Nach Summary; Shmuel Aleph 27-31 and Shmuel Beis 1
27 – David runs to Gath, and Shaul finally stops pursuing him. David is given the pastoral city of Tziklag and he secretly starts killing off nations that were not supposed to be here; eg amalek.
28 – The Philistines prepare to attack the Bnei Yisrael (again) and Shaul – having not been answered by HaShem and Shmuel having died – gets the witch of Ein Dor to raise Shmuel from the dead to tell Shaul what will occur in the war. He foresees defeat and Shaul and his sons’ deaths.
29 – The Philistines send David home from the war camp; and Achish, King of Gath agrees.
30 – David avenges the Amalek attack upon Tziklag and rescues his captured wives. David gives rules regarding sharing out the spoils of war.
31 – The Philistines essentially win the war and gain territory. Shaul kills himself, and his sons are killed too. The men of Yavesh Gilad secretly take the body of Shaul back from the Philistines and bury him. They fast for 7 days.
Shmuel Beis 1 – An Amalekite youth reports the battle goings-on to David, including saying that he himself killed Shaul on Shaul’s request. David tears his clothes, fasts, and orders the death of this youth. The perek ends with a kinah (lamentation) composed by David upon Shaul and Yonatan’s deaths.
Dvar Torah….
(I heard all this on a tape of Rabbi Miller of Gateshead Sem). Chazal give us an important insight into exactly what the conversation between Shaul and Shmuel was in perek 28 when Shmuel was awakened from the dead. Shmeul told Shaul that David would succeed him as King, to which Shaul asked ’why did you not tell me this before?’ Shmuel answered ’when I was in the world of falsehood I spoke falsehood but now that I am in the world of truth, (ie Olam Habah) I shall only speak truth.’ Now this is extremely interesting and many many questions can be asked on it, but we shall focus on one – namely why did Shmuel say that he told a lie. Let’s explain… when Shaul did wrong upon not killing all of Amalek, Shmuel tells him (15;28) the Kingship shall be torn from you and given to your friend who is better than you’ – this is a hidden reference of course to David. Therefore, Shmuel had essentially already told Shaul that David shall be his replacement – so why did Shmuel say that he lied in not telling him this before?
The answer is that Shmuel was more precise this time (perek 28) when he named David as the successor – the previous mention gave room to err, and thus Shmuel hid part of the truth. Hiding a part of the truth (especially for someone on Shmuel’s level) is tantamount to lying.
We see from here the importance of keeping to the truth; even if we might be convinced that the lie is for someone else’s benefit. The pasuk says ’midvar sheker tirchak’ ie distance yourself from a thing/word of falsehood’ – I heard someone once say that his grandfather would refuse to use the silver-plated candle sticks that he was given as a present, for it gave the false impression that the entire candle stick was silver; but it was only coated with silver. People who live their lives for truth will see this attribute pervade every aspect of their existence, and will ultimately live lives of happiness and reward both in this world and the next world, being ultimately closer to Toras Emes.
