ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: I Need a Hero

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

Before we look more closely at Davidโ€™s time in Ziklag, I want to review where we have come from. After David runs from Nob, he finds himself among the Philistines, and then runs to Adulam, where he accumulates his first company:

ื ื•ื™ืœืš ื“ื•ื“ ืžืฉื ื•ื™ืžืœื˜ ืืœ ืžืขืจืช ืขื“ืœื; ื•ื™ืฉืžืขื• ืื—ื™ื• ื•ื›ืœ ื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ื• ื•ื™ืจื“ื• ืืœื™ื• ืฉืžื”ืƒ ื‘ ื•ื™ืชืงื‘ืฆื• ืืœื™ื• ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืžืฆื•ืง ื•ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืืฉืจ ืœื• ื ืฉื ื•ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืžืจ ื ืคืฉ ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืœืฉืจ; ื•ื™ื”ื™ื• ืขืžื• ื›ืืจื‘ืข ืžืื•ืช ืื™ืฉืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื›ื‘

Then he runs to Moab until Gad tells him to return to Israel where he settles in ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”:

ื™ื’ ื•ื™ืงื ื“ื•ื“ ื•ืื ืฉื™ื• ื›ืฉืฉ ืžืื•ืช ืื™ืฉ ื•ื™ืฆืื• ืžืงืขืœื” ื•ื™ืชื”ืœื›ื• ื‘ืืฉืจ ื™ืชื”ืœื›ื•; ื•ืœืฉืื•ืœ ื”ื’ื“ ื›ื™ ื ืžืœื˜ ื“ื•ื“ ืžืงืขื™ืœื” ื•ื™ื—ื“ืœ ืœืฆืืชืƒ ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื‘ืžืฆื“ื•ืช ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ื‘ื”ืจ ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื–ื™ืฃ; ื•ื™ื‘ืงืฉื”ื• ืฉืื•ืœ ื›ืœ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื•ืœื ื ืชื ื• ืืœืงื™ื ื‘ื™ื“ื•ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื›ื’

(Note that the size of his army has somehow increased.)

He then goes back to the Philistines and is installed as a petty king in Ziklag. What happens there?

ื ื•ืืœื” ื”ื‘ืื™ื ืืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœืฆื™ืงืœื’ ืขื•ื“ ืขืฆื•ืจ ืžืคื ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ ื‘ืŸ ืงื™ืฉ; ื•ื”ืžื” ื‘ื’ื‘ื•ืจื™ื ืขื–ืจื™ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื”ืƒ ื‘ ื ืฉืงื™ ืงืฉืช ืžื™ืžื™ื ื™ื ื•ืžืฉืžืืœื™ื ื‘ืื‘ื ื™ื ื•ื‘ื—ืฆื™ื ื‘ืงืฉืช ืžืื—ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ ืžื‘ื ื™ืžืŸืƒ ื’ ื”ืจืืฉ ืื—ื™ืขื–ืจ ื•ื™ื•ืืฉ ื‘ื ื™ ื”ืฉืžืขื” ื”ื’ื‘ืขืชื™ ื•ื™ื–ื•ืืœ (ื•ื™ื–ื™ืืœ) ื•ืคืœื˜ ื‘ื ื™ ืขื–ืžื•ืช; ื•ื‘ืจื›ื” ื•ื™ื”ื•ื ื”ืขื ืชืชื™ืƒ ื“ ื•ื™ืฉืžืขื™ื” ื”ื’ื‘ืขื•ื ื™ ื’ื‘ื•ืจ ื‘ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื•ืขืœ ื”ืฉืœืฉื™ืืƒ ื” ื•ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื•ื™ื—ื–ื™ืืœ ื•ื™ื•ื—ื ืŸ ื•ื™ื•ื–ื‘ื“ ื”ื’ื“ืจืชื™ืƒ

