ืืฉืืื ื ืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืชื ืืฉืช ืืื; ืืคืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืฉืจ ืืืืืื
How could Saul do this with Davidโs wife? The text even emphasizes the problem, calling her ืืฉืช ืืื. One explanation might be that, in fact, Saul sinned. The Midrash Tehillim attributes the advice to our old adversary, Doeg:
ืืื ืงืจื ืฉืื [ืฉื ืืืื] ืืืืื?โฆืจื ื ืืื ืืืืจ: ืขื ืฉืืชืืจ ืืื ืฉื ืืื. ืฉืืืจ ืืฉืืื, ืื ืืืช ืืื ืืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืฉืชื ืืืชืจืช ืืื ืฉื ืืืืจ.
However, thereโs an important point to be made about ืชื ืดื.โ ืกืคืจ ืฉืืืื is written as a ืกืคืจ ื ืืืื, not just as a history book. We have mentioned before that the actions of those that the ื ืืื or ืืืดื identify as ืฆืืืงืื are assumed to be consistent with the Torah, unless they are specifically called out as wrong (such as David and Bat Sheva). While we can assume Doeg was sinning, we are going to try to justify the actions of Saul and David, and even can use the stories here to learn ืืืื ืืืขืฉื. The questions at hand are ones that come up in real life, and this incident is quoted by the ืคืืกืงืื in deciding matters of marriage and adultery. We will therefore be going further afield than usual, quoting not just the ืืขืื ืคืฉื but also those who focus on actual ืืืื.
It goes without saying, so Iโm going to engage in a little paralipsis: I make no claim to know anything and nothing I say can be used for a final halachic decision. CYLOR.
One solution is to say that David was not at that time married to Michal. We know that ืืืดื said that every Israelite soldier would give his wife a get before going to war, to avoid a possible ืขืืื ื problem:
ืืืดืจ ืฉืืืื ืืจ ื ืืื ื ืืดืจ ืืื ืชื ืื ืืืืฆื ืืืืืืช ืืืช ืืื ืืืชื ืื ืืจืืชืืช ืืืฉืชื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืฉืืืื ื ืื) ืึฐืึตืช ืขึฒืฉืึถืจึถืช ืึฒืจึดืฆึตื ืึถืึธืึธื ืึธืึตืึผึถื ืชึผึธืึดืื ืึฐืฉืึทืจ ืึธืึธืึถืฃ; ืึฐืึถืช ืึทืึถืืึธ ืชึผึดืคึฐืงึนื ืึฐืฉืึธืืึนื ืึฐืึถืช ืขึฒืจึปืึผึธืชึธื ืชึผึดืงึผึธืื ืืื ืขืจืืืชื ืชื ื ืจื ืืืกืฃ ืืืจืื ืืืขืืจืืื ืืื ื ืืืื ื.
ืืื ืืื ืืขืื ื ืื ืื ื ืชื ืืื ืืืืื ืื ืจืืื ื ืฉืฉื ื ืฉืืื ืืช ืืื ืืืจ ืฉื ืชืืชื ืขืื ืขื ืฉืืจื ืืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืืืจืืืช ืฉืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืืื ืืืืจ ืืืื ืืคืขืืื ืืืจืืื ืืชืช ืื ืืืชื ืฉืื ืชืฉื ืขืืื ื ืืขืฉื ืื ืืฉืืื ื ืชื ื ืืืฉื ืืคืืื ืื ืืืฉ.
