ื ืืืืื ืืืคืื ืื ืฉืืื ืืืืขืชื ืืืืจ: ืืืื ืืื ืืกืชืชืจ ืืืืขืช ืืืืืื ืขื ืคื ื ืืืฉืืืื
ื ืืืงื ืฉืืื ืืืจื ืื ืืืืจ ืืืฃ ืืืชื ืฉืืฉืช ืืืคืื ืืืฉ ืืืืจื ืืฉืจืื ืืืงืฉ ืืช ืืื ืืืืืจ ืืืฃื
ื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืขืช ืืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืขื ืคื ื ืืืฉืืื ืขื ืืืจื; ืืืื ืืฉื ืืืืืจ ืืืจื ืื ืื ืฉืืื ืืืจืื ืืืืืจืื
ื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืืจืืืื; ืืืืข ืื ืื ืฉืืื ืื ื ืืืื
ื ืืืงื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืงืื ืืฉืจ ืื ื ืฉื ืฉืืื ืืืจื ืืื ืืช ืืืงืื ืืฉืจ ืฉืื ืฉื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืจ ืื ื ืจ ืฉืจ ืฆืืื; ืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืืขืื ืืืขื ืื ืื ืกืืืืชืื
ื ืืืขื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืื ืืืืืื ืืืชื ืืื ืืืืฉื ืื ืฆืจืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืื ืืจื ืืชื ืื ืฉืืื ืื ืืืื ื; ืืืืืจ ืืืืฉื ืื ื ืืจื ืขืืื
ื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืืฉื ืื ืืขื ืืืื ืืื ื ืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืฉื ืืืขืื ืืื ืืชื ืืขืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืจืืฉืชื; ืืืื ืจ ืืืขื ืฉืืืื ืกืืืืชืื
ื ืืืืืจ ืืืืฉื ืื ืืื ืกืืจ ืืืงืื ืืืื ืืช ืืืืื ืืืื; ืืขืชื ืืื ื ื ื ืืื ืืช ืืืืจืฅ ืคืขื ืืืช ืืื ืืฉื ื ืืื
ื ืืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืืืฉื ืื ืชืฉืืืชืื; ืื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืณ ืื ืงืื
ื ืืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืณ ืื ืื ืืณ ืืืคื ื; ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืช ืื ืืืืืื ืืจื ืื ืกืคืื
ืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืณ ืืฉืื ืืื ืืืฉืื ืืณ; ืืขืชื ืงื ื ื ืืช ืืื ืืช ืืฉืจ ืืจืืฉืชื ืืืช ืฆืคืืช ืืืื ืื ืืื ืื ืื
ืื ืืืงื ืืื ืืช ืืื ืืช ืืืช ืฆืคืืช ืืืื ืืจืืฉืชื ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืืื; ืืืื ืจืื ืืืื ืืืืข ืืืื ืืงืืฅ ืื ืืื ืืฉื ืื ืื ืชืจืืืช ืืณ ื ืคืื ืขืืืืื
ืืืื ืืืื
Rabbi Gil Student brings the Kuzari which uses Davidโs comment about ืืืื ืืืื ืืืช as the starting point to discuss the concept of predestination:
R. Saโadiah Gaon (Emunos Ve-Deiโos 6:6) explains the widely accepted view among Medieval philosophers that a personโs lifespan is predetermined at birth but can vary for various reasons. Specifically, God will extend oneโs life as a reward and shorten it as a punishment. Sometimes, someone righteous dies at a relatively young age that was actually later than he would have otherwise lived; his predetermined lifespan was actually extended. And someone wicked may die at a relatively old age that is younger than he would have otherwise lived.
ืืืึธืึทืจ ืึทืึผืึผืึธืจึดื:โฆืึทืึฒื ึดื ืกึธืืึผืจ ืฉืึถืึตืื ืึฐืึธ ืึธื ืึนืก ืึตืึฒืงึนืจ ืึผึดืฉืึฐืึตืึทืช ืึทืึผึฐืึตืจึธื ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืึดืืจึธื, ืึดืคึผึฐื ึตื ืฉืึถืึดืื ืึดืฉึผืึฐืึตืืึนืช ืึทืึธืึฐืึธื, ืึฑืึนืจ ืึผึทืขึฐืชึผึฐืึธ ืึธืึผ.