ื• ืืœืขื•ื–ื™ ื•ื™ืจื™ืžื•ืช ื•ื‘ืขืœื™ื” ื•ืฉืžืจื™ื”ื• ื•ืฉืคื˜ื™ื”ื• ื”ื—ืจื™ืคื™ (ื”ื—ืจื•ืคื™)ืƒ ื– ืืœืงื ื” ื•ื™ืฉื™ื”ื• ื•ืขื–ืจืืœ ื•ื™ื•ืขื–ืจ ื•ื™ืฉื‘ืขื ื”ืงืจื—ื™ืืƒ ื— ื•ื™ื•ืขืืœื” ื•ื–ื‘ื“ื™ื” ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืจื—ื ืžืŸ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืจืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ืคืจืง ื™ื‘

He is joined by soldiers from Saulโ€™s own tribe. The fact that they are ambidextrous is significant; being a lefty is evidently a big thing in ื‘ื ื™ืžืŸ:

ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืขื‘ื“ื• ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืืช ืขื’ืœื•ืŸ ืžืœืš ืžื•ืื‘ ืฉืžื•ื ื” ืขืฉืจื” ืฉื ื”ืƒ ื˜ื• ื•ื™ื–ืขืงื• ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืืœ ื”ืณ ื•ื™ืงื ื”ืณ ืœื”ื ืžื•ืฉื™ืข ืืช ืื”ื•ื“ ื‘ืŸ ื’ืจื ื‘ืŸ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื™ ืื™ืฉ ืื˜ืจ ื™ื“ ื™ืžื™ื ื•; ื•ื™ืฉืœื—ื• ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ื™ื“ื• ืžื ื—ื” ืœืขื’ืœื•ืŸ ืžืœืš ืžื•ืื‘ืƒ

ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™ื ืคืจืง ื’

ื˜ื• ื•ื™ืชืคืงื“ื• ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื ื™ืžืŸ ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ืžื”ืขืจื™ื ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฉืฉื” ืืœืฃ ืื™ืฉ ืฉืœืฃ ื—ืจื‘ ืœื‘ื“ ืžื™ืฉื‘ื™ ื”ื’ื‘ืขื” ื”ืชืคืงื“ื• ืฉื‘ืข ืžืื•ืช ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื—ื•ืจืƒ ื˜ื– ืžื›ืœ ื”ืขื ื”ื–ื” ืฉื‘ืข ืžืื•ืช ืื™ืฉ ื‘ื—ื•ืจ ืื˜ืจ ื™ื“ ื™ืžื™ื ื•; ื›ืœ ื–ื” ืงืœืข ื‘ืื‘ืŸ ืืœ ื”ืฉืขืจื” ื•ืœื ื™ื—ื˜ืืƒ

ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™ื ืคืจืง ื›

And the description of Davidโ€™s army goes on:

ื˜ ื•ืžืŸ ื”ื’ื“ื™ ื ื‘ื“ืœื• ืืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœืžืฆื“ ืžื“ื‘ืจื” ื’ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื—ื™ืœ ืื ืฉื™ ืฆื‘ื ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ืขืจื›ื™ ืฆื ื” ื•ืจืžื—; ื•ืคื ื™ ืืจื™ื” ืคื ื™ื”ื ื•ื›ืฆื‘ืื™ื ืขืœ ื”ื”ืจื™ื ืœืžื”ืจืƒ ื™ ืขื–ืจ ื”ืจืืฉ; ืขื‘ื“ื™ื” ื”ืฉื ื™ ืืœื™ืื‘ ื”ืฉืœืฉื™ืƒ ื™ื ืžืฉืžื ื” ื”ืจื‘ื™ืขื™ ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื”ื—ืžืฉื™ืƒ ื™ื‘ ืขืชื™ ื”ืฉืฉื™ ืืœื™ืืœ ื”ืฉื‘ืขื™ืƒ ื™ื’ ื™ื•ื—ื ืŸ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ื™ ืืœื–ื‘ื“ ื”ืชืฉื™ืขื™ืƒ ื™ื“ ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื”ืขืฉื™ืจื™ ืžื›ื‘ื ื™ ืขืฉืชื™ ืขืฉืจืƒ