But thereโs a huge problem with this answer, from Davidโs later behavior:
ืื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืฉืช ืื ืฉืืื ืืืืจ: ืชื ื ืืช ืืฉืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืืื
ืื ืืืฉืื ืืืฉ ืืฉืช ืืืงืื ืืขื ืืืฉ ืืขื ืคืืืืื ืื ืืืฉ (ืืืฉ)ื
ืื ืืืื ืืชื ืืืฉื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืจืื ืขื ืืืจืื; ืืืืืจ ืืืื ืืื ืจ ืื ืฉืื ืืืฉืื
If he divorced Michal, he cannot remarry her after she is married to Palti:
ื ืื ืืงื ืืืฉ ืืฉื ืืืขืื; ืืืื ืื ืื ืชืืฆื ืื ืืขืื ืื ืื ืืฆื ืื ืขืจืืช ืืืจ ืืืชื ืื ืกืคืจ ืืจืืชืช ืื ืชื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืชืื
ื ืืืฆืื ืืืืชื; ืืืืื ืืืืชื ืืืืฉ ืืืจื
ื ืืฉื ืื ืืืืฉ ืืืืจืื ืืืชื ืื ืกืคืจ ืืจืืชืช ืื ืชื ืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืืชื; ืื ืื ืืืืช ืืืืฉ ืืืืจืื ืืฉืจ ืืงืื ืื ืืืฉืื
ื ืื ืืืื ืืขืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืืงืืชื ืืืืืช ืื ืืืฉื ืืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืืืื ืื ืชืืขืื ืืื ืืคื ื ืืณ; ืืื ืชืืืื ืืช ืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ืืณ ืืืืื ื ืชื ืื ื ืืืื
And the Radak is aware of the problem:
ืืืดืช ืื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืื ืืืื ืืืืืืจื ืื ืืกืืจ ืืืื ืืืืืืจ ืืจืืฉืชื ืืืจ ืฉื ืฉืืช ืืืืจ ืื ืฉื ืชืืจืกื. ืื ืืืจ ืื ืื ืืืขืชื ื ืชื ืื ืืืโฆืืืขืื ืฉืืื ืขืื [ืขื ืฉืืื] ืืืจืืื ืืชืช ืืื ืืื ืืืขืืฉื ืืืฉืจืื ืฉืื ืืืื ืคืกืืโฆืืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉื ืืืจ ืื ืืื ืงืืื ืฉื ืชื ืืื ืืืจ ืืคื ื ืฉื ื ืขืืื ืืืืืืื ืจืื ืฉืื ื ืื ืืก ืื ืชืื ืช ืืื ืืืกืชืืจื ืืืืจ ืื ืชื ืืื ืืื ื ืืื ืื ืืื ืื. ืืคืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืื ืืืข ืืืืื ืื ืืืขื ืืืื ืกืืืจืื ืื ืืื ืืโฆืืื ื ืืืื ื ืืขืื ืืืขืืช
So if the divorce was invalid, why bring it up? It explains why Saul would feel it permissible to have Michal marry another, and why Michal would go along with it (at least, we have no evidence that she protested, and Palti is called ืืืฉื). But this explanation is rather forced; thereโs no evidence for it in the text. And it leaves unanswered another textual question: why does David call her ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื? Why bring that up?
Before we get to that, I want to mention one other solution to the problem, from the Gemara:
ืืชืื ืคืืื ืืืชืื ืคืืืืื ืืืจ ืจืณ ืืืื ื ืคืืื ืฉืื ืืืื ื ืงืจื ืฉืื ืคืืืืื ืฉืคืืื ืึพื ืื ืืขืืืจื ืื ืขืฉื ื ืขืฅ ืืจื ืืื ื ืืืื ื ืืืจ ืื ืืขืืกืง ืืืืจ ืื ืืืงืจ ืืืจื ืื ืืืืชืื (ืฉืืืื ื ื) ืืืื ืืชื ืืืฉื ืฉื ืขืฉื ืื ืืืืฉื ืืืืชืื (ืฉืืืื ื ื) ืืืื ืืืื ืขื ืืืฆืื ืืืืื ืืื ืื ืขื ืืืืจืื ืฉื ืขืฉื ืฉื ืืื ืืืืืจืื ืฉืื ืืขืื ืืขื ืืืื.