ืืึธืึทืจ ืึถืึธืึตืจ:โฆืึฐืขึทืชึผึธื ืึธืฉืืึผื ืึตืึธืื ืึฐืึนืึทืจ ืึผึดื ืึธืึดื ืขึธืึธืื ืึทืฉึผืึธืืึนื ืึตืึดืื ืฉืึฐืึนืฉืึธื ืึฒืึธืงึดืื ืึผึฐืกึดืึผืึนืช ืึทืึผึธืึถืช, ืึฐืึธืึทืจ: โืึผึดื ืึดื-ืืณ ืึดืึผึธืคึถื ึผืึผโ, ืึฐืึดืื ืึทืกึผึดืึผึธื ืึธืึฑืึนืงึดืืช; โืืึน ืืึนืืึน ืึธืึนื ืึธืึตืชโ, ืึฐืึดืื ืึทืกึผึดืึผึธื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืขึดืืช; โืืึน ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึธืึธื ืึตืจึตื ืึฐื ึดืกึฐืคึผึธืโ, ืึฐืึดืื ืึทืกึผึดืึผึธื ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืจึดืืช. ืึฐืึดื ึผึดืืึท ืึทืึตืึถืง ืึธืจึฐืึดืืขึดื ืจึฐืฆืึนื ึดื ืืึนืึทืจ: ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึธืจึดื, ืึผึดื ืึตืื ืึธืึธื ืฉืึถืึตืฉื ืืึน ืึทืขึทืช ืึผืึนืึตืจ ืึผึทืึผึธืึถืชโฆ
The irony of the Kuzariโs analysis (which he does go into) is that in fact, Saul does die by the fourth type, unmentioned by David: he commits suicide rather than be taken captive.
The Rashbash expands this to explain the idea of predestination and the judgment that we face on Rosh Hashana:
ืฉืืืช: ืื ืืกื ืืืื ืืืจ ืืืงืื ืืืงืื ืื ืชืืขืื ืืืื ืื ืื, ืฉืื ื ืืชื ืืจืืฉ ืืฉื ื ืืืืชื ืื ืชืืขืืื ื ืื ืืกื, ืืื ื ืืชื ืืืืื ืื ืชืืืงื ื ืืขืืืื.
ืชืฉืืื: ืื ืืื ืืฉ ืื ืงืฅ ืงืฆืื ืืกืคืจ ืืื ืืืื, ืืืืจ ืื ืืชืื ืืชืืจื: ืืช ืืกืคืจ ืืืื ืืืื, ืฉื ืื ืื ืืืืื: ืื ื ื ืืืกืืฃ ืขื ืืืื, ืืฉืืืฉ ืืืชืืืื: ืืืืืขื ื ืืณ ืงืฆื ืืืืณโฆืืืืื ืืืืงืจ ืืืืื ืื ืื ืืชื ืื ืืขื ืืืืจ, ืื ืืคืืช ืืืจืืืื ืืฉืืืืืื ืื ืืคืืช ืืืจืืื, ืื ืขืืืช ืฉืืืืืช ืืฉืจืฉื ืืืืื ืืืืขื ืืืืคื ืืจืืื ืืืจืื ืฉื ื ืืืืโฆ ืืืืืืื ืืชืืจื ืืืืกืืฃ ืืืื ืืืื ืืฆื ืืฉืืจ, ืืืืขืื ืืืขื ืืฆื ืืขืื ืฉโฆ
ืขื ืื ืื ื ืืืืจ ืืคื ืงืืฆืจ ืฉืืื, ืื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืขืืืจื ืืืืืืช ืืืชื ืืงืืฆืจ ืืืื ืืืขืงืจ ื ืฉืืจ ืขื ืืงืฅ ืืงืฆืื ืืกืคืจ ืืื ืืืื, ืืืจืืฉ ืืฉื ื ืืื ื ื ืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืืช, ืืื ื ืฉืืจ ืขื ืืงืฅ ืืงืฆืื ืืืชืื ืงืฆื ืืืืช ืื ืืื ืื ืืฆืื ืืืืืืช ืืจืืืืช ืืืืโฆืืขื ืื ืฉืื ื ืืื ืืจืืฉ ืืฉื ื ืืืืื ืืืืืช ื ืืืจ ืืชืืจื ืคื ืืืืช ืืืืืื, ืฉืื ื ืืชื ืืจืืฉ ืืฉื ื ืืืืื ืื ืืืืช ืืื ื ืืืง ืืืคืฉืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืง ืืืืืโฆ
โฆืืืฉืจ ืื ื ืื ืก ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืช ื ืฉืืจ ืืืง ืืืคืฉืจ ืืืืชืช ืืืคื ืืืืืชืช ืืืืื ืืืืืืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืขืืช ืขื ืืื ืจืืข ืื ืืืโฆ
For most of us, our free will allows us to make bad decisions with negative consequences, even if ืืณ has not ordained it.
