Click here for the Scholar chat schedule.
Email us your question and we'll try to respond within 24 hours.
Type in your email address here:
Select a topic:
Type in your question here:
The Scholar is ready to answer your question. Click the button below to chat now.
A Scholar is currently unavailable at this time, so please check back again. In the meantime you can click here to email Moses your question or search our archives for related topics.
PRINT EMAIL COMMENT
(continued)
This is all the more true when it comes to understanding concepts in the Torah, a Divine book intentionally written enigmatically and euphemistically. Following is a deeper academic look into this Biblical personality and story. Pause, clear your mind, and take it from the top.]
David
Known as the "Melech Hamoshiach" (anointed king), David not only lead his generation in G-d's ways, but he also merited to be divinely inspired and compose the Psalms, a book which we recite in our prayers (and many other occasions), until this very day! Amongst the Jewish greats of all times he is listed in the "Big 7", a group that in many contexts is known as the pillars of Judaism. For example, the traditional "Mi Sheberach" prayer on behalf of ill people begins with the following words: "May He who blessed our fathers, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, bless the sick person..."
If David desired this woman and was willing to go to any length to fulfill his "fantasy," why did he first send messengers to inquire regarding Bathsheba?
Holiness and impurity do not go hand-in-hand! Maimonides tells us that one can only become a prophet if he has the ability to completely overcome his temptations. Among the prophets listed1 is King David. It is, therefore difficult to assume that he simply succumbed to his temptations. Indeed, the righteous David had no worldly desires, as he testifies in the Psalms2 that "My heart [i.e. my passions and desires] has died within me."
Bathsheba
There is a dispute in the Talmud3 whether or not Bathsheba was technically a married woman at the time. The Talmud rules that she was not. The law was that before a man went out to war he was required to divorce his wife. This was a necessary precaution taken to protect the wife. In case the husband would die in battle and no one could testify to the fact, the wife would not be an "Agunah" (chained to her possibly deceased husband) and would be free to remarry. If, however, the husband did return from the battlefield safe and sound – the couple was free to remarry. Uriah, too, issued this divorce to his wife and thus, according to Jewish law, King David had relations with a divorced woman.
Furthermore, the verse testifies that David only had relations with Bathsheba after "she had been cleansed [i.e. immersed in the Mikvah] from her [menstrual] impurity." Would an adulterer be concerned about such details?
The Talmud tells us Uriah was guilty of treason—a capital offence. When Uriah addressed David, he referred to his general Joab as "my lord." Referring to any person as "my lord" while in the presence of a king is extremely audacious. The lack of respect which Uriah exhibited towards David is also alluded to in another verse:5 Uriah told David: "By your life (chayecha) and the life of your soul I will not do such a thing." Generally, the Hebrew word "chayecha," (your life), is written with two yuds after the chet. In this verse it is written with only one; one yud is missing—as if the life of the king has less value to him.While these may seem to be fairly trivial points, an understanding of the Torah’s view of monarchy further clarifies the issue: On the verse6 "you shall set ("som tasim") a king over you," the Talmud7 notes that the words used have the same root as the word aymah—fear. First and foremost, a king’s dominion must be predicated on fear and total reverence.
David realizes that, despite his pure intentions, this story would make for a wonderful front page story in the "Jerusalem Enquirer"...
Truth Be Told
Let us now examine the "inside story" behind the story of King David and Bathsheba:
A glaring question which must be asked is: why wasn't David, the valiant warrior, at the frontlines of the war, leading his subjects in battle -- much as he had done by so many of the other battles of Israel? The answer to this question is that at the moment David was dealing with a more important problem; he did not have a fitting heir to succeed him--a son who would be worthy of being the antecedent of Moshiach. That is why David was on the roof of his palace, a place where one goes to have peace of mind to ponder a serious issue (see I Samuel 9:25).
At that time G-d -- via a prophetic vision -- shows Bathsheba to David. A king's palace is not next door to other homes, but is surrounded by gardens, orchards, parks and walls. She was immersing herself in the Mikvah (an area which is always completely enclosed, without any windows to the outside), and David perceived that she was "extremely beautiful." This term, used by the Torah to describe our holy matriarchs, primarily refers to spiritual inner-beauty. David was a man of action, and he had found the woman who was worthy of being the grandmother of Moshiach. He immediately dispatched messengers to ascertain that she was divorced from Uriah, and did not hesitate to consummate the union.
Afterwards, David realizes that, despite his pure intentions, this story would make for a wonderful front page story in the "Jerusalem Enquirer". After all, he had plenty of enemies who would relish the opportunity to destroy his reputation. He, therefore, summons Uriah from the battlefield, and tells him to go to his "wife." His intention was for Uriah to respond: "Your Majesty, Bathsheba is currently not my wife. I divorced her before leaving in the King's service!" For some reason, Uriah refuses to do so, and instead insults the king, incurring the death penalty. David, perhaps taking in to consideration Uriah's courageous service in his army, chooses to allow him to die an honorable death on the battlefield rather then be executed for treason.
Why then was King David chastised by Nathan and punished for this incident if technically he followed the strict letter of the law?
The story wasn't so smooth. While David did not commit adultery or murder, a number of other things went wrong.
The "sin" (in Hebrew: Chet, lit. translated "shortcoming") of David was not exercising the proper judgment expected of a man of his stature. To quote the Talmud: "Whoever says that David sinned is simply mistaken!" For if Bathsheba had gone to another man it might have been cunning or obnoxious9, but it would not be a sin. It is only because of David's great status that the Prophet and G-d consider David's lack of judgement "sinful".
Only one who does not have a proper appreciation for the level of a true tzaddik can accuse G-d’s anointed servant of adultery and/or murder!
Back To The Future
We will conclude with a statement of our sages: King David was too holy to have erred in the incident of Bathsheba. He only stumbled in order to teach us a lesson, to set a precedent of a Tzadik who does sincere repentance. As is known, David spent thirteen years repenting for his "sin." Many of the most beautiful psalms were composed by King David during this period. The Midrash testifies that for those thirteen years, King David’s pillow had to be changed seven times every night for they were drenched with his tears!
When we look back at G-d's anger and David's repentence through our paradigm, we quickly assume that it must have been a grave sin. But when we view the story through the lense of Torah's guide-for-the-future we soon learn that even circumstantial mishaps require ample repentance.
Footnotes
ADD A COMMENT
If there was no sin in this event, why did Nathan confront David over it ch.12(verse 1-8) and why was David so remorseful that he admitted it in ch. 12, verse 13.
Please explain verse 9 of this chapter.
Psalm 51 is the result of this sin is it not? regards.
Editor's Comment
This idea of taking one part of Judaism or history out of context and finding fault in it is still an easy and convenient way for those who wish to discredit great Tzaddikim.
One must always look at the entire picture and not work backwards from one incident - taken out of context.
For the past 2000 years we have been praying with and praising G-d using King David's Psalms. The prophets all describe King David as the greatest King of Israel and the antecedent of the future Moshiach redeemer of the Jewish people. We sing "David Melech Yisrael..."
The question must be asked if King David was indeed such a sinner whay is his legacy not indicative of such.
We are not discussing the deeds of an ordinary man and our "open-shut case" mentality when looking at David Hamelech, doing so is out of context and ignorant.
"Wherefore hast thou despised the word of the LORD, to do that which is evil in My sight? Uriah the Hittite thou hast smitten with the sword, and his wife thou hast taken to be thy wife, and him thou hast slain with the sword of the children of Ammon."
David was not a perfect person. He sinned, but he repented and was justified. The commentaries do not make any sense when the text is so clear. Just be honest and accept what is written in the Torah.