While this makes Palti a great ืฆืืืง, it doesnโt really solve the problem of adultery, as Tosaphot points out (in a discussion of immorality with both parties fully clothed):
ืืคืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืฉื ืขืฅ ืืจื ืืื ื ืืืื ื (ืกื ืืืจืื ืคืณืดื ืืฃ ืื,ื) ืืืื ืืืืืจ ืฉืจืืืง ืืื ื ืืื ืืืืชืจ ืืืื ืคืชืื ืืจืืดืจ ืฉืื ืืื ืืฉืื ืืืื; ืื ืฉืื ืกืืจ ืืฉืืื ืฉืื ืืืชื ืืงืืืฉืช ืืืื ืืืืืืจ ืขื ืขืฆืื ืืื ืืืื ืขืืื.
What does ืชืืกืคืืช mean by ืกืืจ ืืฉืืื? The gemaraโs solution to the question of how Saul could give away Michal centers on Davidโs comment about the ืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื:
ืฉืืื ืชืืืืืื ืืช ืจืณ ืืืกื ืืืื ื ืฉื ืืื ืฉืชื ืืืืืช ืืืืืื?โฆ ืจืณ ืืืืฉืข ืื ืงืจืื ืืืืจ ืงืืืืฉื ืืขืืช ืืื ืื ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืฉืืืื ื ื) ืชื ื ืืช ืืฉืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืกืชื ืื ืืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื. ืืื ืชืืืืื? ืืืจ ืจื ืคืคื ืืืื ืืฉืชื ืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืชื. ืืื ืงืืืืฉื ืืขืืช? ืืืชืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืื) ืืืื ืืืืฉ ืืฉืจ ืืื ื ืืขืฉืจื ื ืืืื ืขืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืืืณ. ืืื ืงืืืื. ืืืจ ืื [ืฉืืื ืืืื] ืืืื ืืืช ืื ืืืื ืืืืงืืฉ ืืืืื ืืื ื ืืงืืืฉืช; ืืื ืืืื ืืขืืจืืื, ืืืชืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืื) ืืืื ืืขืช ืชืช ืืช ืืืจื ืืช ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืืณ. ืืดื ืื ืืขืืช ืืืชื ืื ืืืื, ืืื ืืืืชื ืื ืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื. ืืื ืืืืชื ืืื. ืืดื ืืืื ืืคืจืืื ืืืช ืื ืืืื; ืฉืืื ืกืืจ ืืืื ืืคืจืืื ืืขืชืื ืืืืื, ืืืื ืกืืจ ืืืื ืืคืจืืื ืืขืชืื ืืคืจืืื. ืืืืืขืืช ืืืื ืืืืื ืขืืื ืืืื ืืคืจืืื ืืขืชืื ืืคืจืืื ืฉืืื ืกืืจ ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืกืืจ ืืื ืืืืื ืืฉืื ืจื.
So Saul had a halachic justification for claiming that David was not truly married to Michal, even though the final ืคืกืง is that he was married (similar to Radakโs explanation about the get, above). The ืคืืกืงืื use this as the โhookโ to explain our story.
But first, we need to look at another adultery in ืชื ืดื: Esther. The gemara claims she was in fact married to Mordechai:
ืชื ื ืืฉืื ืจืดื ืื ืชืงืจื ืืืช ืืื ืืืืช.
Which brings up the question of how she could allow herself to be married to Achashverosh:
ืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืช ืืืจ ืจืื ืืื ืฉืื ืืืช ืืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืื ืขื ืขืืฉืื ืืืื ืก ืืขืืฉืื ืืจืฆืื ืืืืฉืจ ืืืืชื ืืืืชื ืืฉื ืฉืืืืชื ืืืืช ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื.
ืขื ืขืืฉืื: ื ืืขืืชื ืืืื ืก.
ืืขืืฉืื: ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืขืชื.
ืืืืชื ืืื: ืืืกืืจื ืื ื ืื ืืืฉืช ืืฉืจืื ืฉื ืื ืกื ืืืชืจืช ืืืขืื ืืืจืฆืื ืืกืืจื ืืืขืื.