ืื ืืืขืืจ ืืื ืืขืืจ ืืืขืื ืขื ืจืืฉ ืืืจ ืืจืืง ืจื ืืืงืื ืืื ืืืื
ืื ืืืงืจื ืืื ืื ืืขื ืืื ืืื ืจ ืื ื ืจ ืืืืจ ืืืื ืชืขื ื ืืื ืจ; ืืืขื ืืื ืจ ืืืืืจ ืื ืืชื ืงืจืืช ืื ืืืืื
ืื ืืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืื ืจ ืืืื ืืืฉ ืืชื ืืื ืืืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืืื ืื ืฉืืจืช ืื ืืื ืื ืืืื; ืื ืื ืืื ืืขื ืืืฉืืืช ืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืื
ืื ืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืื ืืฉืจ ืขืฉืืช ืื ืืณ ืื ืื ื ืืืช ืืชื ืืฉืจ ืื ืฉืืจืชื ืขื ืืื ืืื ืขื ืืฉืื ืืณ; ืืขืชื ืจืื ืื ืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืช ืฆืคืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืืฉืชืื
ืื ืชืื ืืคืืื ืืื ืืืจ
We all know the midrash about how David asked ืืณ why He created spiders and wasps, and how those animals ended up saving Davidโs life. What is interesting is where that comes from. Thereโs no โauthoritativeโ source for that midrash (in any of the Talmud or the standard midrashim). Thereโs a hint to the spider story in the Targum to ืชืืืืื ื ื:
ื ืืื ืฆื ืื ืชืฉืืช ืืืื ืืืชื ืืืจืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืืืขืจืื
ื ืื ื ื ืืืงืื ืื ื ื ืื ืื ืืกืื ื ืคืฉื;
ืืืฆื ืื ืคืื ืืืกื ืขื ืืขืืจ ืืืืชื
ื ืืงืจื ืืืืงืื ืขืืืื; ืืึพื ืืืจ ืขืืื
ืึฒืฆึทืึตื ืงึธืึธื ืึฑืึธึพืึธื ืขึดืึธืึธืึผ ืชึทืงึดืืคึธื ืึดื ืคึทืงึตืื ืึฐืขึทืึผืึนืึดืืชึธื ืึฐืึดืึฐืึทืจ ืึผึฐืึดืกึฐืคึฐึผืึตืืึธื ืขึดืึฐืึธื ืึทืึฐืืึผืึฐืชึดืื
But there is no mention of the wasp. The story as a whole is brought down in the Alphabet of Ben Sira.
ืืืคื-ืืืชื ืืื ืกืืจื is an interesting source. It is a collection of epigrams and midrashim, probably composed in Gaonic times (between 700 and 1000 CE). The conceit is that it is written by the grandson of Jeremiah, the author of the apocryphal book of Ben Sira (to which the Alphabet is not actually related). It starts with 22 epigrams corresponding to the Hebrew alphabet (like ืืดืืฃ:โ โืื ืชืชื ืืืื ืืืื, ืื ืจืืื ืืจืื ืืืืืโ; hence the name), then a series of aggadot written as questions and answers from Nebuchadnezzar to Ben Sira. Some of the stories are attested to elsewhere; most are unique to it and some are quite outlandish. It is most famous for being the most complete source for the legend of Lilith.
