King David + Batsheva: Uriah the Hittite thou hast slain with the sword of the children of Ammon.
King David: You are the Man!
The undeniable truth is that King David sinned in committing adultery and then murder to cover up for the adultery. It’s arguably similar to King Ahab who possessed Naboth’s vineyard. King Ahab was rebuked by the Prophet Eliyahu. These are not minor sins. The Sages say that anyone mentioning David’s sin is mistaken. So, is the message of his story that Kings and other leaders are above the law? Shall we learn with the help of our Sages that every politician who sleeps with a married woman should be forgiven without question?
King David: Accepted Judgement upon Himself and his Dynasty
When learning the Hebrew Bible, we learn it against the backdrop of society as it existed at the time. Unfortunately, the existing norms were those of Hammurabi that designated that murder of an enemy’s lesser clan member would repaid by the death (or ransom) of the attacker’s lesser clan member.
King David: Committed Murder Against a Man to Steal his Wife
When Abraham went down to Egypt due to a famine, the Pharoah took Abraham’s wife Sara. Avimelech, king of the Philistines, also took Abraham’s wife. Avimelech was warned by Elohim to return the wife of the man, because he is a prophet. He will pray for you and you will live. The sin of the flood was the powerful men took women from all those they had chosen, including the married ones. King David sinned the classic sin.
King David: Righteous King David… You are Mistaken!
The Talmud raises the claim that anyone who claims that King David sinned is mistaken. They didn’t make it up. The book of Kings speaks frequently of whether a King was righteous like David his father or not righteous like David his father. Judaism believes in personal responsibility, especially for King.
King David: You are the Man — Sitting in Judgement
You are the man. The expression, ‘the man’ refers to one who sits in judgement against inequity. When Moses goes out to his brethren, his sees an Egyptian who hits a Hebrew from his brothers. Moses looked back and forth, and saw there was no ‘Man.’ The commentators say, no one to judge the injustice. So, Moses was the judge. When Natan tells David that he is the man. Nathan gives him the most bold criticism a King can ever hear. Yet, Nathan also gave him the most sincere complement.
King David: Should we speak about the secular lifestyle of Israeli Fighter Pilots?
I will tell a parable based on Rabbi Kook. He asked about the spiritual value of secular Israelis from a modern religious perspective. Let’s take the example of an Israeli fighter pilot. It is an elite group. It is one of the most risky combat positions in the Israeli military. By definition, the Pilot will be flying over enemy lines. There are few second chances. Israeli pilots fly low because they must hit their targets. The pilot risks his life because he is saving the lives of his community. He lives his life as a fighter pilot. That is his identity.
Rabbi Kook Teaches that Israeli Fighter Pilots are Righteous… Metaphor to King David
Rabbi Kook asks, what if that fighter pilot leads a secular lifestyle. He doesn’t observe many of the commandments as we learn from our Sages. We must ask, is the fighter pilot deserving of forgiveness for his inequities. Rabbi Kook would answer, no. The fighter pilot is holy. He is righteous. That is the core of his being.
King David: Went Out Before The People to Battle
Yet, King David was a great leader. He went out to battle, rather than leading from the palace. He refrained from regicide. Typically, Kings would ascend the throne by killing the previous King. Because David clearly demonstrated his refusal to commit regicide against King Saul, his line was blessed. King David was in constant dialog with the LORD. It was a faithful and intimate dialog. He instigated the building of the holy temple. He captured the city of Jerusalem and made it our capital.
Criticism of King David and Secular Lifestyle of Israeli Fighter Pilots is Mistaken
So, too, King David. Anyone who says that the fighter pilot is a sinner, is mistaken. Regardless of his secular lifestyle. The fighter pilot is holy. The core of righteousness is the willingness to subjugate one’s desires and life for the sake of the Jewish community. That was how King David lived his life. He was holy. He was righteous. That was his core. He was a fighter for the people of Israel.
King David Accepted Judgement by Nathan the Prophet — Even if it meant he would die
As the Prophet Samuel introduced the independence of the prophet as a kingmaker, and king-remover. King David introduced the King as accountable. As it says in the mishna, the Kings of David, may sit in judgment and may be judged. For the ancient world that viewed the King as God, for example, “this is my river and I have made it.” (Pharoah referring to the Nile). The humility of a King to sit in judgment and be judged. That was what King David was. That was his innovation.
King David: Pays for his Crime but Doesn’t Die
The Jewish view of sin and forgiveness contrasts with the prevalent western approach. When King David commits a sin, it causes damage to the fabric of society. That damage is not fixed by Nathan’s telling him, you won’t die. King David swears to Batsheva that her son Solomon will be king after David. Yet, Solomon is not the first born. David pays for his decision by the heirs in line before Solomon must die before David, in his lifetime. Except for Adoniyahu, who death followed shortly thereafter. His sons, Amnon, Abshalom, Adoniyahu, and Solomon’s older brother. The sheep was repaid four times as was the word of the Lord in the mouth of Nathan the prophet.
King David: Punished by Hammurabi Law not Biblical Law
We must note that King David was punished, not in accordance with the new Israelite law. Rather, he was punished according the more lenient Hamurabi code. In the Hammurabi code, someone who kills a lesser person, must pay with the death of a lesser person of his own household. Or pay monetary damages. The Biblical code says that the killer must personally die regardless of his station or that of his victim.
King David Treated Himself as Trustee of the People. He innovates Accountability
The innovation that the King is subject to law is far more significant than the exact law to which he must submit. In fact, the willingness of King David to be subject to the law for his transgressions including adultery and murder, is the greatest lesson of this story. So, anyone who says that David sinned is mistaken. That’s not news. Kings sin. Unfortunately, King’s murder and commit adultery. The news story here is that King David accepts responsibility for his sin and holds himself accountable. Yes, and David’s life is dedicated to the service of his subjects. His is the ancient analog of the righteous fighter pilot. Because his life is righteous.
Kings of David’s dynasty are Judged … That is the news story… not his sin.