Daily Tanach Wednesday Sefer Melachim 1 Chapter 15: The reign of Asa the son of Aviyam

* The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

1.      The reign of Asa the son of Aviyam:

  • In the twentieth year of the reign of Yeravam, king of Israel, Asa ruled over Judah.
  • His years of reign: Asa ruled in Jerusalem for forty one years.
  • His mother: His [grand[1]] mother’s name was Maachah, and she was the daughter of Avishalom [and mother of Aviyam].
  • His righteousness: Asa followed the ways of Hashem, as had done David his father. He abolished the adulterers from the land, and he removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
  • Removal of Maachah from royalty and destruction of her idol monument: Asa removed his mother Maachah from her royalty status, as she had constructed a structure by an Asheira tree [which was used for idol worship[2], and which contained male genitals which she had intercourse with on a daily basis[3]]. Asa cut off this structure from the tree and burnt it in the Kidron Valley.
  • The Bamos were not destroyed: [Despite Asa’s righteousness] the Bamos which were used to offer sacrifices to G-d were not removed [even though once the temple was built in Jerusalem, bringing an offering in another area carried a penalty of excision[4]].
  • Despite the above, Asa’s heart remained faithful to G-d throughout all of his days.
  • Filling up the treasury of the temple: Asa brought his father’s consecrated items and his own consecrated items into the temple. This included both silver and gold and vessels.

[1] See Radak and Metzudos Dovid 15:10

[2] See Radak 15:13

[3] See Rashi 15:13; Avoda Zara 44a

[4] Rashi 15:14

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