Many of the stories read as parodies of real midrashim, but it seems to be taken as a serious source, brought down in Eisensteinโs ืืืฆืจ ืืืืจืฉืื and quoted in Artscrollโs Pirkei Avos Treasury. So I will quote the story (leaving out the parts that deal with Davidโs questions about insanity, which we have dealt with at length):
ืืืจ ืื: ืืคื ื ืื ืืจื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืืขืืืื ืฆืืจืขืื
ืืขืืืืฉ ืฉืืคืกืืืื ืืืื ืืื ืื ืื ?
ืืืจ ืื : ืคืขื ืืืช ืืื
ืืื ืืื ืืฉืจืื ืขืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืฉื ืืื ื ืืจืื ืฆืจืขื ืืืืืช
ืขืืืืฉโฆืืืจ ืืื ืืคื ื ืืงืืืฉ
ืืจืื ืืื : ืจืืื ื ืฉื ืขืืื, ืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืฉืืจืืช ืืขืืืื?
ืฆืืจืขื ืืืืืช ืืืฉ ืืืฉืืชืช ืืืื ืื ืื ืื, ืขืืืืฉ ืืืจืื ืื
ืืฉื ื ืืื ืืืืฉื ื
โฆ
ืืืจ ืื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื:
ืืื! ืืืขืื ืืชื ืขื ืืืจืืืช! ืชืื ืฉืขื ืืชืฆืืจื ืืื ืืชืืข
ืืื ื ืืจืื!
ืืืฉื ืืื ืืืขืจื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืงืืืฉ
ืืจืื ืืื ืขืืืืฉ ืืืจื ืขื ืคื ืืืขืจื ืืกืืจ ืืืชื. ืื ืฉืืื
ืืจืื ืืจืื; ืืืจ: ืืืืื ืื ื ืื ืก ืืื ืื ื, ืฉืื ื ืื ืก ืืื
ืงืืจืข ืืืจืื ืืงืจืขืื. ืืืื ืืื ื ืื ืก ืืฉื. ืืืฉืืฆื ืืื ืืจืื
ืืขืืืืฉ, ื ืฉืงื ืืืืจ ืื: ืืจืื ืืืจืื ืืืจืื ืืชื! ืจืืื ื
ืฉื ืขืืื! ืื ืืขืฉื ืืืขืฉืื ืืืืืืจืืชืื ืฉืื ืืขืฉืื ื ืืื!
โฆ
ืืืืื
ืฉืืฆื ืืืจ ืืฉืืื
ืฉืืื ืืฆืืจืื, ืืืื ืืื ืจ ืฉืืื ืืคืชื, ืจืืฉื ืืคืชื ืืื
ืืจืืืื ืืืื, ืื ืื ืื ืก ืืืื ืจืืืื, ืืืื ืจืืืื ืืงืืคืืช, ืื ืื
ืฆืคืืช ืืืื, ืืืฉืื ืืฆืืช ืืืื ืจืืืื ืคืฉื ืืื ืจ ืจืืืื ืืืกืื
ืืื, ืืื ืขืืื ืืฉื ื ืขืืืืื ืืืืืื, ืืืงืฉ ืจืืืื ืืืณ ืืืืจ:
ืึพืื, ืึพืื, ืืื ืขืืืชื ื?
ืืืืชื ืฉืขื ืขืฉื ืื ื ืก ืืฉืื ืื
ืฆืจืขื, ืื ืฉืื ืจืืื ืืื ืจ, ืืืงืคื, ืืืฆื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื
ืืื. ืืื ืจืืื ืืื ืืื
ืืืืขืื ืืืขืฉื ืืึพื!
Now, this is a nice aggadic tale, and is usually brought to illustrate the maxim from ืคืจืงื ืืืืช, how we should never disdain any of ืืณ's creations:
ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ, ืื ืชืื ืื ืืื ืืื, ืืื ืชืื ืืคืืื ืืื ืืืจ, ืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืฉืขื, ืืืื ืื ืืืจ ืฉืืื ืื ืืงืื.