This brings up the fascinating question of whether Esther was right to do what she did; commit a mortal sin to save the entire Jewish people:
ืืื ื ืืืจ ืคืฉืื ืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืืขืชื ืืืืชืื [โlike an egg in milkโโsomething obvious in halacha, like the fact that eggs are pareve] ืื ืืกืชืจ ืื ืขืฉืชื ืฉืื ืืืกืืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืคืืณ ื ืื ืื ืขืืืจื ืืื ืืฆืื ืจืื ืขืฉืชื ืฉืืฆืืื ืื ืืฉืจืืโฆืืืคืืื ืืื ื ืืกืจื ืขื ืืจืืื ืืขืื ืืฉืื ืืืชื ืืขืฉื ืฉืืืโฆ
And the Rashbaโs famous comment:
ืื ืฉืืชืื ืืืืื ืืื ื ืืืฉืจ ืืืืชื ืืืืชื ืืฉื ืฉืืืืชื ืืืืช ืืื ืื ืืืืชื ืืืโฆืืื ืืกืชืจ ืืืื ืขืืื ืืื ืืืฉืชื ืืจืฆืื ื ื ืืขืืช ืืชืืจื ืืื ืชืขืืืจ ืืืื ืืื ืืืจืฉื ืืืชื ืืื ืื ืืืชื ืขืืืจืช ืขื ืืกืืจ ืขืจืืืช ืืืืืจ ืืื ืืืชื ื ืืกืจืช ืืืจืืื, ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืืืื ืขืืืื.
But it would take us too far afield to go into that question. We are left with the gemaraโs unambigous conclusion that ืืฉืช ืืฉืจืื ืฉื ืื ืกื ืืืชืจืช. The Rashba puts this together with the discussion above about Saulโs halachic reasoning to bring what I think is an amazing ืืืืืฉ (the Radak comes to a similar conclusion with respect to his proposed invalid get):
ืฉืืืช ืื ืืฉืื ื ืชืืืจ ืื ืืืจื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืช ืฉืืื ืืืืืืจืชื ืืืื ืืืืืชื ืืขื ืื ืฉืืื ื ืจืื ืืกืืชืจ ืื ืืช ืื. ืืืื ืืืจืื ืฉืืขืชื ืืคื ืืืงื ืื ืืืขืช ืฉืจืืืชื ืืืืจืื ืืชืืืื ืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืจ ืืฉืืืขืืช ืืดื.
โฆ
ืืืืจ ืฉืืื ื ืฉืืช ืืฆื ืืื ืืืื ื ืชื ื ืืคืืืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืืกืืจื ืืืชื ืื? ืืื ื ืฉืืช ืืคืืืืื ืื ืืืฉ ืืขืืจื ืืื ืืืชืจื ืืืืืจ ืืืื? ืืืื ืืกืืจื ืืื ืื ืืืชืื (ืืืจืื ืืดื) ืื ืืืื ืืขืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืฉืจ ืฉืืื ืืฉืื ืืงืืชื ืืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืืืืื. ืืืจืฉืื ื ืืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืืืืื ืืจืืืช ืกืืื ืฉื ืกืชืจื ืืืกืืจื ืืื ืืื ืืืขื ืืื ืืืืขื.
ืื ืืืจืื ืืื ื ืชืงืฉื ืืขืื ืื ืืืจ ืืืขืช ืฉืืืจื ืืกื ืืืจืื ืืคืจืง ืืื ืืืื (ืืฃ ืื,ื) ืฉืฉืืื ืืื ืกืืืจ ืฉืื ืืื ืงืืืฉื ืืื ืืืืื ืงืืืฉืืโฆืื ืจืื ืื ืฉืืกืืืข ืืืขืช ืืื ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืื ืืื ืืืชื ืืืืื ืฉื ืื ืฉืฉืื ืืื ืืืืฉ ืืฉืช ืืืืจ (ืฉืืืื ื ื) ืชื ื ืืช ืืฉืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื. ืืื ืฆืืจื ืืื ืื ืืืืืืจ ืืื ืืื ืืืจืฉื ืืืืืื ืฉืืื ืขืืงืจ ืืืขื ื ืฉื ืืืงื ืื ืืืขืืช.
