Spiritual and
Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach;
JOSHUA, JUDGES, SAMUEL, KINGS (Nevi’im Rishonim) These four books ostensibly are merely the history of Israel from the entry into the Promised Land until the destruction of the Temple and the temporary loss of independent statehood. In fact they are actually, in a specifically Jewish sense, the most deeply religious and spiritual books of the Bible. One does not have to be specifically Jewish to see or feel the religion and spirituality in the revelations of the prophetic writings or in the words of the Tehillim. They speak to all people, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible is still the world's bestseller and there are millions of non-Jews who regularly recite the Psalms. However, it is specifically and intrinsically Jewish to understand that G-d is revealed in the prosaic material, in the political, social and military events in the lives of ordinary men and women, kings and leaders that are described in the Nevim Rishonim. Here are described the ideology and religious thoughts in Judaism, while in Chronicles we have the purely historical. Righteousness & Kingship
[7] Why on Shavuot? David HaMelech was born and died on Shavuot, so that it is fitting that we read this Megila that is the book of his Yichus. That Shavuot was a Shabbat and while the body awaited burial, in the confusion and tumult the royal dogs were unfed. Bearing in mind the halakha that the animals had to be fed even on Shabbat even though the king lay unburied, Shlomo HaMelech said "A live dog is better than a dead lion" (Kohelet 9:4) David is not only a king but THE KING, Hashem's anointed founder of Israel's Royal dynasty that will culminate with the King Messiah. David is the warrior and also the sweet singer of Israel - the Tehilim. "And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed justice and righteousness to all his people" (Shmuel Bet 8:15). Why then should David have two converts to Judaism as his ancestry, two strangers, who joined Israel but were not born in it? It would seem that nations would draw their monarchs from people born into that nation, so that the Torah's injunction "From the midst of your brethren you shall appoint your king", is superfluous. However, a closer look at world history will show that as often as not, this is not so. The European royal houses are in the main drawn from foreign nations; for instance the British Royalty is descended from Germanic princes and has supplied spouses to many royal families. This is usually either because there is no undisputed heir or because the local leaders would prefer an outsider. Amongst Jews there is another reason. "Every Jew and Jewess finds it difficult to subject themselves to the authority of another Jew, because they realize the special spiritual merits of the individual in Israel and desire to devote these to Hashem's Avoda. That is a positive force since that means that they are thereby better able to withstand persecution and assimilation. However, it also makes it more difficult to weld them into a unified group and rule over them; that takes a special power of honor and pride on the part of the ruler. Unlike Shaul who could not found the Dynasty because as Shmuel HaNavi had to criticize, "Even if you are small in your own eyes, you are never- the less the head of the tribes of Israel. David could. This is because of the power that came to David from outside of Israel, from Moav whom the prophet singles out for their pride and desire to lead. That is why David the King Messiah had to have Ruth of Moav as his ancestress. There is another reason for reading the megila on that day that is also connected to the story of Ruth. Shavout is Zman Matan Torateinu and on this day the Exodus from slavery culminated in the receiving of the Torah. Shavuot is the Atzeret of Pesach just as Shemini Atzeret is of Sukkot. Just as the promises to Avraham that commence in Lech Lecha with the promises of the Chosen Land and the Chosen People, culminate at the commandment of the Brit Mila with the promise of a religion and G-d. Ruth too, made the same spiritual journey. From the idolatry of Moav she undertook to make Israel her people and followed Naomi to the Promised Land that she made her home; then she said, Your G-d will be my G-d. The megila is the story of her Matan Torah so it is appropriate that we read it on Shavuot. This is the 80th installment in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
Parshat Acharei-HaGadol-Pesach Homepage]
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