ื˜ื• ืืœื” ืžื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ ืจืืฉื™ ื”ืฆื‘ื; ืื—ื“ ืœืžืื” ื”ืงื˜ืŸ ื•ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ ืœืืœืฃืƒ ื˜ื– ืืœื” ื”ื ืืฉืจ ืขื‘ืจื• ืืช ื”ื™ืจื“ืŸ ื‘ื—ื“ืฉ ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื•ื”ื•ื ืžืžืœื ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื’ื“ื™ืชื™ื• (ื’ื“ื•ืชื™ื•); ื•ื™ื‘ืจื™ื—ื• ืืช ื›ืœ ื”ืขืžืงื™ื ืœืžื–ืจื— ื•ืœืžืขืจื‘ืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ืคืจืง ื™ื‘

The poetic description of the ื’ื“ื™ is striking for ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื, which is generally a dry listing of chronologies and events. The exceptions are when Ezra is explicitly quoting another source, and I suspect that this pasuk is similar. Describing them as ืคื ื™ ืืจื™ื” ืคื ื™ื”ื ื•ื›ืฆื‘ืื™ื ืขืœ ื”ื”ืจื™ื sounds like Davidโ€™s own words, praising them for their valor. Why them? I assume the ื ืฉืงื™ ืงืฉืช ืžื™ืžื™ื ื™ื ื•ืžืฉืžืืœื™ื by ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื ื™ืžื™ืŸ was meant literally, but that ืคื ื™ ืืจื™ื” is a metaphor, not that they had the leonine facies of Hansenโ€™s disease. Rav Eisemann in Music Made in Heaven explains that ื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ were unique. When we look carefully at the pasuk, it is clear that these ื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ did not come to David in ืฆื™ืงืœื’, like the ืื—ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ that we just mentioned, but much earlier, when he was ืžืฆื“ ืžื“ื‘ืจื”. The initial band of 400 joined David when he was in ืžืขืจืช ืขื“ืœื. They were his family, on the run from Saul, and ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืžืฆื•ืง ื•ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืืฉืจ ืœื• ื ืฉื ื•ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืžืจ ื ืคืฉ. They were with him when he ran to Moab, and returned with him to ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื‘ืžืฆื“ื•ืช.โ€Ž The ื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ crossed the Jordan to join David (who had also just crossed from Moab into Judah). They were the first to run to David, rather than running from danger. Presumably they were the bulk of the 200 who increased Davidโ€™s band to 600. The ื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ were the first to recognize David as the future king. Perhaps that is why the text emphasizes that they came ื‘ื—ื“ืฉ ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ. Rav Eisemann points out that this is the role of ื’ื“ throughout ืชื ืดืš:

ื’ื“ ื’ื“ื•ื“ ื™ื’ื•ื“ื ื•; ื•ื”ื•ื ื™ื’ื“ ืขืงื‘ืƒ

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืžื˜:ื™ื˜

ื’ื“ ื’ื“ื•ื“ ื™ื’ื•ื“ื ื•, ื’ื“ื•ื“ื™ื ื™ื’ื•ื“ื• ื”ื™ืžื ื•, ืฉื™ืขื‘ืจื• ื”ื™ืจื“ืŸ ืขื ืื—ื™ื”ื ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ื›ืœ ื—ืœื•ืฅ ืขื“ ืฉื ื›ื‘ืฉื” ื”ืืจืฅ. ื•ื”ื•ื ื™ื’ื•ื“ ืขืงื‘ , ื›ืœ ื’ื“ื•ื“ื™ื• ื™ืฉื•ื‘ื• ืขืœ ืขืงื‘ื ืœื ื—ืœืชื ืฉืœืงื—ื• ื‘ืขื‘ืจ ื”ื™ืจื“ืŸ, ื•ืœื ื™ืคืงื“ ืžื”ื ืื™ืฉ.

