The King's Court
By metaphor: the place where the king's decisions are made.
("The parable of two sons of man who stoned the king's image that was a law in the king's court. Both of them fell down, one was drunk, and the other was sober. The one who was drunk was harassed and told, "You are a fool," and the one who was sober was beaten. So is everyone who is a sinner, written in a glass." - Midrash Agada (Buber) and read Chapter 5)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
חֲצַר הַמֶּלֶךְ
Definition (Hebrew)
בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: מְקוֹם קַבָּלַת הַהַחְלָטוֹת עַל יְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.
("מָשָׁל לִשְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁרָגְמוּ צוּרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיְתָה חֲקוּקָה בַּחֲצַר הַמֶּלֶךְ, נִתְפְּשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, אֶחָד הָיָה שָׂכוּר, וְהָאֶחָד בְּדַעְתּוֹ, אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא שָׂכוּר טָרְדוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ לְךָ, וְאוֹתוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ הִלְקוּהוּ, כָּךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא חוֹטֵא כָּתוּב בּוֹ שְׁגָגָה"- מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה (בּוּבֶּר) וַיִּקְרָא פֶּרֶק ה)