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If a Jewish king went evil (as many did), would a religious Jew be allowed to rebel against him to try to remove him from power?

Is there any condition where a king can be removed from power (coma/senility)?

ertert3terte
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    It seems from the Rambam Hilchos Melachim 1:7 that he can and shouldnt even been allowed to take over: ...וכל מי שאין בו יראת שמים אע"פ שחכמתו מרובה אין ממנין אותו למינוי מן המינויין שבישראל... – sam Mar 01 '17 at 15:33
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    @sam That's lechatchila, what about Bedieved (he was already appointed)? – ertert3terte Mar 01 '17 at 16:37
  • Apparently, not. Look how many evil kings there were in the past. Were any of them removed other than by some war or their death? Aren't kings supposed to be G-d chosen, in a sense? – DanF Mar 01 '17 at 16:53
  • @DanF It could be that the Sanhedrin didn't have the physical power (although the Chashmonaim didn't have much power during the Chanuka story either...). – ertert3terte Mar 01 '17 at 17:20
  • @ShmuelBrin "That's lechatchila, what about Bedieved (he was already appointed)?" Same question I asked about Mashiach being a woman http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/35296/759 People there seemed to think that even Bedieved a prohibited Minui is not Chal – Double AA Mar 01 '17 at 18:03

2 Answers2

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It seems from the Aruch Hashulchan Haatid 71:15 that a king can lose his postion if he doesnt follow in the ways of the Torah see 14 as well.Especially if its from a Malachei Yisrael(other tribes as opposed to the kings of Dovid Hamelech). This is concerning linage ,but it seems from his,wording that even that king is not teally considered a king unless he does all which is mentioned earlier in 14 (a Navi appointed him and he follows the way of the Torah then he is called a king).

magicker72
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sam
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  • @magicker72 thanks for the edit ,i looked at other page when i cheked the siman – sam Mar 02 '17 at 02:03
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When Rechav'am (son of Shlomo) became king, Yerav'am did not revolt until after he was commanded by a navi. We also see that Yoash was assassinated by his servants Melachim II 12:21-22 when he turned bad and his son crowned in his place. Yoash himself became king when עֲתַלְיָה murdered her grandchildren and tried to eliminate the House of David and the revolt overthrew her.

These are the only times this happened in Judah. When עֲזַרְיָה בֶן אֲמַצְיָה got צרעת and could no longer be king, his son יוֹתָם refused to take the crown until after his father died and acted as regent. Melachim II 15:5

We see that Menashe son of Chizkiya was not overthrown even though he was evil and started the chain of events that ended with the destruction of the temple and the kingdom. This was even though there were meviim who could have commanded the people to overthrow him.

This would imply that the answer to your question would be no.

sabbahillel
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  • this can be that they just had more power over everyome and everyome was forced to be inder their rule. – sam Mar 02 '17 at 01:38
  • we also see that its conditional as the Rambam notes :אחיה השילוני העמיד ירבעם ואמר לו והיה אם שמוע תשמע את כל אשר אצוך ובניתי לך בית נאמן כאשר בניתי לדוד וגו' – sam Mar 02 '17 at 01:45