ืจืฉืดื™, ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืฉื

ื›ื” ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื‘ื ื™ ื’ื“ ื•ื‘ื ื™ ืจืื•ื‘ืŸ ืืœ ืžืฉื” ืœืืžืจ; ืขื‘ื“ื™ืš ื™ืขืฉื• ื›ืืฉืจ ืื“ื ื™ ืžืฆื•ื”ืƒ ื›ื• ื˜ืคื ื• ื ืฉื™ื ื• ืžืงื ื ื• ื•ื›ืœ ื‘ื”ืžืชื ื• ื™ื”ื™ื• ืฉื ื‘ืขืจื™ ื”ื’ืœืขื“ืƒ ื›ื– ื•ืขื‘ื“ื™ืš ื™ืขื‘ืจื• ื›ืœ ื—ืœื•ืฅ ืฆื‘ื ืœืคื ื™ ื”ืณ ืœืžืœื—ืžื”; ื›ืืฉืจ ืื“ื ื™ ื“ื‘ืจืƒ

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืคืจืง ืœื‘

Rashi connects the entire blessing to ื’ื“'s role in the conquest of Canaan, but the Midrash sees a reference to our story:

ื’ื“ ื’ื“ื•ื“ ื™ื’ื•ื“ื ื•, ื–ื” ื”ื™ื” ื‘ื™ืžื™ ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข, ื•ื”ื•ื ื™ื’ื•ื“ ืขืงื‘, ืฉื›ืŸ ื›ืชื•ื‘ ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื (ืืณ ื™ื‘:ื) ื•ืืœื” ื”ื‘ืื™ืโ€ฆื•ืžืŸ ื”ื’ื“ื™ ื ื‘ื“ืœื• ืืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœืžืฆื“ ืžื“ื‘ืจื”.

ืžื“ืจืฉ ืœืงื— ื˜ื•ื‘, ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืคืจืฉืช ื•ื™ื—ื™ ืžื˜:ื™ื˜

And Rav Eisemann sees ื’ื“ as the harbringers of the final ื’ืื•ืœื”:

ืืœื™ื”ื• ืžืฉืœ ืžื™?โ€ฆืจืณ ื ื”ื•ืจืื™ ืืžืจ ืžืฉืœ ื’ื“ ื”ื™ื”, ื”ื”ืดื“ (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื ื™ื–) ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื”ื• ื”ืชืฉื‘ื™ ืžืชื•ืฉื‘ื™ ื’ืœืขื“.

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืจื‘ื”, ืคืจืฉืช ื•ื™ืฆื ืคืจืฉื” ืขื:ื˜

And Davidโ€™s army would continue to grow:

ื™ื– ื•ื™ื‘ืื• ืžืŸ ื‘ื ื™ ื‘ื ื™ืžืŸ ื•ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืขื“ ืœืžืฆื“ ืœื“ื•ื™ื“ืƒ ื™ื— ื•ื™ืฆื ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœืคื ื™ื”ื ื•ื™ืขืŸ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืœื”ื ืื ืœืฉืœื•ื ื‘ืืชื ืืœื™ ืœืขื–ืจื ื™ ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœื™ ืขืœื™ื›ื ืœื‘ื‘ ืœื™ื—ื“; ื•ืื ืœืจืžื•ืชื ื™ ืœืฆืจื™ ื‘ืœื ื—ืžืก ื‘ื›ืคื™ ื™ืจื ืืœืงื™ ืื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ื•ื™ื•ื›ื—ืƒ

