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Beit Midrash
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King Shaul, descending from Rachel’s Tribe of Binyamin, invested enormous efforts to prevent partnership in rule with David of Yehuda (from Leah). Shaul saw David’s presence as an existential threat, whereas his son Yonatan was prepared to concede primary rule to David and act as his assistant. Shaul also acted to prevent David’s marriage with his daughter Michal and to kill him. The attempt failed because Michal lowered David "through the window" (Shmuel I 19:12), a term we will return to. Shaul reacted extremely harshly – giving Michal to Palti ben Layish as a wife.
David’s response served as defiance toward Shaul – he married two additional women, thus declaring that he was fully alive and that his daughter now had rivals. Yet David’s wound did not heal. Years later, after Avner, army chief of Shaul’s son Ish-Boshet, turned away from his king, David made a covenant with Avner and promised to appoint him as his deputy, but David demanded that Avner bring Michal back to him.
Thus, hope for the creation of a partnership between Rachel and Leah was restored, with David, from Leah, as king and, from Binyamin, Michal as queen and Avner as deputy. The plan utterly failed because Yoav, David’s general, had Avner killed with the claim that his intentions were impure and that Avner would try to seize the kingship. This extinguished the light of unity.
The remaining chance to achieve unity depended on rehabilitating David and Michal’s relationship and producing a shared descendant with integrative lineage. While Michal returned to David’s house with joy, there were thorns in their side – David’s other wives: Avigail, Achinoam, Ma‘acha, Chagit, and Avital. Michal claimed that she alone was David’s true wife, while all the others were, at most, maidservants. The other women did not concede, and each sought to push her firstborn son to the status of heir apparent.
The ceremony of bringing the ark to Jerusalem brought the dispute to the surface with full force. Michal claimed that only she was meant to stand at David’s side, and David apparently did not agree. Michal boycotted the ceremony, remained at home, and stationed herself "at the window" (Shmuel II 6:16). In this way she demonstrated her resentment and reminded him of her rights as his first wife, the loving one, the king’s daughter who had saved his life. The long separation apparently exacted a heavy price; the relationship was not rehabilitated. The navi concludes that Michal, daughter of Shaul, had no child until the day of her death (ibid. 6:22-23).
Rabbis in Midrash
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Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