But why a spider? Why a wasp? I would like to look at the way these animals specifically are mentioned in ืชื ืดื. The spider is mentioned only twice:
ืื ืึผึตื ืึธืจึฐืืึนืช ืึผึธื ืฉืึนืึฐืึตื ืึตึพื; ืึฐืชึดืงึฐืึทืช ืึธื ึตืฃ ืชึผึนืืึตืื
ืื ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ืึธืงืึนื ืึผึดืกึฐืืึน; ืึผืึตืืช ืขึทืึผึธืึดืืฉื ืึดืึฐืึทืืึนื
ืื ืึดืฉึผืึธืขึตื ืขึทื ืึผึตืืชืึน ืึฐืึนื ืึทืขึฒืึนื; ืึทืึฒืึดืืง ืึผืึน ืึฐืึนื ืึธืงืึผืื
ื ืึตืื ืงึนืจึตื ืึฐืฆึถืึถืง ืึฐืึตืื ื ึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื ืึผึถืึฑืืึผื ึธื; ืึผึธืืึนืึท ืขึทื ืชึผึนืืึผ ืึฐืึทืึผึถืจ ืฉืึธืึฐื ืึธืจืึน ืขึธืึธื ืึฐืืึนืึตืื ืึธืึถืื
ื ืึผึตืืฆึตื ืฆึดืคึฐืขืึนื ึดื ืึผึดืงึผึตืขืึผ ืึฐืงืึผืจึตื ืขึทืึผึธืึดืืฉื ืึถืึฑืจึนืืึผ; ืึธืึนืึตื ืึดืึผึตืืฆึตืืึถื ืึธืืึผืช ืึฐืึทืึผืึผืจึถื ืชึผึดืึผึธืงึทืข ืึถืคึฐืขึถืื
ื ืงืึผืจึตืืึถื ืึนื ืึดืึฐืืึผ ืึฐืึถืึถื ืึฐืึนื ืึดืชึฐืึผึทืกึผืึผ ืึผึฐืึทืขึฒืฉืึตืืึถื; ืึทืขึฒืฉืึตืืึถื ืึทืขึฒืฉืึตื ืึธืึถื ืึผืคึนืขึทื ืึธืึธืก ืึผึฐืึทืคึผึตืืึถืื
And the wasp is mentioned three times, but all in the same context, the Israelite invasion of the land of the Emorites:
ืื ืืช ืืืืชื ืืฉืื ืืคื ืื ืืืืชื ืืช ืื ืืขื ืืฉืจ ืชืื ืืื; ืื ืชืชื ืืช ืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืขืจืฃื
ืื ืืฉืืืชื ืืช ืืฆืจืขื ืืคื ืื; ืืืจืฉื ืืช ืืืื ืืช ืืื ืขื ื ืืืช ืืืชื ืืืคื ืืื
ืืื ืฉืจืฅ ืืขืืฃ, ืืืืชื ืืื ืืืชื ืืขืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืื ืืจืก ืืื ืืชืื
ืืื ืืช ืืฆืจืขื ืืฉืื ืืณ ืืืงืื ืื; ืขื ืืื ืื ืฉืืจืื ืืื ืกืชืจืื ืืคื ืืื
ืืืฉืื ืืคื ืืื ืืช ืืฆืจืขื ืืชืืจืฉ ืืืชื ืืคื ืืื ืฉื ื ืืืื ืืืืจื; ืื ืืืจืื ืืื ืืงืฉืชืื
Whatโs the symbolism of the spider and the wasp? The spider is used as a metaphor of the wicked, but not in the way we might imagine: one who spins a web to catch the righteous. Instead, the spiderโs web is a metaphor for the success of the wicked: it looks like an ornate, well-built structure (ืึผืึตืืช ืขึทืึผึธืึดืืฉื ืึดืึฐืึทืืึน) or a protective garment (ืึฐืงืึผืจึตื ืขึทืึผึธืึดืืฉื ืึถืึฑืจึนืืึผ) but it is truly flimsy and easily destroyed (ืึดืฉึผืึธืขึตื ืขึทื ืึผึตืืชืึน ืึฐืึนื ืึทืขึฒืึนื and ืงืึผืจึตืืึถื ืึนื ืึดืึฐืืึผ ืึฐืึถืึถื). It is an approach to the problem of ืจืฉืข ืืืื ืื; their success is only apparent and only temporary.
The wasp is ืืณ's tool in the conquest of ืืจืฅ ืืฉืจืื. Here the problem is not the success of the wicked but the success of the righteous. It is too easy to see the military victory as a result of the Israeliteโs prowess, and ืืณ sends the ืฆืจืขื to remind them that it is not really ืืืจืื ืืืงืฉืชื.
