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The Lives of the Givonim Mattered To בס“ד Parshat Behaalotcha 21 Sivan, 5780/June 13, 2020 Vol. 11 Num. 35 (#456) Our 5780 Fundraising Campaign has begun! Please go to www.torontotorah.com/campaign5780 to participate The Lives of the Givonim Mattered to G-d Rabbi Adam Friedmann After the Jews entered the Land of a price not of money or power, but this story holds important lessons for Israel, they were deceived into making heads. Seven people were to be selected us in relating to the current wave of a pact with one of the local Canaanite from Shaul’s descendants and impaled protests for social justice that are tribes, the Givonim. (Yehoshua 9) at Givat Shaul, where the last members sweeping the United States and the According to our Sages this group of his family lived. It was a vicious globe. actually converted to Judaism (see request for revenge, and King David felt Rashi Yevamot 78b s.v. netinim), he had no choice but to comply. First and foremost we see that the becoming second-class citizens of the unaddressed oppression of a group Jewish nation as a result of their The Talmud’s reading of this story within society is, in Chazal’s direct fraud. (Yevamot 78b-79a) highlights its fraught language, a public chillul Hashem. Even moral elements. How could Shaul’s if our own eyes would callously roll This arrangement persisted for descendants be punished for his sins? away from injustice, G-d’s are watching. hundreds of years until Shaul, the first Doesn’t the Torah state that children When the day comes to right the king of Israel, sought to uproot a will not be punished for parental sin wrongs, even the rules of the Torah are perceived rebellion against him among (Devarim 24:16)? How could the bodies set aside to appease the injured. As the Kohanim. This campaign led to the be publicly displayed for so long? those who seek to follow in G-d’s ways, murder of the Givonim, who were Doesn’t the Torah command that bodies we have a responsibility to be water-drawers and woodchoppers for not be hanged for prolonged periods compassionate, aware of the oppressed the Kohanim of the city of Nov. (Devarim 21:23)? The Talmud directs within our societies, and willing to lend Ultimately, Shaul embarked upon a these questions at G-d, who engineered them voice and action. further program of violent the whole scenario. The answer: It is disenfranchisement of the Givoni better for a letter to be uprooted from At the same time, the story of the community, which he viewed as the Torah than to allow for the public Givonim teaches us that responding to aligned with the priestly revolt. They defiling of G-d’s Name. This defiling injustice with cruelty and violence is were to be destroyed or expelled from would continue as long as the wrong, even if G-d will allow it. Mercy is the land, as Amorites rather than oppression of Givonim was not avenged. part of our ethical heritage. Therefore, Israelites. [See introduction of Malbim (Rashi 79a s.v. ve’al yechallel) even as we are compassionate upon the to Shemuel II 21.] victims, we must also declare that On the other hand, our Sages write that responding to oppression with violence, Years later, after Shaul’s death, there David was disturbed by the Givoni destruction, and more death is not the were three consecutive years of famine request. One of the defining Jewish way. As our own history in Israel. The new king, David, sought characteristics of the Jewish people is demonstrates, this kind of reaction only G-d’s explanation for the punishment. mercy; the request of the Givonim was serves to deepen the fissures in society, The response: “[It is due to] Shaul and wantonly cruel and thus demonstrated not to heal them. his blood-drenched house, because he a lack of this trait. Without it, David killed the Givonim.” (Shemuel II 21:1) concluded, the Givonim could not be [email protected] The plight of the Givonim, which had part of the nation. As a result, even apparently been sidelined by Israeli though David conceded to the Givonim, society, was not forgotten by G-d, who he also decreed against Jewish had now brought the entire country to intermarriage with them. This resulted its knees on its account. David in their splintering away from general understood that he needed to appease Israeli society. the Givonim. He asked them what he could do. How could he atone for Even though the analogy is not exact, Shaul’s sins? The Givonim demanded OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI SAMMY BERGMAN AVREICHIM EZER DIENA, RABBI ALEX HECHT, NETANEL KLEIN SEDER