Shmuel Beis; 20-24 and Melachim Aleph 1
PEREK SUMMARIES…
Sb 20 – rebellion of Sheba ben Bichri put down by David – a woman causes Sheba’s killing and thus saves her city. Yoav trickily kills Amasa.
Sb 21 – Famine for three years caused by Shaul’s cruelty against the Gibeonites, and David gives them 7 victims from the house of Shaul upon their request. (for more details see gemarra yevamos 79a). Wars with the Philistines (again!) and a description of their warriors.
Sb 22 – David’s song of praise to HaShem
Sb 23 – David’s prophecy and a description of his warriors.
Sb 24 – David counts the Bnei Yisrael and in doing so causes plague and death. David builds an altar.
Ma 1 – David is getting old and Adnoniyahu crowns himself. Natan and Bas Sheva tell this to David and Shlomo is designated King – as David had promised. Shlomo spares Adoniyahu.
DVAR TORAH…
At the very end of sefer Shmuel Beis, David is punished for counting Bnei Yisrael. Very simple question – what exactly is the problem in counting Bnei Yisrael???
The gemarra (I cant remember where) learns the issur of counting the Bnei Yisrael from the pasuk when HaShem gives a bracha to our forefathers that the Jews ‘will be too numerous to count.’ Why should this be the source of the prohibition to count – it’s a blessing? The answer is that herein precisely lies the point; HaShem promised that we will be as a nation not bound by the normal rules of nature; we will be uncountable and great both individually and collectively (stars and sand). In counting the Jewish people, one limits them to one physical number and thus implies that this will not change soon (if it is constantly changing then why count!). Thus, at root they are going against the bracha of limitlessness given to out forefathers. This is also hinted at in Yoav’s response to David; David orders Yoav to conduct this census, and Yoav replies (24;3) ‘HaShem will increase the numbers of the people 1000 times…’ ie why count the people; this goes against the bracha of limitless and multitude given to the Avos.