The message of these two arthropods is that we have to have faith in ืืณ in both good times and bad. We saw this when we analyzed ืชืืืืื ืคืจืง ืื,โ ืืืื ืืณ ืืืจื ืืืฉืขื. That was the meaning of the doubled ืงืื ืื ืืณ; ืืืง ืืืืืฅ ืืื; ืืงืื ืื ืืณ. And the two aspects reflect the two different stories of David sparing Saulโs life.
In the first, in ืคืจืง ืื, David is on the run. He is hiding from Saul, who has tracked him down in the wilderness and now David is trapped in a cave, surrounded by Saulโs men. It is only ืืณ's providence, symbolized in the midrash by the spider, that keeps Saul from killing him and gives him the opportunity to turn the tables.
In the second, in our ืคืจืง, David is the one tracking down Saul. He goes into Saulโs camp and has them at his mercy. But he still needs ืืณ's providence to survive, symbolized in the midrash by the wasp, and in the text explicitly as ืชืจืืืช ืืณ.
ืื ืชืฉืืช
With that, letโs look at the perek ืชืืืืืโ that ืืืดื associate with our incident. Itโs another ืื ืชืฉืืช-ืืืชื, a plea that David not be forced to kill:
ื ืืื ืฆื ืื ืชืฉืืช ืืืื ืืืชืื
ื ืืืื ื ืืื ืฆืืง ืชืืืจืื; ืืืฉืจืื ืชืฉืคืื ืื ื ืืืื
ื ืืฃ ืืื ืขืืืช ืชืคืขืืื; ืืืจืฅ ืืืก ืืืืื ืชืคืืกืืื
ื ืืจื ืจืฉืขืื ืืจืื; ืชืขื ืืืื ืืืจื ืืืื
ื ืืืช ืืื ืืืืืช ืืืช ื ืืฉ; ืืื ืคืชื ืืจืฉ ืืืื ืืื ืื
ื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืฉืืข ืืงืื ืืืืฉืื; ืืืืจ ืืืจืื ืืืืื
ื ืืืงืื ืืจืก ืฉื ืืื ืืคืืื; ืืืชืขืืช ืืคืืจืื ื ืชืฅ ืืณื
ื ืืืืกื ืืื ืืื ืืชืืืื ืืื;
ืืืจื ืืฆื ืืื ืืชืืืืื
ื ืืื ืฉืืืื ืชืืก ืืืื; ื ืคื ืืฉืช ืื ืืื ืฉืืฉื
ื ืืืจื ืืืื ื ืกืืจืชืื ืืื; ืืื ืื ืืื ืืจืื ืืฉืขืจื ืื
ืื ืืฉืื ืฆืืืง ืื ืืื ื ืงื; ืคืขืืื ืืจืืฅ ืืื ืืจืฉืขื
ืื ืืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืคืจื ืืฆืืืง; ืื ืืฉ ืืืงืื ืฉืคืืื ืืืจืฅื
The Midrash explains the connection:
ืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื [after David spared his life in the cave] ืืืจื ืื ืืืืจืื ืืฉืืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืจืื ืืื ืืืขืจื ื ืขืฉื ืฆืืืง? ืื ืืืืข ืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืื ืืืื ื ื ืื ืกืื ืืืืฆืืืื ืืืชื ืืฉื ืืืืชืืื ืืืชื ืืืจ ืืืจ, ืื ืชืืืจื. ืืื ืฉืืข ืืงืืื ืืื ืืจืืฃ ืืืจืื. ืืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืื:ื) ืืืงื ืืืื ืื ืืืืจ ืืืฃโฆ
(ืฉืืืื ื ืื:ื-ื) ืืืืืจ ืืืืฉื ืื ืืื ืกืืจ ืืืงืื ืืช ืืืืื. ืืืืืจ ืื ืชืฉืืืชืื. ืืื ืืื ืฆื ืื ืชืฉืืช. (ืฉื ื) ืืืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืณ ืื ืืณ ืืืคื ื. ืืืื ืฉื ื ืคืขืืื ืืณ ืืื ืืืจ ืื ืื ืืณ ืื ืชืืจืืื ืืื ืชืืจืืื ืื ืืณ ืื ื ืืืจืื ืืืชืโฆ.
