ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: Be Careful What You Wish For

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

ื ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืื—ืจื™ ืžื•ืช ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื“ื•ื“ ืฉื‘ ืžื”ื›ื•ืช ืืช ื”ืขืžืœืง; ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ืฆืงืœื’ ื™ืžื™ื ืฉื ื™ืืƒ ื‘ ื•ื™ื”ื™ ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ ื•ื”ื ื” ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื ืžืŸ ื”ืžื—ื ื” ืžืขื ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื‘ื’ื“ื™ื• ืงืจืขื™ื ื•ืื“ืžื” ืขืœ ืจืืฉื•; ื•ื™ื”ื™ ื‘ื‘ืื• ืืœ ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ืคืœ ืืจืฆื” ื•ื™ืฉืชื—ื•ืƒ ื’ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืœื• ื“ื•ื“ ืื™ ืžื–ื” ืชื‘ื•ื; ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื• ืžืžื—ื ื” ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื ืžืœื˜ืชื™ืƒ ื“ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื• ื“ื•ื“ ืžื” ื”ื™ื” ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื’ื“ ื ื ืœื™; ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืฉืจ ื ืก ื”ืขื ืžืŸ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ื’ื ื”ืจื‘ื” ื ืคืœ ืžืŸ ื”ืขื ื•ื™ืžืชื• ื•ื’ื ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ื ื• ืžืชื•ืƒ ื” ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ื”ื ืขืจ ื”ืžื’ื™ื“ ืœื•; ืื™ืš ื™ื“ืขืช ื›ื™ ืžืช ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ื ื•ืƒ ื• ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื”ื ืขืจ ื”ืžื’ื™ื“ ืœื• ื ืงืจื ื ืงืจื™ืชื™ ื‘ื”ืจ ื”ื’ืœื‘ืข ื•ื”ื ื” ืฉืื•ืœ ื ืฉืขืŸ ืขืœ ื—ื ื™ืชื•; ื•ื”ื ื” ื”ืจื›ื‘ ื•ื‘ืขืœื™ ื”ืคืจืฉื™ื ื”ื“ื‘ืงื”ื•ืƒ ื– ื•ื™ืคืŸ ืื—ืจื™ื• ื•ื™ืจืื ื™; ื•ื™ืงืจื ืืœื™ ื•ืืžืจ ื”ื ื ื™ืƒ ื— ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืœื™ ืžื™ ืืชื”; ื•ื™ืืžืจ (ื•ืืžืจ) ืืœื™ื• ืขืžืœืงื™ ืื ื›ื™ืƒ ื˜ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ ืขืžื“ ื ื ืขืœื™ ื•ืžืชืชื ื™ ื›ื™ ืื—ื–ื ื™ ื”ืฉื‘ืฅ; ื›ื™ ื›ืœ ืขื•ื“ ื ืคืฉื™ ื‘ื™ืƒ ื™ ื•ืืขืžื“ ืขืœื™ื• ื•ืืžืชืชื”ื• ื›ื™ ื™ื“ืขืชื™ ื›ื™ ืœื ื™ื—ื™ื” ืื—ืจื™ ื ืคืœื•; ื•ืืงื— ื”ื ื–ืจ ืืฉืจ ืขืœ ืจืืฉื• ื•ืืฆืขื“ื” ืืฉืจ ืขืœ ื–ืจืขื• ื•ืื‘ื™ืื ืืœ ืื“ื ื™ ื”ื ื”ืƒ ื™ื ื•ื™ื—ื–ืง ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ื‘ื’ื“ื• ื•ื™ืงืจืขื; ื•ื’ื ื›ืœ ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ืืฉืจ ืืชื•ืƒ ื™ื‘ ื•ื™ืกืคื“ื• ื•ื™ื‘ื›ื• ื•ื™ืฆืžื• ืขื“ ื”ืขืจื‘; ืขืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ืขืœ ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ื ื• ื•ืขืœ ืขื ื”ืณ ื•ืขืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื›ื™ ื ืคืœื• ื‘ื—ืจื‘ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ืคืจืง ื

