the dead "in mercy," and G-d serving as the Melech Maymeet.
This phrase has lots of possible translations. Google Translate renders it quite explicitly as "King of Death." An app I have called MySiddur cites it as "King who lets die" (in contrast to the very next phrase, which is "King who lets live."). The ArtScroll version discusses a "King who causes death."
In my own "literalization" of the text, which often includes English words that are not "real," the most accurate translation, to me, is melech (King) may (Who) meet ("deathens").
We are constantly giving - and it is perfectly "acceptable" - to give thanks for life. L'chaim - to life! May we live a long, prosperous, and spiritually fulfilling life, amen!
But what about praying not to death, of course, but about death? And praising H', the "King who deathens"? What are the possible openings here?
There is a highly controversial kabbalistic idea that there are many was in which G-d brings us closer to Him, which is necessary because that is what G-d desires. Extremely roughly interpreted by me, this can include blessings and a wonderful life (perhaps a reward for a holy and righteous life), or hardship and sickness (in an effort to make us review our behavior, realize that it is having a negative impact on our lives, and in all inspiring a change), or, when all else fails, death. Recently, we read extensively about korbanot in the mishkan, which some view as animals which are offered in place of our own lives (and about which somme commentators say we should look at that sacrifice and realize "that could or should have been me). But what's overlooked, for obviously, highly controversial reasons, is that perhaps sometimes, the only way H' can draw us near is to remove the physical body from existence and draw the soul - the pure soul, a creation of H' - back. In other words, cause death.
Is death so bad? It is if it was premature and occurred before our soul was able to accomplish what it was "supposed" to do using this body, and in its time here on earth, then most definitely yes. And certainly so if it was painful and tortured. But perhaps in the above kabbalistic interpretation, sometimes this premature retrieval is necessary to spare the soul from full corruption. But death may not be bad if, and I don't even know if this is truly possible, we (we being our souls as placed in this body and acting in this very real and objectively true and holy earthly reality) have accomplished all that we had the potential to do.
Today, my friend said that whatever this accomplishment is, it must be at least in a part a collective redemption. I have to agree, since no person is ever (or in more literal terms cannot be) separated from the collective.
Under both interpretations, the melech maymeet is worthy of praise.
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