The Jewish Royal Family

Part of Yaakov’s bracha to Yehuda is found in Breisheet 49:10:

The sceptre (shevet) will not depart from Yehuda, nor a law enforcer (mechokek) from between his descendants until Shilo arrives, and to him shall be an assembly of nations.

According to Onkelos, the royal sceptre will not pass from the House of Yehuda.

Rashi explains:

This is referring to the period of King David’s reign and onwards. After the House of David- refers to the Roshei Galuyot, the Exilarchs(Princes) of Babylon who ruled the people with the sceptre, having been appointed by the government.

We learn in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 5a that the words “nor a law enforcer” refer to the Torah scholars who are the Nesiim, Princes of the Land of Israel. These are the descendants of Hillel, whose greatness in Torah was enhanced by their descent from the royal line of Yehuda.

Even when B’nai Yisrael went into exile in Babylonia, the tribe of Yehuda was still ruling.

In the days of Mashiach, when kingship returns to Israel, the tribe of Yehuda will once again be the ruling tribe. Let’s hope and pray that that time comes speedily in our days.