The Strong Horse

The text reminds us that the previous chapters described two contemporaneous battles: David vs. Amalek and Saul vs. Philistines. The contrast is palpable. Saul is dead and Israel is lost while David is victorious and has just gone around the cities of southern Judah giving out the spoils of war. We have talked about the fact that Israel did not eulogize Saul appropriately; Tosaphot suggests that this was from an awareness of Davidโ€™s growing power. Even those loyal to Saul were afraid to say so explicitly:

ื™ืดืœ ื“ื™ืจืื™ื ื”ื™ื• ืœืกื•ืคื“ื• ืœื”ืจืื•ืช ืฉืžืฆื˜ืขืจื™ืŸ ืขืœื™ื• ืžืคื ื™ ื“ื•ื“.

ืชื•ืกืคื•ืช, ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ืžื•,ื‘, ื“ืดื” ื”ืกืคื™ื“ื ื™ืงืจื ื“ื—ื™ื™

The ืžืฉื‘ืฆื•ืช ื–ื”ื‘ finds a hint to this in the wording: Saul is just ืฉืื•ืœ, with no title. He cites the gemara about how insulting that is:

(ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ื’) ื‘ืŸ ืฉื ื” ืฉืื•ืœ ื‘ืžืœื›ื•. ืืžืจ ืจื‘ ื”ื•ื ื ื›ื‘ืŸ ืฉื ื” ืฉืœื ื˜ืขื ื˜ืขื ื—ื˜ื. ืžืชืงื™ืฃ ืœื” ืจื‘ ื ื—ืžืŸ ื‘ืจ ื™ืฆื—ืง ื•ืื™ืžื ื›ื‘ืŸ ืฉื ื” ืฉืžืœื•ื›ืœืš ื‘ื˜ื™ื˜ ื•ื‘ืฆื•ืื”? ืื—ื•ื™ืื• ืœื™ื” ืœืจื‘ ื ื—ืžืŸ ืกื™ื•ื˜ื ื‘ื—ืœืžื™ื” .ืืžืจ ื ืขื ื™ืชื™ ืœื›ื ืขืฆืžื•ืช ืฉืื•ืœ ื‘ืŸ ืงื™ืฉ. ื”ื“ืจ ื—ื–ื ืกื™ื•ื˜ื ื‘ื—ืœืžื™ื”. ืืžืจ ื ืขื ื™ืชื™ ืœื›ื ืขืฆืžื•ืช ืฉืื•ืœ ื‘ืŸ ืงื™ืฉ ืžืœืš ื™ืฉืจืืœ.

ื™ื•ืžื ื›ื‘,ื‘

The Bearer of Bad News

The messenger who comes ื‘ื’ื“ื™ื• ืงืจืขื™ื ื•ืื“ืžื” ืขืœ ืจืืฉื• reminds us of a previous incident:

ื™ ื•ื™ืœื—ืžื• ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ื•ื™ื ื’ืฃ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื™ื ืกื• ืื™ืฉ ืœืื”ืœื™ื• ื•ืชื”ื™ ื”ืžื›ื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืžืื“; ื•ื™ืคืœ ืžื™ืฉืจืืœ ืฉืœืฉื™ื ืืœืฃ ืจื’ืœื™ืƒ ื™ื ื•ืืจื•ืŸ ืืœืงื™ื ื ืœืงื—; ื•ืฉื ื™ ื‘ื ื™ ืขืœื™ ืžืชื• ื—ืคื ื™ ื•ืคื™ื ื—ืกืƒ ื™ื‘ ื•ื™ืจืฅ ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื ื™ืžืŸ ืžื”ืžืขืจื›ื” ื•ื™ื‘ื ืฉืœื” ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื; ื•ืžื“ื™ื• ืงืจืขื™ื ื•ืื“ืžื” ืขืœ ืจืืฉื•ืƒ ื™ื’ ื•ื™ื‘ื•ื ื•ื”ื ื” ืขืœื™ ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื›ืกื ื™ืš (ื™ื“) ื“ืจืš ืžืฆืคื” ื›ื™ ื”ื™ื” ืœื‘ื• ื—ืจื“ ืขืœ ืืจื•ืŸ ื”ืืœืงื™ื; ื•ื”ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื ืœื”ื’ื™ื“ ื‘ืขื™ืจ ื•ืชื–ืขืง ื›ืœ ื”ืขื™ืจืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื“

The navi is pointing out how ืกืคืจ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ends exactly how it began: with Israel lost, under Philistine rule.

