Avshalom and David's Concubines

Found 4 Search results

  1. Chushai and Achitofel

    Chapter 16 (II)

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    Hushai ha-Erki was sent to Avshalom in order to prevent Ahitofel’s plan. What means did Hushai use? Why did Ahitofel tell Avshalom to sleep with his father’s mistresses? And why was Hushai silent, instead of negating Ahitofel’s advice?

  2. Generating Stability

    Rabbi Alex Israel

    The first half of chapter 2 articulates David's final will and testament to Shlomo, and the second describes how Shlomo acts to secure his position as king.

    While David stresses the importance of keeping the Torah, the bulk of David's message relates to potential threats to Shlomo's ability to govern. David knows that once he has left the scene, political forces will be unleashed, factions that have remained concealed due to David's presence and authority. Interest groups will move quickly to maneuver or even unseat the young, fledgling king and Shlomo proves to know how to respond with wisdom.

  3. The Sins of Biblical Figures

    Part 2

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    Two fundamental approaches exist regarding three incidents involving Avraham: one maintains that the plain reading of the text suggests that the acts in question were wrong – perhaps even serious sins – and are recorded with a view to instructing the readers how not to behave. The other view seeks to cast their actions in a positive light and regards them as a model for emulation.

    Those who seek a favorable interpretation of all questionable actions of biblical characters rely, as one of their central sources, on a well-known discussion in Massekhet Shabbat (55b-56b) which lists six figures who seem, according to the plain text, to have committed various transgressions – some of them extremely serious ones. In each case, Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani teaches, in the name of Rabbi Yonatan, that "anyone who says that so-and-so sinned, is simply mistaken."

  4. A Calamity Upon Your House: The Betrayal of David’s Sons

    Dr. Yael Ziegler | Hour and 6 minutes

    King David stayed back from leading Bnei Yisrael into battle against Amon, went for a stroll on his rooftop and it was all downhill from there. In an act of sexual violation and bloodshed, David's whole life turns around. His punishment comes in the same manner, sexual violations and bloodshed, through his children. David in his greatness not only accepts his punishment, but welcomes it until the end of his life. He recognized the power he may have abused as a king and lost a part of his inner moral compass, making some very passive decisions, until the very end where Natan Hanavi and Batsheva convey the message that it's time to step up and appoint Shelomo as the heir to the throne.