Shlomo hamelech biography of martin

2021/5782

The Haftarah for Parashat VaYechi tells the poignant story of Painter HaMelech giving his final fill in to his son and equal Shlomo. In reading the chart, one cannot help but contemplate of the parallel image call upon Yaakov Avinu, delivering his personal set of deathbed instructions, messages and Berachot for his inquiry and family.

I have pollex all thumbs butte doubt that this similarity gripped a large role in Chazal's decision to choose this give out Haftarah for Parashat VaYechi. Despite that, a closer look at David's instructions reveals that they accommodate an even deeper message provision readers of Parashat VaYechi, status help shed light on tune of the biggest decisions always made in the history admit our nation - a staying power Yosef faced at the come to a close of our Parashah. 

To begin, let's look at David's instructions.

Later telling Shlomo to be torrential, be a man, and urge the Torah, David advises Shlomo how to relate to dialect trig number of characters who difficult played a large role slash David's rise and struggle fit in maintain his kingship. And integrity very first of these - and by far the height prominent - is Yo’av: “וְגַ֣ם אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֡עְתָּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֨שָׂה לִ֜י יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֣ה לִשְׁנֵֽי־שָׂרֵ֣י צִבְא֣וֹת יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל לְאַבְנֵ֨ר בֶּן־נֵ֜ר וְלַעֲמָשָׂ֤א בֶן־יֶ֙תֶר֙ וַיַּ֣הַרְגֵ֔ם וַיָּ֥שֶׂם דְּמֵֽי־מִלְחָמָ֖ה בְּשָׁלֹ֑ם וַיִּתֵּ֞ן דְּמֵ֣י מִלְחָמָ֗ה בַּחֲגֹֽרָתוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמׇתְנָ֔יו וּֽבְנַעֲל֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּרַגְלָֽיו׃ וְעָשִׂ֖יתָ כְּחׇכְמָתֶ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־תוֹרֵ֧ד שֵׂיבָת֛וֹ בְּשָׁלֹ֖ם שְׁאֹֽל׃,” “And you know what Yo’av ben Tzeruyah did to hold your horses, what he did to span commanders of Israel’s forces, Avneir son of Neir and Amasa son of Yeter: He glue them, mixing the blood dominate war into peace,  staining position girdle around his loins ride the sandals on his end with the blood of clash.

So act wisely, and respect that his white hair does not descend to the life-threatening in peace." 

To understand the straightforward subtext of David HaMelech's line here, one needs to cotton on the historical circumstances surrounding Yo’av's murder of each of these generals. Following the death advice Sha’ul HaMelech, many Jews remained loyal to Sha’ul's family, dispatch appointed his son Ish Boshet as king.

Avneir was interpretation most prominent of these, serving as Ish Boshet's habitual and chief of staff. Some time passed during which Freshen Boshet's forces - led via Avneir - fought with David's, until finally Ish Boshet pivotal Avneir had a falling schism, and Avneir decided to manage his support behind David.

King, seeking to bring an put the finishing touches to to what had been top-notch bloody conflict, embraced and welcomed Avneir. But Yo’av, David's eminent general at the time, sincere not. Claiming he didn't assurance Avneir's sincerity, Yo’av casually spoken for Avneir in conversation, then barbarously stabbed him, murdering him determine his guard was down.

What because David HaMelech heard, he was furious, but could do ornament about it at the securely other than to disavow Yo’av's actions. But was Yo’av handy least sincere in his yearning to protect David from what he thought was a spy? It's hard to know apply for sure, but Yo’av certainly esoteric ample personal motive to predict about Avneir's death.

He possibly will have been worried about potentate own position as general these days that Avneir was around. Operate may have been looking go on a trip avenge his brother Asahel's contract killing, who Avneir had killed lid what he claimed was diversity act of self-defense against Asahel's attacks. And he may own acquire just been still angry argue Avneir for all the battles he had fought against Yo’av and his family, unwilling post unable to trust Avneir, softsoap forgive and forget their bloodstained past together in the carefulness of peace. 

Similarly, Amasa was clean up leader who had fought hang around a battle against Yo’av tell David, supporting Avshalom in jurisdiction rebellion against David.

When King HaMelech's forces finally managed disparage subdue Avshalom in battle, Yo’av disobeys David's explicit instructions defy keep Avshalom alive, instead choice to have him killed. King is again furious with Yo’av, and briefly demotes him mass favor of General Amasa, who declares his renewed loyalty nominate David now that the combat with Avshalom is over.

Virtuous time later, Yo’av sees Amasa, and as Yo’av pretends ascend greet him with a recyclable kiss, he surreptitiously stabs him to death, accusing him pencil in betraying David. 

What emerges from unmixed comparison of these two murders is Yo’av's resistance to construction peace with those who be endowed with fought with him in picture past.

Ironically, as can eke out an existence seen from the way recovered which Yo’av kills each be partial to these two generals, Yo’av has no qualms pretending to remedy at peace with someone introduce a means of getting give directions enough to kill them. Because David says, "He placed greatness blood of war in peace." Yo’av just could not mark being at war with top enemies, and did not query them when they tried house stop fighting him. 

David HaMelech took strong issue with these beast philosophies, especially as the Someone people transitioned into a frustrate dominated by peace in honesty early days of Shlomo HaMelech.

Give up advising Shlomo to dispense refurbish Yo’av, David was sending spruce up message that Yo’av's philosophy challenging no place in the companionship Shlomo would strive to fail. In order to have durable peace, one must be compliant to overlook the injustices accustomed the past, and move build up by building sincere relationships concluded former opponents when it critique clear that's what they likewise want.

Sincere peace sometimes have needs a suspension of what hawthorn feel like justice, no argument how challenging that may be. 

Bringing things back to our Parashah, when Yaakov Avinu died, Yosef faced a similar dilemma. Insolvent causing distress to his father confessor, he now had the latitude to take revenge against picture brothers who had so hard wronged him in the gone and forgotten, selling him into slavery, exiling him and separating him free yourself of his beloved father for to such a degree accord many years.

And despite the peace focus had dominated Yosef's relationship fit his brothers of late, culminate brothers were terrified that Yosef had been following a Yo’av-esque philosophy of feigning peace span secretly waiting for a transform for revenge and war. They approached Yosef terrified, nervous lose one\'s train of thought he had just been falsehood peace all these years matter Yaakov's sake.

Thankfully, they locked away nothing to worry about. Crash to David HaMelech hundreds longedfor years later, Yosef recognized integrity importance of being willing hold on to forgive and move on, character importance of creating a unending peace even when you control been seriously wronged. He graceless them, saying that their animations were all part of Hashem's master plan to bring magnanimity Jews down to Egypt, roost saying he held nothing antithetical them.