Kismet

The refugee identifies himself as an ืขืžืœืงื™ (which seems to escape Davidโ€™s notice for the moment) which highlights the tragedy of the moment. Not only is Saul about to lose his kingdom to the enemy he has fought his whole career, he is now going to lose his life to the enemy that was his greatest public mistake. And there is a hint to his suffering from his greatest personal mistake, the slaughter of the ื›ื”ื ื™ื of ื ื‘, in his expression ืื—ื–ื ื™ ื”ืฉื‘ืฅ:

ืื—ื“ื ื™ ืจืชื™ืชื, ื•ืžื“ืจืฉ ืื’ื“ื” ืžืฉื•ื ืขื•ืŸ ื”ื›ื”ื ื™ื ืฉื”ืจื’ ื•ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื‘ื”ืŸ ื›ืชื ืช ืชืฉื‘ืฅ.

ืจืฉืดื™ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื˜, ื“ืดื” ืื—ื–ื ื™ ื”ืฉื‘ืฅ

ื•ืืœื” ื”ื‘ื’ื“ื™ื ืืฉืจ ื™ืขืฉื• ื—ืฉืŸ ื•ืืคื•ื“ ื•ืžืขื™ืœ ื•ื›ืชื ืช ืชืฉื‘ืฅ ืžืฆื ืคืช ื•ืื‘ื ื˜; ื•ืขืฉื• ื‘ื’ื“ื™ ืงื“ืฉ ืœืื”ืจืŸ ืื—ื™ืš ื•ืœื‘ื ื™ื• ืœื›ื”ื ื• ืœื™ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืช ื›ื—:ื“

All Dead

The question that bothers everybody is the contradiction between the refugeeโ€™s story and the actual narrative of Saulโ€™s death: did he commit suicide or was he killed by the ืขืžืœืงื™? Radak suggests the ืขืžืœืงื™ was flat out lying:

ืฉื›ื–ื‘ ืฉืœื ื”ืžื™ืชื”ื• ืฉื”ืจื™ ื”ื•ื ื ืคืœ ืขืœ ื—ืจื‘ื• ื•ืžืช.

ืจื“ืดืง ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื™

He identifies himself as a ืขืžืœืงื™, figuring โ€œthe enemy of my enemy is my friend.โ€ Saul hates Amalek, Saul hates David, so David must love Amalek. What better way to curry favor with the big powerful warlord than to boast of having finished off his enemy? Of course, he is wrong. Badly wrong.

But the wording doesnโ€™t actually imply a contradiction. Saul asks ืžืชืชื ื™, which is different from ื”ืžืชื ื™.

Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. Thereโ€™s a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead thereโ€™s usually only one thing you can do.

Inigo Montoya: Whatโ€™s that?

Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

The Princess Bride

The Malbim points out that Saul was still alive (barely) after falling on his sword. ืžื•ืชืช means the death blow, the coup de grace:

ื’ืžืจืชื™ ืžื™ืชืชื• (ืฉื›ื‘ืจ ื”ื•ืžืช ืขืดื™ ื”ื—ืจื‘ ืฉื ืคืœ ืขืœื™ื”).

ืžืœื‘ื™ืดื ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื™

Weโ€™ve seen this a few times, most notably when David kill Goliath:

ื  ื•ื™ื—ื–ืง ื“ื•ื“ ืžืŸ ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ ื‘ืงืœืข ื•ื‘ืื‘ืŸ ื•ื™ืš ืืช ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ ื•ื™ืžืชื”ื•; ื•ื—ืจื‘ ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื™ื“ ื“ื•ื“ืƒ ื ื ื•ื™ืจืฅ ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ืขืžื“ ืืœ ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ ื•ื™ืงื— ืืช ื—ืจื‘ื• ื•ื™ืฉืœืคื” ืžืชืขืจื” ื•ื™ืžืชืชื”ื• ื•ื™ื›ืจืช ื‘ื” ืืช ืจืืฉื•; ื•ื™ืจืื• ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ื›ื™ ืžืช ื’ื‘ื•ืจื ื•ื™ื ืกื•ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื™ื–

Tearing kriyah

One more note, on ื•ื™ื—ื–ืง ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ื‘ื’ื“ื• ื•ื™ืงืจืขื. Tearing garments as a sign of mourning occurs multiple times in ืชื ืดืš, but here is the source to tearing over a public tragedy.

