ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: Share and Share Alike

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

ื›ื ื•ื™ื‘ื ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ืžืืชื™ื ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ืืฉืจ ืคื’ืจื• ืžืœื›ืช ืื—ืจื™ ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ืฉื™ื‘ื ื‘ื ื—ืœ ื”ื‘ืฉื•ืจ ื•ื™ืฆืื• ืœืงืจืืช ื“ื•ื“ ื•ืœืงืจืืช ื”ืขื ืืฉืจ ืืชื•; ื•ื™ื’ืฉ ื“ื•ื“ ืืช ื”ืขื ื•ื™ืฉืืœ ืœื”ื ืœืฉืœื•ืืƒ

ื›ื‘ ื•ื™ืขืŸ ื›ืœ ืื™ืฉ ืจืข ื•ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ ืžื”ืื ืฉื™ื ืืฉืจ ื”ืœื›ื• ืขื ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ืืžืจื• ื™ืขืŸ ืืฉืจ ืœื ื”ืœื›ื• ืขืžื™ ืœื ื ืชืŸ ืœื”ื ืžื”ืฉืœืœ ืืฉืจ ื”ืฆืœื ื•; ื›ื™ ืื ืื™ืฉ ืืช ืืฉืชื• ื•ืืช ื‘ื ื™ื• ื•ื™ื ื”ื’ื• ื•ื™ืœื›ื•ืƒ

ื›ื’ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื“ื•ื“ ืœื ืชืขืฉื• ื›ืŸ ืื—ื™; ืืช ืืฉืจ ื ืชืŸ ื”ืณ ืœื ื• ื•ื™ืฉืžืจ ืืชื ื• ื•ื™ืชืŸ ืืช ื”ื’ื“ื•ื“ ื”ื‘ื ืขืœื™ื ื• ื‘ื™ื“ื ื•ืƒ ื›ื“ ื•ืžื™ ื™ืฉืžืข ืœื›ื ืœื“ื‘ืจ ื”ื–ื”; ื›ื™ ื›ื—ืœืง ื”ื™ืจื“ ื‘ืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ื›ื—ืœืง ื”ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื›ืœื™ื ื™ื—ื“ื• ื™ื—ืœืงื•ืƒ

ื›ื” ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืžื”ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื•ืžืขืœื”; ื•ื™ืฉืžื” ืœื—ืง ื•ืœืžืฉืคื˜ ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขื“ ื”ื™ื•ื ื”ื–ื”ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ืœ

We see, as we did from the previous paragraph, the difference between David and his men. His men, (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืœ:ื•)โ€Ž ืžืจื” ื ืคืฉ ื›ืœ ื”ืขื, blamed David and threatened to stone him. However, ื•ื™ืชื—ื–ืง ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ื”ืณ ืืœืงื™ื•. Here, they are (at least some of them) are ืื™ืฉ ืจืข ื•ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ. The word ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ, โ€wanton, uncontrolledโ€œ, often has a very negative meaning (the people of ื’ื‘ืขื” in the incident of the ืคื™ืœื’ืฉ ื‘ื’ื‘ืขื” are called (ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™ื ื™ื˜:ื›ื‘)โ€Ž ื‘ื ื™-ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ), but sometimes has the sense of selfish, niggardly:

ื”ืฉืžืจ ืœืš ืคืŸ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื“ื‘ืจ ืขื ืœื‘ื‘ืš ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ ืœืืžืจ ืงืจื‘ื” ืฉื ืช ื”ืฉื‘ืข ืฉื ืช ื”ืฉืžื˜ื” ื•ืจืขื” ืขื™ื ืš ื‘ืื—ื™ืš ื”ืื‘ื™ื•ืŸ ื•ืœื ืชืชืŸ ืœื•; ื•ืงืจื ืขืœื™ืš ืืœ ื”ืณ ื•ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืš ื—ื˜ืืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื˜ื•:ื˜

So too here. Davidโ€™s men do no recognize that everything they have is a gift from ื”ืณ, where David does: ืืฉืจ ื ืชืŸ ื”ืณ ืœื ื•.

