Commentary for Avodah Zarah 4:3

ומנא לן דמאן דחשיב עייל ברישא כדרב חסדא דאמר רב חסדא מלך וצבור מלך נכנס תחלה לדין שנאמר (מלכים א ח, נט) לעשות משפט עבדו ומשפט עמו ישראל [וגו'] וטעמא מאי איבעית אימא לאו אורח ארעא למיתב מלכא מאבראי ואיבעית אימא מקמי דליפוש חרון אף

And from where do we know that the most important ones come in [for judgment] first? This is in accordance with R. Hisda, for R. Hisda said: When a king and a community appear before the [Heavenly] tribunal, the king enters first, as it is said: “To perform the sentence of his servant [King Solomon] and [then] the sentence of His people Israel.” And what is the reason? You may say, because it is not the way of the world that a king should wait outside; or you may say [in order that the king shall plead] before the anger [of the Judge] is roused.

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