A King WITH a Crown

"You're all that I have and you're all that I need"

You can restore the King's crown!

The crown is a king's greatest pride. His greatest treasure. He may own treasuries filled with jewels and money, yet, even if he were to lose them all, his crown is what gives him his power. His crown is the symbol of his might and majesty. His crown makes him the king.
When the Aron Kodesh is opened, the Sefer Torah is respectfully removed. As it is taken to the bimah, we stand to honor it. Some rush to give it a loving kiss. Although adorned with a beautiful silver crown, we know full well that the crown gives honor to the Torah, rather than the reverse.

When the great Ponovezher Rov (Rav Yosef Kahaneman, tz"l, 1888-1969) was 18 years old, he was drafted into the Russian army. Yet, in order to try to save him from what was sure to be a doomed fate, the rov of his town went into the shul, removed the crown from atop the Sefer Torah, and pawned it. He then took the money and bribed the Russian officials to release the Ponovezher Rov from service.
That Shabbos, when it was time to open the Aron Kodesh for K'riyas ha'Torah, the people in shul were surprised and alarmed when they saw the crown missing.
"The crown has been stolen! It's been stolen!" they all cried.
"No, it hasn't," the rov patiently replied. "I simply took the little crown and in exchange I am giving you a big crown!"

Indeed, it is the Torah, not silver, that is our true prize, yet it is the great Torah scholars that are our King's crown and ultimate pride. If we stand in honor of the Torah, then surely we must stand for those who embody it!

Say to yourself ten times today:
"Hashem, I love Your Torah ... and those who study it!"