This idea, that the spoils of war should be split evenly between the soldiers and those on the home front, goes back to Avraham:

ื›ื ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืžืœืš ืกื“ื ืืœ ืื‘ืจื; ืชืŸ ืœื™ ื”ื ืคืฉ ื•ื”ืจื›ืฉ ืงื— ืœืšืƒ ื›ื‘ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืื‘ืจื ืืœ ืžืœืš ืกื“ื; ื”ืจืžืชื™ ื™ื“ื™ ืืœ ื”ืณ ืืœ ืขืœื™ื•ืŸ ืงื ื” ืฉืžื™ื ื•ืืจืฅืƒ ื›ื’ ืื ืžื—ื•ื˜ ื•ืขื“ ืฉืจื•ืš ื ืขืœ ื•ืื ืืงื— ืžื›ืœ ืืฉืจ ืœืš; ื•ืœื ืชืืžืจ ืื ื™ ื”ืขืฉืจืชื™ ืืช ืื‘ืจืืƒ ื›ื“ ื‘ืœืขื“ื™ ืจืง ืืฉืจ ืื›ืœื• ื”ื ืขืจื™ื ื•ื—ืœืง ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ืืฉืจ ื”ืœื›ื• ืืชื™; ืขื ืจ ืืฉื›ืœ ื•ืžืžืจื ื”ื ื™ืงื—ื• ื—ืœืงืืƒ

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืคืจืง ื™ื“

ืขื‘ื“ื™ ืืฉืจ ื”ืœื›ื• ืืชื™, ื•ืขื•ื“ ืขื ืจ ืืฉื›ื•ืœ ื•ืžืžืจื ื•ื’ื•ืณ. ื•ืืฃ ืขืœ ืคื™ ืฉืขื‘ื“ื™ ื ื›ื ืกื• ืœืžืœื—ืžื”, ืฉื ืืžืจ ืœืขื™ืœ (ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ื•) ื”ื•ื ื•ืขื‘ื“ื™ื• ื•ื™ื›ื, ื•ืขื ืจ ื•ื—ื‘ืจื™ื• ื™ืฉื‘ื• ืขืœ ื”ื›ืœื™ื ืœืฉืžื•ืจ, ืืคื™ืœื• ื”ื›ื™ ื”ื ื™ืงื—ื• ื—ืœืงื. ื•ืžืžื ื• ืœืžื“ ื“ื•ื“ ืฉืืžืจ (ืฉืดื ืœ:ื›ื“) ื›ื—ืœืง ื”ื™ื•ืจื“ ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ื›ื—ืœืง ื”ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื›ืœื™ื ื™ื—ื“ื™ื• ื™ื—ืœื•ืงื•. ื•ืœื›ืš ื ืืžืจ (ืฉื ืคืกื•ืง ื›ื”) ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืžื”ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื•ืžืขืœื” ื•ื™ืฉื™ืžื” ืœื—ื•ืง ื•ืœืžืฉืคื˜, ื•ืœื ื ืืžืจ ื•ื”ืœืื” ืœืคื™ ืฉื›ื‘ืจ ื ื™ืชืŸ ื”ื—ื•ืง ื‘ื™ืžื™ ืื‘ืจื”ื.

