After the episode of Amnon and Tamar, we saw Davidโs reaction, which was: nothing. Now we see Avshalomโs reaction, which was also: nothing:
ืื ืืื ืืืจ ืืืฉืืื ืขื ืืื ืื ืืืจืข ืืขื ืืื; ืื ืฉื ื ืืืฉืืื ืืช ืืื ืื ืขื ืืืจ ืืฉืจ ืขื ื ืืช ืชืืจ ืืืชืื
ืื ืืืื ืืฉื ืชืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืฉืืื ืืืขื ืืฆืืจ ืืฉืจ ืขื ืืคืจืื; ืืืงืจื ืืืฉืืื ืืื ืื ื ืืืืื
But it wasnโt a good nothing. Not fighting could be sign that everything is fine, but it could be a sign that the other party has simply given up. Avshalom told Tamar (ืฉืืืื ื ืื:ื):โ ืึฐืขึทืชึผึธื ืึฒืืึนืชึดื ืึทืึฒืจึดืืฉืึดื ืึธืึดืืึฐ ืืึผื ืึทื ืชึผึธืฉืึดืืชึดื ืึถืช ืึดืึผึตืึฐ ืึทืึผึธืึธืจ ืึทืึผึถื.
12 Signs It Might Be Time to Get a Divorce
[Number one:] You never argue.
Believe it or not, youโre supposed to argue. Silence and avoidance can be detrimental to a relationship. โWhen you just canโt be bothered anymore it means something is missing,โ says relationship expert Dr. Juliana Morris.
While not all fights are productive, itโs healthy to be able to resolve arguments in a way that benefits the marriage, she says: โYou fight for each other. You fight for the relationship. The biggest problem is when thereโs no fight left.โ
The contrast is with Yosefโs brothers (which also did not work out well, but at least they were open about it):
ืืืจืื ืืืื ืื ืืชื ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืื ืืชื; ืืื ืืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืืื
ืืื ืืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืืื: ืืชืื ืื ืืชื ืืืื ื ืฉืืื, ืฉืื ืืืจื ืืืช ืืคื ืืืืช ืืื.
ืืืดื have an interesting view of these two years:
ืื ืืฉ ืื ืืืืช ืชืืื ืื. ืืฉ ืืืืช ืชืืื ืื ืฉื ื ืืืช, ืืืฉ ืืืืช ืชืืื ืื ืืณ ืฉื ืื, ืืืฉ ืืืืช ืชืืื ืื ืืณ ืฉื ืื. ืืืื ืืืจ ืื ืขืืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืช ืืชื ืชืืจื, ืฉืื ืชืฉืชื ืชืืข ืฉืืืืืช ืชืืื ืื. ืจืณ ืืืืขืืจ ืืืืจ ืืืืื ืืช ืืชื ืชืืจื ืืืืื ืชืคืืืช.
ืืฉ ืืืืช ืชืืื ืฉืชื ืฉื ืื: ืืืื ืื (ืฉืืืื ื ืื:ืื) ืืืื ืืฉื ืชืื ืืืื.
ืืื ืืืชื ืฉืชื ืฉื ืื: ืขืกืง ืืื ืื ืืชืืจื ืื ืืืขืชื ืื ืดื. ืืืคืฉืจ ืฉืงืืื ืืืชื ืืืื.
The impression I get is of Amnon โdiscovering religionโ; heโs laying low by staying in the ืืืช ืืืืจืฉ to stay away from his brother. Heโs acting like Yaakov (ืืื ืืขืงื ืืืืช ืขืืจ ืืืืื ืืจืืข ืขืฉืจื ืฉื ื, ืืืืื ืื,ื) but heโs really Esav:
ืืืืื ืืฆืืง ืืช ืขืฉื ืื ืฆืื ืืคืื; ืืจืืงื ืืืืช ืืช ืืขืงืื
โฆืืืืจืฉื, ืืคืื ืฉื ืขืฉื ืฉืืื ืฆื ืืืชื ืืืจืืื ืืืืจืื
Now I want to go back to look at David. What is he doing during these two years? We have a series of four ืชืืืืื,โ 38-41, about Davidโs โillnessโ. Weโve talked about that being a metaphor for his isolation after the sin of Bat Sheva. ืชืืืืื ื specifically is about his recovery from that illness:
ืืื ืฆื ืืืื ืืืืืจ: ืื ืื ืืืืืืจ ืืขื ืื ืฉื ื ืืืืืืจืื ืืงืืืืื ืื, ืืืืจ ืืืชื ืืืกืื ืืืืืึผึถื ืืืจื ืืจืคืื.