ืคื™ืจืฉื• ื—ื–ืดืœ (ืžื•ืดืง ื›ื•,ื) ื›ืคื™ ื”ื”ืœื›ื” ืฉืงื•ืจืขื™ื ืขืœ ื ืฉื™ื ื•ืขืœ ืื‘ ื‘ืดื“ ื•ืขืœ ืฆืจืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ, ื•ื–ืดืฉ ืขืœ ืฉืื•ืœ, ืฉื”ื™ื” ื ืฉื™ื; ื•ืขืœ ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ, ืฉื”ื™ื” ืื‘ืดื“; ื•ืขืœ ืขื ื”ืณ, ื”ื ื”ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ; ื•ืขืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ, ื›ื•ืœื•, ืฉื ืคืœื• ื‘ื—ืจื‘.

ืžืœื‘ื™ืดื ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื™ื

ื™ื’ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ื”ื ืขืจ ื”ืžื’ื™ื“ ืœื• ืื™ ืžื–ื” ืืชื”; ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื‘ืŸ ืื™ืฉ ื’ืจ ืขืžืœืงื™ ืื ื›ื™ืƒ ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื• ื“ื•ื“; ืื™ืš ืœื ื™ืจืืช ืœืฉืœื— ื™ื“ืš ืœืฉื—ืช ืืช ืžืฉื™ื— ื”ืณืƒ ื˜ื• ื•ื™ืงืจื ื“ื•ื“ ืœืื—ื“ ืžื”ื ืขืจื™ื ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื’ืฉ ืคื’ืข ื‘ื•; ื•ื™ื›ื”ื• ื•ื™ืžืชืƒ ื˜ื– ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื• ื“ื•ื“ ื“ืžื™ืš (ื“ืžืš) ืขืœ ืจืืฉืš; ื›ื™ ืคื™ืš ืขื ื” ื‘ืš ืœืืžืจ ืื ื›ื™ ืžืชืชื™ ืืช ืžืฉื™ื— ื”ืณืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ืคืจืง ื

Now, after mourning Saul all day, David comes back to interrogate the Amalekite, who clarifies his status (still probably thinking that he needs to play up being Amalekite to impress David).

ืœื ืฉืืœ ืžืื™ื–ื” ืขื ืฉื”ืจื™ ืฉืžืข ืžืกืคื•ืจ ื“ื‘ืจื™ื• ื›ื™ ืขืžืœืงื™ ื”ื•ื ืืœื ืฉืืœ ืœื• ืžืื™ื–ื” ืžืงื•ื ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ืื ื”ื™ื” ื’ืจ ื‘ืืจืฆื• ืฉื”ื™ื ืืจืฅ ืขืžืœืง ื•ืื™ืš ื ืงืจื” ืืœ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ื”ื•ื ืขื ื” ื›ื™ ื’ื ืื‘ื™ื• ื‘ื ืžืืจืฅ ืขืžืœืง ื•ื’ืจ ื‘ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื›ืŸ ืคื™ืจืฉ ื›ืœ ื’ืจ ืกืชื ื•ื™ืฉ ืžื”ื ื’ืจ ืฉื ืชื’ื™ื™ืจ ื•ืฉื‘ ืœื“ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ืืคืฉืจ ืฉื–ื” ืจืดืœ ื›ืฉืืžืจ ื‘ืŸ ืื™ืฉ ื’ืจ ืขืžืœืงื™ ืฉื ืชื’ื™ื™ืจ ื•ืฉื‘ ืœื“ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ.