ืจืฉืดื™, ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื™ื“:ื›ื“, ื“ืดื” ื”ื ืขืจื™ื

And we see it later as a direct command to ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ:

ื ื•ื™ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ืณ ืืœ ืžืฉื” ืœืืžืจืƒ ื‘ ื ืงื ื ืงืžืช ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืืช ื”ืžื“ื™ื ื™ื; ืื—ืจ ืชืืกืฃ ืืœ ืขืžื™ืšืƒ ื’ ื•ื™ื“ื‘ืจ ืžืฉื” ืืœ ื”ืขื ืœืืžืจ ื”ื—ืœืฆื• ืžืืชื›ื ืื ืฉื™ื ืœืฆื‘ื; ื•ื™ื”ื™ื• ืขืœ ืžื“ื™ืŸ ืœืชืช ื ืงืžืช ื”ืณ ื‘ืžื“ื™ืŸืƒ ื“ ืืœืฃ ืœืžื˜ื” ืืœืฃ ืœืžื˜ื” ืœื›ืœ ืžื˜ื•ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืชืฉืœื—ื• ืœืฆื‘ืืƒ ื” ื•ื™ืžืกืจื• ืžืืœืคื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืืœืฃ ืœืžื˜ื” ืฉื ื™ื ืขืฉืจ ืืœืฃ ื—ืœื•ืฆื™ ืฆื‘ืืƒ

โ€ฆ

ื›ื” ื•ื™ืืžืจ ื”ืณ ืืœ ืžืฉื” ืœืืžืจืƒ ื›ื• ืฉื ืืช ืจืืฉ ืžืœืงื•ื— ื”ืฉื‘ื™ ื‘ืื“ื ื•ื‘ื‘ื”ืžื” ืืชื” ื•ืืœืขื–ืจ ื”ื›ื”ืŸ ื•ืจืืฉื™ ืื‘ื•ืช ื”ืขื“ื”ืƒ ื›ื– ื•ื—ืฆื™ืช ืืช ื”ืžืœืงื•ื— ื‘ื™ืŸ ืชืคืฉื™ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ื”ื™ืฆืื™ื ืœืฆื‘ื ื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ืขื“ื”ืƒ

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืคืจืง ืœื

The Malbim explains whatDavid did differently, and what it means to be a ื—ืง ื•ืžืฉืคื˜:

ืžืฉืžืข ืฉื—ืง ื–ื” ืœื ื”ื™ื” ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ืขืžื™ื, ื•ื›ืŸ ื‘ื™ืŸ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืœื ื”ืชืคืฉื˜ ืขื“ ื”ื ื”, ื•ืžื“ื•ืข ืงื‘ืข ื“ื•ื“ ื”ื—ืง ื”ื–ื”? ืจืฆื” ืœื•ืžืจ ื›ื™ ื”ื ื™ืžื•ืก ืฉื—ื•ืงืงื™ื ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ืขืžื™ื ืืฉืจ ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ื˜ืขื ื ืงืจื ื—ืง, ื•ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื™ืฉ ืœื•ืžืจ ื˜ืขื ืฉื›ืœื™ ื ืงืจื ืžืฉืคื˜, ื•ื”ื ื” ืชืงื ื” ื–ืืช ืฉื”ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื›ืœื™ื ื™ืงื— ื—ืœืง ื‘ืฉื•ื” ืขื ื”ื”ื•ืœืš ืœืžืœื—ืžื”, ื”ื•ื ืœืคื™ ืฉื˜ื—ื™ื•ืชื• ื—ืง ืœื ืžืฉืคื˜, ืื—ืจ ืฉื”ื•ื ื ืขื“ืจ ื”ื˜ืขื, ืื•ืœื ื“ื•ื“ ืฉื‘ืืจ ื˜ืขืžื• ืฉืœ ื–ื” ื”ื—ื•ืง, ืฉื™ืกื•ื“ื• ื‘ื ื•ื™ ืขืœ ืžื” ืฉืžืœื—ืžืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื ืฆื—ื•ื ื ืื™ื ื• ืขืดื™ ื›ื—ื ื•ื’ื‘ื•ืจืชื ืจืง ืขืดื™ ื–ื›ื•ืชื ื‘ื”ืฉื’ื—ืช ื”ืณ ื”ืœื•ื—ื ื‘ืขื“ื, ืขื“ ืฉื›ืคื™ ื–ื” ืื™ืŸ ื”ื‘ื“ืœ ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ืœื•ื—ื ื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ื™ื•ืฉื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื›ืœื™ื ื•ืžืชืคืœืœ, ื”ื•ื ืฉื ื–ื” ืœืžืฉืคื˜ ื’ื ื›ืŸ ื‘ื™ืฉืจืืœ, ืฉืืฆืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื”ื•ื ืžืฉืคื˜ ืฉื›ืœื™ ืœื ื—ืง ืœื‘ื“.