When did he feel that he recovered? It might be after he regains his kingdom after the rebellion of Avshalom, but this perek ends on an uncertain note. I would apply it to our time period, after the birth of Shlomo, ืืืืืื, and after the episode of Tamar, when things are โquietโ. David has been punished for his sin, his children have suffered. Natan had told him (ืฉืืืื ื ืื:ื):โ ืื ืชืกืืจ ืืจื ืืืืชื ืขื ืขืืื but maybe ืืณ had forgiven him.
ื ืืื ืฆื ืืืื ืืืืืจื
ื ืงืื ืงืืืชื ืืณ; ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืืข ืฉืืขืชืื
ื ืืืขืื ื ืืืืจ ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืื;
ืืืงื ืขื ืกืืข ืจืืื; ืืื ื ืืฉืจืื
ืืืื ืืืื: ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืืืง ืืฉืจ ืื ืืคื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืขืืืช ืืื ื, ืืื ืืืช ืืื ืื ืืงืื ืืช ืจืืื ืขื ืกืืข ืืืืฆืจ, ืืงืื ืฉืื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืข ืฉืื.
ืืณ has rescued David from a quagmire, a situation with no possible way out. Davidโs response it to write ืชืืืืื:
ื ืืืชื ืืคื ืฉืืจ ืืืฉ ืชืืื ืืืืงืื ื;
ืืจืื ืจืืื ืืืืจืื; ืืืืืื ืืืณื
ื ืืฉืจื ืืืืจ ืืฉืจ ืฉื ืืณ ืืืืื;
ืืื ืคื ื ืื ืจืืืื ืืฉืื ืืืื
ื ืจืืืช ืขืฉืืช ืืชื ืืณ ืืืงื
ื ืคืืืชืื ืืืืฉืืชืื ืืืื ื;
ืืื ืขืจื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืจื; ืขืฆืื ืืกืคืจื
ืคืจืืฉ ืืืชื: ืฉืืขืืจื ื ืืฉืืจ ืฉืืฆื ืืคื ืฉืืจ ืืืจืื ืืืืื ืืขื ืื ืจืื ืืงืืฉ. ืืืขื ืืืฉ: ืืืืืืข ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืืฉ ืฉืืจ ืืชืืื ืขื ืื ื ืก ืื ืก ืฉืขืืฉื ืืืืงืื ืขืื.
ืฉืืื ืฉืืื ื ืฉืืจื ืื ืืชืื ืขืฆืืืช.
David is saying that the proof that I am saved is the fact that I can create psalms, and the way I was saved was by having faith in ืืณ alone. I was right in ืชืืืืื ืื (which we would have to read as reflecting Davidโs mindset when he was ill):
ืื ืืืชื ืืณ ืื ื ื ืืืงืืื ื; ืืืฉืืื ืืืื
ืื ืืืืช ืืืขืชื ืื ืืคืฆืช ืื; ืื ืื ืืจืืข ืืืื ืขืืื
ืื ืืื ื ืืชืื ืชืืืช ืื; ืืชืฆืืื ื ืืคื ืื ืืขืืืื
And then he continues to explain what it is that ืืงืืดื wants from us:
ืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืืคืฆืช ืืื ืื ืืจืืช ืื;
ืขืืื ืืืืื ืื ืฉืืืชื
That was his response was he first acknowledged his sin with Bat Sheva:
ื ืืื ืฆื ืืืืืจ ืืืืื
ื ืืืื ืืืื ื ืชื ืื ืืื ืืืฉืจ ืื ืื ืืช ืฉืืขื
โฆืื ืืื ึพื ืฉืคืชื ืชืคืชื; ืืคื ืืืื ืชืืืชืื
ืื ืื ืื ืชืืคืฅ ืืื ืืืชื ื; ืขืืื ืื ืชืจืฆืื
ืื ืืืื ืืืงืื ืจืื ื ืฉืืจื;
ืื ื ืฉืืจ ืื ืืื ืืืงืื ืื ืชืืืื
We ahve a series of ืชืืืืื that I think reflect a sense that itโs not all about building the ืืืช ืืืงืืฉ. Itโs about our relationship with ืืณ. When the things are more important than the ืจืื ื ืฉืืจื, then everything falls apart.