BOKER DIRECTOR RABBI MOSHE YERES ISRAELI CORRESPONDENTS RABBI ADAM FRIEDMANN, RABBI BARUCH An affiliate of Torah MiTzion and YU WEINTRAUB, RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING ∞ CHAVEROT ORLY AZIZA, MINDY CHAPMAN, SOFIA FREUDENSTEIN, ATARA GASNER, Find our upcoming classes on-line at TEHILA HELFENBAUM, AILEEN MORRIS, HADAS MOYAL, TIFERET NICKERSON www.torontotorah.com CHAVERIM MOISHY KANOFSKY, ARI KARON, YEHUDA LEVI, COBY LYONS, ILAN SHIELDS, We are grateful to NATAN SNOWBELL, DANIEL SUTTNER, URIEL WEISZ, ELI WELTMAN, MARK WERNER Continental Press 905-660-0311 Journey Through Tanach: Shemuel I, Chapter 26 Rabbi Baruch Weintraub Synopsis understands that David has spared his early and kill him first (Berachot 62b)” – Our chapter continues the story of life a second time (see chapter 24). we must assume that the bloody cycle David’s adventure as he runs away from David asks Shaul to stop chasing him, would not have stopped there. Shaul’s Shaul, with the dramatic last meeting as he is only a flea in comparison to blood would have been avenged by the between the king whose star is setting the king, and he poses no threat. The royal family and its loyal army, and the and the king-to-be whose sun is rising. regretful Shaul responds by admitting whole nation would have been sucked Tipped off by locals, Shaul leads an that his hunting of David was a grave into a vicious civil war. By “outclassing” army of three thousand people against sin and a foolish mistake. Upon his rival, David was able to put the David, who is hiding in the desert of hearing that, David returns the king’s tension between them to (some) rest. Ziph. (26:1-3) spear to one of his aides, and the two men separate for the last time - In a more general – and practical – David, spying on the incoming force, peacefully. (26:13-25) view, the question of how to respond uses the cover of night to infiltrate, when one finds himself gravely wronged together with his aide Avishai, into his Analysis by others is as ancient as Kayin and persecutor’s camp. There they find the Reading this unforgettable chapter Hevel. There is no one-size-fits-all camp asleep, with no proper guard, immediately brings to mind a verse answer to the dilemma between enabling them to reach the sleeping that would be written many years after responding in kind, which may feel just king. David strongly refuses Avishai’s the incident by David’s son: “ If your but can pull us all down the rabbit hole suggestion to kill the king; he was enemy is hungry, feed him bread, and anointed by G-d, and only G-d may take if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; of unending violence, and replying with his life. Instead, David takes Shaul’s for you will be scooping coals on his a brave and courageous nobility, which spear and water jug. G-d miraculously head, while Hashem will reward alone has the power to transform a foe (see 26:12) keeps the camp asleep, and you.” (Mishlei 25:21-22) David’s into a friend. so the two infiltrators are able to slip chivalry towards Shaul, in the face of away. (26:4-12) the latter’s murderous intentions, [email protected] breaks down Shaul’s attack more than David then climb a distant hill, and any physical response could have. shouts from there to Shaul’s men, Even if David would have heeded taunting them for their inability to Avishai’s advice and killed Shaul on protect their leader. Shaul recognizes the spot – following the midrashic rule: David’s voice, and instantly “If someone comes to kill you, rise Holy Land Halachah: Selling Via Amazon Israel on Shabbat Ezer Diena Note: This article is based on the research and views of Rabbi non-Jew perform melachah on objects owned by a Jew on Binyamin Chuta, a well-known Rabbi in Beitar Illit, as of Shabbat, with the following conditions: February 2020 ( https://www.kikar.co.il/ • The price for the non-Jew’s melachah must be preset. abroad/347589.html). Any personal questions should be • The melachah must take place on the non-Jew’s premises. referred to one’s Rabbi. • The Jew must not cause the melachah to be done exclusively on Shabbat, either by telling them to do it on May an Amazon Israel seller leave their account active on Shabbat, or by giving the job to the non-Jew shortly Shabbat? before Shabbat and requesting its completion by the end of Shabbat. In regular Internet commerce, a buyer selects a product and enters payment information, and then the seller processes In the case of an Amazon sale, the price is preset, the work the order whenever they are able.
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