ืžืœื‘ื™ื, ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืœ:ื›ื”

Note what the Malbim is doing here. He is redefining our usual understanding of ื—ืง and ืžืฉืคื˜. The idea of sharing the spoils with those who remained behind had always been a good thing, but as an ethical principle (Malbimโ€™s translation of ื—ืง as ื ื™ืžื•ืก, nomos). A ืžืฉืคื˜ has a practical benefit. David established this ืชืงื ื” as a necessary part of the way he would do battle. There had to be those who remained behind to pray, and their role was as important as the soldiers themselves.

And the Midrash actually sees a hint to this idea in ื”ืณ's commandment about the war with Midyan:

ืืœืฃ ืœืžื˜ื” ื•ื’ื•ืณ: ื™ืดื: ืฉื ื™ ืืœืคื™ื ืžื›ืœ ืฉื‘ื˜ ื•ืฉื‘ื˜ ืฉืœื—. ื•ื™ืดื: ื’ืณ ืืœืคื™ื ืžื›ืœ ืฉื‘ื˜ ื•ืฉื‘ื˜. ื™ืดื‘ ืืœืฃ ืžืฉืžืจื™ื ืืช ื›ืœื™ื”ืโ€ฆื•ื™ืดื‘ ืืœืฃ ืœืชืคืœื”.

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืจื‘ื” ื›ื‘:ื’

If I may push a textual parallel further than it should go, this may be part of the symbolism of the 400 Amelekites who run away from this battle. Davidโ€™s 400 men has, throughout the text, highlighted the connection between David and Esav. Both are ืื“ืžื•ื ื™, both are appeased with a gift called a ื‘ืจื›ื”, both use(or are attributed) the phrase ืœืžื™ ืืชื”. David has the opportunity to become another ืื“ื•ื, a bandit kingdom preying on the caravans to and from Egypt. But here he decides to be a king in a ืžืœื›ื•ืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ. The textual parallels disappear at this point. His men will now be called ื”ื’ื‘ืจื™ื ืืฉืจ ืœื“ื•ื“, not ืืจื‘ืข ืžืื•ืช ืื™ืฉ. The curse of Esav has run away.

Song of the City

In the formatting of the Alleppo Codex:

ื›ื• ื•ื™ื‘ื ื“ื•ื“ ืื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

The structure of the paragraph reminds us of other places in ืชื ืดืš:

ื• ื•ื‘ืฉื•ืฉืŸ ื”ื‘ื™ืจื” ื”ืจื’ื• ื”ื™ื”ื•ื“ื™ื ื•ืื‘ื“ ื—ืžืฉ ืžืื•ืช

ืื™ืฉืƒ ื– ื•ืืช

ืคืจืฉื ื“ืชื ื•ืืช

ื“ืœืคื•ืŸ ื•ืืช

ืืกืคืชืืƒ ื— ื•ืืช

ืคื•ืจืชื ื•ืืช

ืื“ืœื™ื ื•ืืช

ืืจื™ื“ืชืืƒ ื˜ ื•ืืช

ืคืจืžืฉืชื ื•ืืช

ืืจื™ืกื™ ื•ืืช

ืืจื™ื“ื™ ื•ืืช

ื•ื™ื–ืชืืƒ ื™ ืขืฉืจืช

ื‘ื ื™ ื”ืžืŸ ื‘ืŸ ื”ืžื“ืชื ืฆืจืจ ื”ื™ื”ื•ื“ื™ื ื”ืจื’ื•; ื•ื‘ื‘ื–ื” ืœื ืฉืœื—ื• ืืช ื™ื“ืืƒ