โฆ
ืืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืืืจ ืฉืืืืืจื ืืขืืจื ืฉืืจื ืืืชืื ืืขืื ืขืืื ืฉืื ืืื ืจืง ืืืืจ ืืืจืื ืืืชื.
ืืื ืื ืฉื ืกืชืคืง ืื ืืข ืื ืืื ืก ืืืฉืจืื ืืฉืจื ืฉืจื ืืืฉืช ืืฉืจืื ืฉื ืื ืกื ืืืชืจืช ืืื ืืืขืื. ืืื ืืื ืก ืฉื ืืคืืื ืืืื ืืฃ ืืขืืช ืืื ืก ืืื ืฉืืืื ื ืืขืืช ืืืืจ ืืจืฆืื ืืืกืืืจื ืืขืื ืืื ืืืชืจืช ืืโฆืืืคืืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืื ืกืืืจื ืฉื ืฉืืช ืืฆื ืคืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืืช ืฉืงืืืฉื ืืื ืืื ื ืงืืืฉืื ืืืื ืฉืืื ืฉืืื ืกืืืจ. ืืฃ ืืื ืื ืืกื ืืืชื ืืืคืืื ืืืชืจืช ืืืืืจ ืื. ืืขืื ืฉืฉืืื ืืื ืืืจืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืื ืื ืืกื ืืืืจื ืืืื ืงืจืงืข ืขืืื ืืื ืืขื ืืจืื ื ืืขืืช. ืืืขื ืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืกืชืจ ืฉืืืชื ื ืฉืืช ืืืจืืื ืืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืื ืขืืืืช ืืืืงื ืฉื ืืืฉืืจืืฉ ืืืืืืช ืืขืืืืช ืืืืงื ืฉื ืืจืืื ืืืื ืฉืืืจื ืืืืืื.
Note that Michal is permitted to David whether or not she went willingly to Paltiel. We will look more at her mindset toward her first husband when we deal with her return ืขื ืืชืจ in ืฉืืืื ื.
The Malbim summarizes our conclusions:
ืื ื ืืชืคืืื ืืื ื ืชื ืฉืืื ืืช ืืชื ืฉืืืชื ืืฉืช ืืืฉ ืืืืจ, ืืืื ืืงืื ืืื ืืืจ ืื ืืืืจื ืืืจื ืืืืืื, ืืืืืจ ืืจืืดืง ืฉืฉืืื ืื ืก ืืช ืืื ืืืจืฉื, ืืืืดื ืืืืืจื ืืื ืื ืืื ืื ืืขืืฉื ืืคืกืื, ืืืืืจ ืืืจืืดื ืฉืื ื ืชื ื ืืคืืืืื ืืืฉื ืจืง ืืฉืืจื. ืืื ืื ืจืืืง, ืืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืืฃ ืืช ืืื ืฉืืจื ืืคื ืื, ืืืืชืื ืืืืจ (ืืงืื ืฉืดื ื:ืื) ืืืื ืืชื ืืืฉื, ืืื ืืขืงืจ ืืืืจื ืืืืื ื ืืืจืื ื ืืืจืื ืฉืฉืืื ืืขื ืืืฉื ืฉืงืืืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืื ืืคื ืืืื ืื ืงืืฉื ืืืืื ืฉื ืขืืฉืจ ืฉืืืืื ืืืื ืืืืช, ืื ืฉืืื ืืฉื ืฉืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื ืฉืืื ืคืจืืื ืืฉืืื ืืฉื ืฉืืื ื ืฉืืื ืืืื, ืืืื ืืืืง ืืื (ืืงืื ืฉื ืื) ืชื ื ืืช ืืฉืชื ืืช ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืืืื ืขืจืืืช ืคืืฉืชืื, ืืืืดื ืืื ืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืืืืจื, ืื ืืื ืืืชื ืื ืืกื ืขื ืคื ืืืช ืืื ืฉื ืฉืืื ืฉืืขื ืืืื, ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืฉืืืจื ืื ืืช ืืขืื ืื ืฉืืช ืขื ืคื ืืืช ืืื ืฉืื ื ืืกืจื.