Welcome to Daily Dose of Bitachon. We are back on a regular schedule of Shaar HaBechinah , appreciating Hashem's wisdom in creation. As of late, Rabbeinu Bahya has been discussing concepts that are not specific in nature—looking at a frog or a plant—but rather focusing on the human psyche. Now, he says it is worthwhile to contemplate the fact that people agree and their hearts unite, despite having vastly different character traits, to appoint one man over themselves and accept upon themselves to serve him. They listen to his voice, obeying what he commands them to do and not to do. At first glance, we might look at this negatively. Kings, dictators—we prefer democracy. But the Chovot HaLevavot is going to show us the immense benefits of having a leader. You could apply this to democracy as well, where having a president serves a similar, though less severe, function. Let's look at the points he is making: First of all, people have very different personalities, desires, and values, yet they all agree to unite and subjugate themselves to one human leader. This did not just happen by accident. We have to thank Hashem for putting this instinct into us to seek law and order, and for giving us the understanding that the only way to achieve it is through unified leadership. It requires being unselfish and recognizing that if we don't all unite under one person, we will have chaos. Hashem implanted these intuitions within us, which is a miracle in itself. Just like a spider intuitively knows how to spin a web, humans possess intuitive instincts necessary for our survival. We understand that we need a unifying authority because, otherwise, society won't function, so we willingly trade a degree of personal autonomy for the sake of this social system. Furthermore, ויראים אותו —we fear him; והוא שומר אותם —and he takes care of them; וחומל עליהם —and has compassion toward them; ודן בצדק ביניהם —and judges them properly; ומנהיגם על מה שיש בו תקנת כולם —and he leads them in a way that benefits the masses, so they won't fall into a system of ruination and the enemy won't be able to overcome them. Again, Hashem put this into us so that we respect and fear the leader. Sometimes that fear comes from his army, and sometimes it comes from a natural place of שום תשים עליך מלך ( "You shall surely set a king over you" )— שתהא אימתו עליך , that his awe should be upon you, which is a Torah concept. This is a fundamental human instinct: a person naturally wants to feel looked after by someone stronger than themselves. We want to be relieved of the constant burden of self-protection. We want to know that someone else is taking care of the police force and the infrastructure. While a leader might occasionally do things we dislike—and in extreme situations, like the dictatorships and horrors we watch in places like Iran or Venezuela, it is far worse—at the end of the day, people accept leadership because they gain vital stability from it. He continues: if everyone were only out for themselves and focused purely on their own defense, they could never agree to build a tower or a protective wall. Therefore, their lives would be left in a state of hefker (abandonment). Hashem programmed us to prefer order, even if it is strict, over a state of total lawlessness. We see this with children as well; children thrive on structure and order. What we observe in children reflects how human beings are hardwired from the start. He continues even further: if this leader keeps the laws of the Torah and leads with true justice, the benefit is even greater. He quotes a pasuk in Mishlei (20:28): חסד ואמת יצרו מלך וסעד בחסד כסאו — "Kindness and truth protect the king, and he sustains his throne through acts of kindness." Lastly, he quotes a Mishna in Pirkei Avot, familiar to all: הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות שאלמלא מוראה איש את רעהו חיים בלעו — "Pray for the peace of the government, for if not for the fear of it, a man would swallow his fellow alive." This is a very real concept. Many Siddurim include a special prayer for the government, and people recite it to this day, even living under a president. The Pele Yoetz writes that it is a Mitzvah based on this Mishna to pray for the success of the sovereign. He notes that one should be careful to answer Amen after this blessing or Mishebeirach , thereby fulfilling the Mitzvah. Rav Chaim Volozhin explains the historical context: Who said this Mishna? It was Rabbi Hanina, the Deputy High Priest, who lived through the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash at the hands of the Romans, who caused us so much heartache. Yet, even then, the Tanna taught us to pray for the welfare of the government. How much more so should we appreciate it when we live under a benevolent government, recognizing the absolute necessity of an established legal system. The Midrash Shmuel adds an insight in the name of Rav Moshe Alshakar regarding the phrase "swallow his fellow alive." He notes that in the animal and aquatic kingdoms, a large fish swallows a small fish; it doesn't usually destroy a fish of its own size. Human beings, however, if left without a governing authority, would swallow their own peers alive. Furthermore, normally one chews food first, but here, they would swallow them whole. That is how desperately we need governance. Once again, we see the wisdom of creation: contemplate how deeply Hashem embedded this psychological need and understanding within humanity to appoint a leader for our own preservation.