ืืกืชืจ ืคืจืง ื˜

And most relevantly, the list of Canaanite kings conquered by Joshua:

ื– ื•ืืœื” ืžืœื›ื™ ื”ืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ื”ื›ื” ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื•ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ืขื‘ืจ ื”ื™ืจื“ืŸ ื™ืžื” ืžื‘ืขืœ ื’ื“ ื‘ื‘ืงืขืช ื”ืœื‘ื ื•ืŸ ื•ืขื“ ื”ื”ืจ ื”ื—ืœืง ื”ืขืœื” ืฉืขื™ืจื”; ื•ื™ืชื ื” ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ืœืฉื‘ื˜ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื™ืจืฉื” ื›ืžื—ืœืงืชืืƒ ื— ื‘ื”ืจ ื•ื‘ืฉืคืœื” ื•ื‘ืขืจื‘ื” ื•ื‘ืืฉื“ื•ืช ื•ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื•ื‘ื ื’ื‘ ื”ื—ืชื™ ื”ืืžืจื™ ื•ื”ื›ื ืขื ื™ ื”ืคืจื–ื™ ื”ื—ื•ื™ ื•ื”ื™ื‘ื•ืกื™ืƒ

ื˜ ืžืœืš ื™ืจื™ื—ื• ืื—ื“;

ืžืœืš ื”ืขื™ ืืฉืจ ืžืฆื“ ื‘ื™ืช ืืœ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ ืžืœืš ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื—ื‘ืจื•ืŸ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื ืžืœืš ื™ืจืžื•ืช ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืœื›ื™ืฉ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื‘ ืžืœืš ืขื’ืœื•ืŸ ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื’ื–ืจ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื’ ืžืœืš ื“ื‘ืจ ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื’ื“ืจ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื“ ืžืœืš ื—ืจืžื” ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืขืจื“ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื˜ื• ืžืœืš ืœื‘ื ื” ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืขื“ืœื ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื˜ื– ืžืœืš ืžืงื“ื” ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื‘ื™ืช ืืœ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื– ืžืœืš ืชืคื•ื— ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื—ืคืจ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื— ืžืœืš ืืคืง ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืœืฉืจื•ืŸ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื˜ ืžืœืš ืžื“ื•ืŸ ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื—ืฆื•ืจ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื› ืžืœืš ืฉืžืจื•ืŸ ืžืจืื•ืŸ ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืื›ืฉืฃ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื›ื ืžืœืš ืชืขื ืš ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ืžื’ื“ื• ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื›ื‘ ืžืœืš ืงื“ืฉ ืื—ื“

ืžืœืš ื™ืงื ืขื ืœื›ืจืžืœ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื›ื’ ืžืœืš ื“ื•ืจ ืœื ืคืช ื“ื•ืจ ืื—ื“;

ืžืœืš ื’ื•ื™ื ืœื’ืœื’ืœ ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื›ื“ ืžืœืš ืชืจืฆื” ืื—ื“;

ื›ืœ ืžืœื›ื™ื ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื•ืื—ื“ืƒ

ื™ื”ื•ืฉื•ืข ืคืจืง ื™ื‘

Our text is a ืฉื™ืจื” as well, a song of victory. Not a military conquest, but a political victory. David is an enemy of the state, a known rebel and vassal of the Philistines. To accept money from him would be like accepting a donation from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. These cities were declaring their loyalty to David and in effect seceding for Saulโ€™s kingdom.

The ื ื‘ื™ื will not focus on Saulโ€™s last days. The next time we see David, he is crowned king of Judah. This doesnโ€™t come out of the blue; the loyalty of the people is evident here as well.