Daily Tanach Wednesday Shmuel 2 Chapter 16: Avshalom

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  1. The meeting between Chushaiy and Avshalom:
  • Avshalom settles in Jerusalem: Avshalom, and the entire Jewish nation together with Achitofel, arrived to Jerusalem.
  • Chushaiy befriends Avshalom and gains his trust: When Chushaiy the Arkite, the friend of Dovid, arrived to Avshalom, he said to Avshalom, “May the king live, May the king live.” Avshalom then responded to Chushaiy saying, “Is this the kindness that you show your friend [i.e. my father Dovid[1]] why did you not go with your friend?” Chushaiy responded to Avshalom saying, “No! [I have left Dovid[2] as] I will remain only with the one chosen by G-d and by his nation and by all the Jewish people. I will no longer be with him and dwell with him. Second of all, who am I expected to serve? Will I not serve the son of the king? Just as I served in front of your father so indeed, I will serve you.”

  1. Avshalom sleeps with his father’s concubines:
  • Achitofal advises Avshalom to sleep with his father’s concubines: Avshalom requested from Achitofel to advise him as to what he is to now do [in order to solidify his monarchy]. So, Achitofel advised to Avshalom that he should sleep with his father’s concubines which he left in the castle in order so they guard it. “By doing so, you will show the Jewish people that you have overpowered your father [and truly despise him without any chance of reconciliation[3]] and you will gain support of everyone who is with you.”
  • Avshalom publicly sleeps with his father’s concubines: So, Avshalom listened to the advice of Achitofal and he went up to the tent that was on top of the roof of the palace and there he slept with his father’s concubines in front of all the Jewish people.
  • Achitofal’s advice is viewed as sacred: At that time, the advice that Achitofal would give was viewed as sacred, and as if it was the word of G-d, and he was an advisor both to Dovid and to

[1] Metzudos Dovid 16:17

[2] See Pirush Mahariy Karo 16:18

[3] See Rashi and other Mefarshim on 16:21

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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