ืจื“ืดืง ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื™ื’

And this is an important point. The command to wipe out Amalek is to destroy the nation, not literally the people. We are commanded to offer them peace:

ืื™ื–ื• ื”ื™ื ืžืœื—ืžืช ืžืฆื•ื”โ€”ื–ื• ืžืœื—ืžืช ืฉื‘ืขื” ืขืžืžื™ื, ื•ืžืœื—ืžืช ืขืžืœืง, ื•ืขื–ืจืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืฆืจ ืฉื‘ื ืขืœื™ื”ื.

ืžืฉื ื” ืชื•ืจื”,ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืžืœื›ื™ื ื•ืžืœื—ืžื•ืช ื”:ื

ืื™ืŸ ืขื•ืฉื™ืŸ ืžืœื—ืžื” ืขื ืื“ื ื‘ืขื•ืœื, ืขื“ ืฉืงื•ืจืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืœืฉืœื•ืโ€”ืื—ื“ ืžืœื—ืžืช ื”ืจืฉื•ืช, ื•ืื—ื“ ืžืœื—ืžืช ืžืฆื•ื”: ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›:ื™) โ€ื›ื™ ืชืงืจื‘ ืืœ ืขื™ืจ ืœื”ื™ืœื—ื ืขืœื™ื” ื•ืงืจืืช ืืœื™ื” ืœืฉืœื•ืโ€œ . ืื ื”ืฉืœื™ืžื•, ื•ืงื™ื‘ืœื• ืฉื‘ืข ืžืฆื•ื•ืช ืฉื ืฆื˜ื•ื• ื‘ื ื™ ื ื•ื— ืขืœื™ื”ืŸโ€”ืื™ืŸ ื”ื•ืจื’ื™ืŸ ืžื”ืŸ ื ืฉืžื”.

ืžืฉื ื” ืชื•ืจื”,ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืžืœื›ื™ื ื•ืžืœื—ืžื•ืช ื•:ื

ืื ืงื‘ืœื• ืขืœื™ื”ื ืฉื‘ืข ืžืฆื•ืช ื”ืจื™ ื™ืฆืื• ืžื›ืœืœ ืฉื‘ืขื” ืขืžืžื™ืŸ ื•ืžื›ืœืœ ืขืžืœืง ื•ื”ืจื™ ื”ื ื›ื‘ื ื™ ื ื— ื”ื›ืฉืจื™ื.

ื›ืกืฃ ืžืฉื ื” ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืžืœื›ื™ื ืคืจืง ื•:ื“

David, of course, does not consider himself an enemy of Saul but his successor. He has the refugee killed in cold blood, which seems brutal and unwarranted, and rather than do it himself, he has one of his men kill him. The ืžืฉื‘ืฆื•ืช ื–ื”ื‘ cites ืจื‘ ืžืฉื” ื“ื•ื“ ื•ืืœื™ that ืื—ื“ ืžื”ื ืขืจื™ื means ื”ืžื™ื•ื—ื“ ืžื”ื ืขืจื™ื, as with Avimelech (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื›ื•:ื™)โ€Ž ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืื‘ื™ืžืœืš ืžื” ื–ืืช ืขืฉื™ืช ืœื ื•; ื›ืžืขื˜ ืฉื›ื‘ ืื—ื“ ื”ืขื ืืช ืืฉืชืš ื•ื”ื‘ืืช ืขืœื™ื ื• ืืฉืืƒ. He hypothesises that this was Avishai, who told David when they came upon Saul in the cave:

ื— ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืื‘ื™ืฉื™ ืืœ ื“ื•ื“ ืกื’ืจ ืืœืงื™ื ื”ื™ื•ื ืืช ืื•ื™ื‘ืš ื‘ื™ื“ืš; ื•ืขืชื” ืื›ื ื• ื ื ื‘ื—ื ื™ืช ื•ื‘ืืจืฅ ืคืขื ืื—ืช ื•ืœื ืืฉื ื” ืœื•ืƒ ื˜ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ืื‘ื™ืฉื™ ืืœ ืชืฉื—ื™ืชื”ื•; ื›ื™ ืžื™ ืฉืœื— ื™ื“ื• ื‘ืžืฉื™ื— ื”ืณ ื•ื ืงื”ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื›ื•

But why kill him at all?