ื™ื˜ ื•ืจื•ื— ืœื‘ืฉื” ืืช ืขืžืฉื™ ืจืืฉ ื”ืฉืœื•ืฉื™ื (ื”ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ื) ืœืš ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื•ืขืžืš ื‘ืŸ ื™ืฉื™ ืฉืœื•ื ืฉืœื•ื ืœืš ื•ืฉืœื•ื ืœืขื–ืจืš ื›ื™ ืขื–ืจืš ืืœืงื™ืš; ื•ื™ืงื‘ืœื ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืชื ื ื‘ืจืืฉื™ ื”ื’ื“ื•ื“ืƒ

ื› ื•ืžืžื ืฉื” ื ืคืœื• ืขืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื‘ื‘ืื• ืขื ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ืขืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ืœื ืขื–ืจื; ื›ื™ ื‘ืขืฆื” ืฉืœื—ื”ื• ืกืจื ื™ ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ืœืืžืจ ื‘ืจืืฉื™ื ื• ื™ืคื•ืœ ืืœ ืื“ื ื™ื• ืฉืื•ืœืƒ ื›ื ื‘ืœื›ืชื• ืืœ ืฆื™ืงืœื’ ื ืคืœื• ืขืœื™ื• ืžืžื ืฉื” ืขื“ื ื— ื•ื™ื•ื–ื‘ื“ ื•ื™ื“ื™ืขืืœ ื•ืžื™ื›ืืœ ื•ื™ื•ื–ื‘ื“ ื•ืืœื™ื”ื•ื ื•ืฆืœืชื™; ืจืืฉื™ ื”ืืœืคื™ื ืืฉืจ ืœืžื ืฉื”ืƒ ื›ื‘ ื•ื”ืžื” ืขื–ืจื• ืขื ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื’ื“ื•ื“ ื›ื™ ื’ื‘ื•ืจื™ ื—ื™ืœ ื›ืœื; ื•ื™ื”ื™ื• ืฉืจื™ื ื‘ืฆื‘ืืƒ ื›ื’ ื›ื™ ืœืขืช ื™ื•ื ื‘ื™ื•ื ื™ื‘ืื• ืขืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ืœืขื–ืจื• ืขื“ ืœืžื—ื ื” ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื›ืžื—ื ื” ืืœืงื™ืืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื ืคืจืง ื™ื‘

The fact that David was in fact acting as a king, as the ruler of southern Judah, is evident from his division of the spoils when he returns from attacking the Amalekites:

ื›ื• ื•ื™ื‘ื ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ืฆืงืœื’ ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ืžื”ืฉืœืœ ืœื–ืงื ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืœืจืขื”ื• ืœืืžืจ; ื”ื ื” ืœื›ื ื‘ืจื›ื” ืžืฉืœืœ ืื™ื‘ื™

ื”ืณืƒ ื›ื– ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ืืœ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืจืžื•ืช ื ื’ื‘ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ื™ืชืจืƒ ื›ื— ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืขืจืขืจ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืฉืคืžื•ืช ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืืฉืชืžืขืƒ ื›ื˜ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืจื›ืœ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืขืจื™ ื”ื™ืจื—ืžืืœื™ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืขืจื™ ื”ืงื™ื ื™ืƒ ืœ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ื—ืจืžื” ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ื‘ื•ืจ ืขืฉืŸ ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ืขืชืšืƒ ืœื ื•ืœืืฉืจ

ื‘ื—ื‘ืจื•ืŸ; ื•ืœื›ืœ ื”ืžืงืžื•ืช

ืืฉืจ ื”ืชื”ืœืš ืฉื ื“ื•ื“ ื”ื•ื ื•ืื ืฉื™ื•ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ืœ

But the implications of Davidโ€™s kingship are disturbing. If all these great heroesโ€”a ืžื—ื ื” ืืœืงื™ืโ€” are with David, then they are not with Saul and the rest of Israelโ€™s army as they face off against the Philistines. David may plan on helping them, but we know that is not how it works out. How are we to understand Davidโ€™s actions, and ื”ืณ's response? We will have to see, as we move to the end of ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื.