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Going back to the aftermath of the death of Shaul and Yonatan on Mt. Gilboa, Avner, Shaul’s cousin, and Ish Boshet, Shaul’s weak son, were both killed. What was left of the family was Yonatan’s son M’fiboshet. M’fiboshet could have represented the children of Rachel in a supportive role for David, the descendant of Leah.
Let us remember who M’fiboshet was. When word came back that Shaul and Yonatan had fallen in battle, M’fiboshet’s nanny fled in panic with him, and in the process M’fiboshet fell and was crippled (Shmuel II, 4:4). M’fiboshet was hidden east of the Jordan to protect him from the Plishtim and perhaps, unnecessarily, from David. Actually, when David removed the threat of the Plishtim and entered Yerushalayim, he tried to ascertain what happened to the remnants of Yonatan’s family, and he looked to return the favor of Yonatan’s kindness (ibid. 9:1).
With this in mind, David met with Tziva, the custodian of Shaul’s estate. David asked him who from the family was left to whom David could be kind (ibid. 3). However, Tziva wanted to maintain control of the estate and therefore used two pieces of negative characterization to keep M’fiboshet from getting close to David. He stressed that M’fiboshet was crippled, implying that he was incapable of being a partner in David’s leadership, as the cornerstone of a leader is to be able to lead men into battle. (We note that even in 20th century America, President Roosevelt went to great lengths to hide his physical disability.)
The second thing is that Tziva said that M’fiboshet was in "Lo Davar." The gemara (Shabbat 56a) says that Tziva was playing a word game to convince David that there was nothing redeeming about M’fiboshet. Tziva continued with various lies about M’fiboshet’s alleged disloyalty, until finally David concluded that M’fiboshet and Tziva would split the estate (ibid. 19:30). Hashem saw this acceptance of lashon hara about M’fiboshet as a betrayal on the part of David. The gemara tells that at the moment that David decreed that Shaul’s estate would be divided, a heavenly voice announced that Rachavam (David’s grandson) and Yeravam would split the Kingdom of Israel. This lashon hara, thus concluded the gemara, caused a diminished kingdom and eventually our exile from the Land.
Indeed, the result of disunity is exile and destruction. We should remember that!
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
