Parshat Chayei Sarah

The bulk of this morning’s haftarah focuses upon the rebellion of King David’s fourth son, Adoniya. Although the rebellion did not include a military conflict, it was nonetheless one that divided Israel and threatened its very future. The attempted coup included the (former) kohen gadol, Evyatar, and the (former) commander-in-chief of David’s army, Yoav, and together with Adoniya, the oldest surviving son of David and as such the presumed successor to the throne, they formed a formidable opposition to David’s choice of successor, Shlomo.

But we might fairly ask why there was popular support for Adoniya or, more correctly, why the people felt the need to replace David HaMelech, a most popular king, at this time. It is the opening of the haftarah, indeed, the opening story of the entire Book of Melachim, that gives us a key to understanding the mindset of the populace at that time.

“V’hamelech David zaken,” King David was old. But it wasn’t his age alone that impacted the people so much but also “ba bayamim,” that he was “getting on in days.” This same expression is found in our parasha when describing Avraham Avinu in his final days (as well as describing both Avraham and Sarah in last week’s parsha) and implies physical weakness that accompanies old age. The Radak explains this physical deterioration to be the result of David’s many years of battle and struggle. Simply, David had become weaker, less involved, more passive. This is the very intent of the opening story, which emphasizes the king’s physical condition as being so debilitating that he could not keep himself warm and that he spent his days in the palace, unaware of the political intrigues that swirled around him.

The people viewed David HaMelech as a military leader. He began his service to the people by killing Goliat and being recognized as a national hero. He won victories as a general in Shaul’s army. The people remembered how he saved them from the oppressive hand of the Plishtim, they knew that he subdued the surrounding enemies for them and they recognized that he was never defeated in battle. They saw him as the great warrior.

And that was their mistake. David’s greatness lay in more than his military prowess. The navi describes him as the “n’im z’mirot Yisrael,” the “sweet (composer) of songs in Israel” (Shmuel B 23:1). It was he who sang songs of praise to Hashem; he, who although victor in his battles, showered praise upon God as the true savior of Israel, and not himself; he who composed Sefer Tehillim that provided comfort and joy for Jews in all countries for thousands of years. The years of leading soldiers into battle may have been over for David. But his ability to judge, to rule and to inspire remained strong. Israel needed leaders who could pursue justice and kindness and not simply leaders who would win wars.

Our parsha speaks of the final days of our first patriarch who was chosen with the mission to teach his descendants “la’asot tzedaka u’mishpat” (Bereishit 18:19); our haftarah tells of the final days of Avraham’s royal descendant, described as one who “oseh tzedaka u’mishpat” (Shmuel B 8:15), ruled with justice and righteousness—precisely what Avraham was commanded to pass on to his future generations.

Rabbi Neil Winkler is the rabbi emeritus of the Young Israel Fort Lee and now lives in Israel.