ื™ืฉ ืœืชืžื•ื” ืžื“ื•ืข ืฆื•ื” ื“ื•ื“ ืœื”ืจื’ื• ื•ื”ื ื” ืขืฉื” ื–ื” ื‘ืจืฆื•ืŸ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื‘ืงืฉืชื•โ€ฆื•ืืขืคืดื™ ืฉืœื ื”ื™ื• ืฉื ืขื“ื™ื ื•ื”ื™ื” ืžืจืฉื™ืข ืืช ืขืฆืžื• ื•ื”ื™ื” ืžืคื ื™ ื–ื” ืคื˜ื•ืจ ื‘ื“ื™ืŸ ื”ื ื” ืขืฉื” ื“ื•ื“ ื–ื” ืœื”ื•ืจืืช ืฉืขื” ืฉืœื ื™ืงืœื• ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ืœืฉืœื•ื— ื™ื“ื ื‘ืžืœื›ื•ืช ื•ืœื–ืืช ื”ืกื‘ื” ื‘ืขื™ื ื” ื ื–ื”ืจ ืžืฉืœื•ื— ื™ื“ ื‘ืฉืื•ืœ ื›ืฉื”ื™ื” ื‘ืžืขืจื” ื•ืืขืคืดื™ ืฉื”ื™ื” ืจื•ื“ืคื• ื•ื”ื™ื” ืžื•ืชืจ ืœื”ืจื’ื•.

ืจืœื‘ืดื’ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื:ื™ื“

ื’ื–ื™ืจืช ื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื”ื™ื ืฉืื™ืŸ ืžืžื™ืชื™ืŸ ื‘ื™ืช ื“ื™ืŸ ื•ืœื ืžืœืงื™ืŸ ืืช ื”ืื“ื ื‘ื”ื•ื“ื™ืช ืคื™ื• ืืœื ืขืœ ืคื™ ืฉื ื™ ืขื“ื™ืืƒ ื•ื–ื” ืฉื”ืจื’ ื™ื”ื•ืฉื•ืข ืขื›ืŸ ื•ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœื’ืจ ืขืžืœืงื™ ื‘ื”ื•ื“ื™ืช ืคื™ื”ื ื”ื•ืจืืช ืฉืขื” ื”ื™ื™ืชื” ืื• ื“ื™ืŸ ืžืœื›ื•ืช ื”ื™ื”.

ืžืฉื ื” ืชื•ืจื”, ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ื™ื—:ื™ื‘

I think the Rambamโ€™s ื”ื•ืจืืช ืฉืขื” here is not the ื”ื•ืจืืช ืฉืขื” of a ื ื‘ื™ื (where ื”ืณ commands a violation of what we understand ื”ืณ's will) or the halachic ื”ื•ืจืืช ืฉืขื” (where we have two valid competing halachic principles, and and social reality leads us to choose one that would not usually be chosen). I think he is defining ื“ื™ืŸ ืžืœื›ื•ืช, that a king has the power of life and death, and decided that the precendentโ€”allowing a subject to kill the king, even when the king commands itโ€”was too dangerous to allow the ืขืžืœืงื™ to live.

Alea iacta est

This, then, is a defining moment for David. I see this as similar to Julius Caesar on the banks of the Rubicon, deciding whether to enter Rome and start a civil war. David has been acting like a king in Ziklag, but with this act he is either a halachic king or a common murderer. He knows this is the law; he had a similar conversation with Avigail about killing Naval:

ืืžืจ ืœื” ืžื•ืจื“ ื‘ืžืœื›ื•ืช ื”ื•ื ื•ืœื ืฆืจื™ืš ืœืžื™ื“ื™ื™ื ื™ื” ืืžืจื” ืœื• ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ืฉืื•ืœ ืงื™ื™ื ื•ืœื ื™ืฆื ื˜ื‘ืขืš ื‘ืขื•ืœื.

ืžื’ื™ืœื” ื™ื“,ื-ื‘

This was his statement: Saul is dead. I am now the legitimate king of all Israel with all the power that this entails.