(ืฉื ืื) ืืืงืจื ืืื ืื ืืขื ืืืืณ ืืื ืชืขื ื ืืื ืจ. ืืืจ ืื ืื ืืฉ ืื ืืขื ืืช. ืืจื ืืืจืช ืขื ืืืจ ืืืขืจื ืืืื ืืื ืขืืฉื ืื ืืืืื ืืืื ื ื ืื ืกืื ืืฉื ืืืืชืืื ืืืชื ืืืจ ืืืจ. ืื ืืืืจ ืืกืืจื ืืืขืื. ืืื ืืช ืืฆืคืืช ืื ืืฉ ืืขื ืืช. ืืื ืชืขื ื ืืื ืจ. ืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืขื ืืช ื ืขืฉื ืืื. ืืื ืืืจ ืืื ืืื ืฆืืง ืชืืืจืื ืืืฉืจืื ืชืฉืคืื. ืืืจ ืืื ืืฆืืง ืจืืคืชื ืืืจื ืฉืืืจื ืชืืจื (ืืืจืื ืื:ื) ืฆืืง ืฆืืง ืชืจืืืฃ. ืื ืฆืืง ืฉืคืืชื ืฉืื ืืชืื (ืืืงืจื ืื:ืื) ืืฆืืง ืชืฉืคืื ืขืืืชื. ืืคื ืขืฉืืชื? ืื ืขืืฉืื ืืืฉืจืื ืชืฉืคืื ืื ื ืืื? ืืื ืืื ืฆืืง ืชืืืจืื.
Iโm going to interpret this according to Hirsch, as an exhortation to the powerful to use their power for justice. Itโs the message of the ืฆืจืขื, that might does not win battles, ืืณ does, and so the might that ืืณ grants is meant to be used to fulfil His will.
Silence of the Lambs
Hirsch takes ืคืกืืง ื as a rhetorical question: ืืืื ื ืืื ืฆืืง?โ ืชืืืจืื! โIs it truly just to remain silent? You must speak out!โ. If you remain silent in the face of evil then ืืื ืขืืืช ืชืคืขืืื, the evil comes to reality in your heart. Your ืคืืก, โweighingโ, considering whether to act, results in ืืืก ืืืจืฅ, and it will be ืืืืื, your fault.
And there are no excuses. Even if ืืจื ืจืฉืขืื ืืจืื, the wicked are estranged from birth, you still must protest.
Snake Charming
And even if you know they will not listen, that they are like deaf snakes that cannot hear the snake charmerโs music. The metaphor of snake charming is familiar from the haftora for Tisha BโAv:
ืื ืื ื ื ืืฉืื ืืื ื ืืฉืื ืฆืคืขื ืื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืฉ; ืื ืฉืื ืืชืื ื ืื ืืณื
Here, David exhorts the listener (Hirsch reads ืืืืื as an apostrophe, a direct address to those who have the power to judge): if the snakes will not listen, then break their teeth. You have that power. And that destruction, mixing the metaphor to include breaking the molars of lions, is ื ึฐืชึนืฅ ืืณ, the work of โthe L-rd of loving-kindnessโ in Hirschโs terms.
Sluggish
And, David continues, if you do exert your strength, it will have an effect. Translating ืืืืกื like Ibn Ezra and Radak, as a version of ืืืกื, the wicked will melt away like water and their weapons shatter. ืฉืืืื is translated as snail (Hirsch connects it to ืฉืืื, a path, meaning the trail of slime it leaves behind. Sounds more like a slug to me). The slime left behind makes it appear that it is melting away. Itโs a nice image, the venoumous snake becoming the vulnerable slug.
ืืฉืช is a mole; ื ืคื ืืฉืช is a stillborn mole that never even sees the light of day.
Thorny problems
ืกืืจ is a small thorn; ืืื is a briar patch. Hirsch, assuming that this entire perek is addressed to the ืฆืืืง, interprets this to mean that even the slightest effort will help, even before bringing your full strength to bear. He read ืืื ืื ืืื ืืจืื as a hendiadys, โlike wrath incarnateโ.
And if the righteous act this way, then all mankind will see that ืืฉ ืืืืื [meaning judges] ืฉืคืืื ืืืจืฅ.