ืืื ืื ืืื, ืืฉืืื ืชืงืืชื ืฉืงืืืชื ืืื ืจืฆื ืื ืขืืืืช ืืื ืฉืืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืงืืืื. ืืืจื ืื: ืื ืืื ืื ื ืืืืขืื ืฉืขืฉื ืขืื ืื? ืืืจ ืืื: ืื ืืฉืืจื ืฉืื ื ืืืืจ ืืชื ืืืืขืื, ืฉื ืืืจ ืืืชื ืืคื ืฉืืจ ืืืฉ ืชืืื ืืืืงืื ื. ืืื ืื ืืฉืืจืืช ืืฉื ืืช ืื? ืืืจ ืืื: ืืืจ ืืืืชื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืฉืืช ืืืขืื ื, ืืืจืชื ืื: ืื ืืืจ ืืขืืืชื ื ืชื ืื ืจืื ืืงืืืฉ, ืืื ืืื ืืืืจ (ืชืืืื ื ื:ืื): ืึธืฉืึดืืึธื ืึผึดื ืฉืึฐืฉืืึนื ืึดืฉืึฐืขึถืึธ; ืึฐืจืึผืึท ื ึฐืึดืืึธื ืชึดืกึฐืึฐืึตื ึดื, ืืืื ืฉื ืกืชืืงื ืืื ื ืจืื ืืงืืืฉ, ืืืจ ืื: ืชืืื ืื ื ื ืืชื ืื ืจืืื, ืืื ื ืืืจ ืฉืืจ ืืืฉ.
ื ืื ืืืจืชื ืื ื ืืืชื; ืืืืืช ืกืคืจ ืืชืื ืขืืื
ื ืืขืฉืืช ืจืฆืื ื ืืืงื ืืคืฆืชื; ืืชืืจืชื ืืชืื ืืขืื
ื ืืฉืจืชื ืฆืืง ืืงืื ืจื ืื ื ืฉืคืชื ืื ืืืื;
ืืณ ืืชื ืืืขืชื
ืื ืฆืืงืชื ืื ืืกืืชื ืืชืื ืืื ืืืื ืชื ืืชืฉืืขืชื ืืืจืชื;
ืื ืืืืชื ืืกืื ืืืืชื ืืงืื ืจืื
What does it mean, ืืืืืช ืกืคืจ ืืชืื ืขืื? The midrash says it refers to the ืกืคืจ ืืืืื: David is alive, and is part of the chain of human history:
ืื ืกืคืจ ืชืืืืช ืืื; ืืืื ืืจื ืืืงืื ืืื ืืืืืช ืืืงืื ืขืฉื ืืชืื
ืื ืขืืื ืืืืจ: โืื ืกืคืจ ืชืืืืืช ืืืโโืื ืืื ืืืื ืืชืืจื.
ืจืณ ืขืงืืื ืืืืจ: โืืืืืช ืืจืขื ืืืืโโืื ืืื ืืืื ืืชืืจื.
ืื ืกืคืจ ืชืืืืืช ืืื: ืืขืืืจ ืืคื ืื ืื ืืืืจืืช; ืืจืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืงืืงืื ืื ืืณ ืฉืขืืช. ืืืจ ืืคื ืื: ืจืืื ื ืฉื ืขืืื! ืื ืชืื ืชืงื ื ืืื? ืืืจ: ืื ืขืืชื ืืืืฉืื ืืคื ื. ืืดื: ืืื ืฉื ื ืืื? ืืดื: ืืืฃ ืฉื ืื. ืืดื: ืืฉ ืืชื ื ืืจืงืืข?
ืืดื: ืื. ืืดื: ืขืณ ืฉื ืื ืืฉื ืืชื ืืืื ืืืื ืื. ืื ืขืฉื? ืืื ืืืื ืืช ืืฉืืจ ืืืชื ืขืืื ืฉืืจ ืืชื ื ืืืชื ืขืืื ืืงืืดื ืืืืืจืื ืืืื. ืืืจ ืืื: ืจืืื ื ืฉื ืขืืื! ืืคืืืช ืื ืืืืืช ืืืืืจืืช ืืืื ื ืชืื ืืช ืื ืืืชื ื ืขืณ ืฉื ื ืฉืืืื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืืคื ืื. ืืื ืฉืืืจ ืืืชืื โืื ื ืืืชื ืืืืืช ืกืคืจ ืืชืื ืขืืโ.
David says, I have a role in history. My legacy will endure: ืกืคืจ ืชืืืืื, not the ืืืช ืืืงืืฉ, is my legacy: ืืกืื ืืืืชื ืืงืื ืจื.
And then we have the volta: life isnโt perfect; I still have trouble facing me:
ืื ืืชื ืืณ ืื ืชืืื ืจืืืื ืืื ื;
ืืกืื ืืืืชื ืชืืื ืืฆืจืื ืื
ืื ืื ืืคืคื ืขืื ืจืขืืช ืขื ืืื ืืกืคืจ
ืืฉืืืื ื ืขืื ืชื ืืื ืืืืชื ืืจืืืช;
ืขืฆืื ืืฉืขืจืืช ืจืืฉื ืืืื ืขืืื ืื
ืื ืจืฆื ืืณ ืืืฆืืื ื; ืืณ ืืขืืจืชื ืืืฉืื
ืขืฆืื ืืฉืขืจืืช ืจืืฉื is ambiguous: is it referring to the ืจืขืืช that have befallen me, or my own ืขืื ืชื? The answer, of course, is โyesโ. Either way, I need to be saved.
ืื ืืืฉื ืืืืคืจื ืืื ืืืงืฉื ื ืคืฉื ืืกืคืืชื;
ืืกืื ืืืืจ ืืืืืื ืืคืฆื ืจืขืชืื
ืื ืึธืฉืึนืึผืึผ ืขื ืขืงื ืืฉืชื ืืืืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืื
ืื ืืฉืืฉื ืืืฉืืื ืื ืื ืืืงืฉืื;
ืืืืจื ืชืืื ืืืื ืืณ ืืืื ืชืฉืืขืชืื
ืื ืืื ื ืขื ื ืืืืืื ืืื ึพื ืืืฉื ืื;
ืขืืจืชื ืืืคืืื ืืชื; ืืืงื ืื ืชืืืจื
Here David sums up his response to his misfortune: ืืณ should pay back his enemies. They crushed him with their ืขืงื:
ืื ืืืฉ ืฉืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืืชื ืื ืืืื ืืืื;
ืืืืื ืขืื ืขืงืื
So he asks that they taste the ืขืงื ืืฉืชื. But the Alshich points out that he is not asking for revenge; heโs asking for redemption, for himself and his enemies:
ืืขื ืื ื ืืื ืืืืืืื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืืช ืืืคื ืฉืื ื ืืืงืฉ ืฉืื ืชืืจืื, ืืื ืฉืืื ื ืืืงืฉ ืจืง ืฉืืกืืื ืืืืจ ืืืฉืจ ืืงืฉื ืืขืฉืืช, ืืืืืื ืืจืืืชื ืื ืืชื ืขืืืโฆืืืช ืืืชื ืืฉืืื ืืืืืจื ืืดื (ืืจืืืช ืื,ื) ืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืืืช ืืืืืฆืช ืฉืืืื ืฉืืืจ ืื ืืืจ ืืชื ืืื ืื ืขืื? ืืคื ื ืฉืืืฉ ืื ืืื ืขื ืขืื ื ืื ืฉืืืจ ืื ืืืืืืืช ืื ืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืจ ืื ืืืืจืื ืืชืืืื, ืื ืืืฉ ืืืืืืืจื ืขื ืืืจืื ืืช ืืืืฉื ืืืจืื ืืชืืืื. ืขื ืืจื ืื ืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืืคืืฅ ืืืืช ืจืืืคื ืืืืืื ืื ืื ืืฉืืื ืืืจืื ืืืืื ืฉืืกืืื ืืืืจ ืืขืฉืืช ืืจืข ืืืืืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืขืฉืืช.
And it is this ability to pray for the redemption of his enemies that will allow him to come through the disasters that will follow in the next ืคืจืงืื of ืฉืืืื ื.