Samuel # 18 Chapter 26

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ByEliezer Poupko

Midrash Tehillim

At Ein Gedi, Saul acknowledged Dovid's righteousness. Dovid could have killed Saul but instead spared his life. After leaving Ein Gedi, Saul's men told him: "Just because Dovid dod not harm you in the cave, is he now a Tzadik? He didn't harm you because he knew that if he had, we would have come in and cut him up limb by limb". Saul heeded their words and resumed his hunt after David.

Midrash Vayikra Rabbah

Avner once again told Saul, not to make peace with Dovid, explaining that one of the men had given the spear to Dovid. Because he prevented Saul from making peace with Dovid, Avner was later killed.

ברכות ס״ב ב:י״א

אם ה׳ הסיתך בי ירח מנחה אמר רבי אלעזר אמר ליה הקדוש ברוך הוא לדוד מסית קרית לי הרי אני מכשילך בדבר שאפילו תינוקות של בית רבן יודעים אותו דכתיב כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל לפקדיהם ונתנו איש כפר נפשו וגו׳ מיד ויעמד שטן על ישראל וכתיב ויסת את דוד בהם לאמר לך מנה את ישראל וכיון דמנינהו לא שקל מינייהו כופר דכתיב ויתן ה׳ דבר בישראל מהבקר ועד עת מועד

Berakhot 62b:11

As for David’s statement to Saul: “If it be the Lord that has incited you against me, let Him accept an offering” (I Samuel 26:19), Rabbi Elazar said that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to David: Do you call Me an inciter? In retribution, I will cause you to fail in a matter that even schoolchildren know, as it is written: “When you take the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when you number them; that there be no plague among them, when you number them” (Exodus 30:12). Immediately after God said this to David, “Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to number Israel” (I Chronicles 21:1). Moreover, it is written: “And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He incited David against them, saying: Go, number Israel and Judea” (II Samuel 24:1). The proportional response to David’s calling God an inciter was that He incited David. And when he counted them, he did not take a ransom from them, and he was punished, as it is written: “So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the appointed time” (II Samuel 24:15).

כתובות ק״י ב:כ״ג-כ״ה

ת"ר לעולם ידור אדם בא"י אפי' בעיר שרובה עובדי כוכבים ואל ידור בחו"ל ואפילו בעיר שרובה ישראל שכל הדר בארץ ישראל דומה כמי שיש לו אלוה וכל הדר בחוצה לארץ דומה כמי שאין לו אלוה שנא' (ויקרא כה, לח) לתת לכם את ארץ כנען להיות לכם לאלהים וכל שאינו דר בארץ אין לו אלוה אלא לומר לך כל הדר בחו"ל כאילו עובד עבודת כוכבים וכן בדוד הוא אומר (שמואל א כו, יט) כי גרשוני היום מהסתפח בנחלת ה' לאמר לך עבוד אלהים אחרים וכי מי אמר לו לדוד לך עבוד אלהים אחרים אלא לומר לך כל הדר בחו"ל כאילו עובד עבודת כוכבים ר' זירא הוה קמשתמיט מיניה דרב יהודה דבעא למיסק לארץ ישראל דאמר רב יהודה כל העולה מבבל לארץ ישראל עובר בעשה שנאמר

Ketubot 110b:23-25

§ In relation to the basic point raised by the mishna concerning living in Eretz Yisrael, the Sages taught: A person should always reside in Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by gentiles, and he should not reside outside of Eretz Yisrael, even in a city that is mostly populated by Jews. The reason is that anyone who resides in Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who has a God, and anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “To give to you the land of Canaan, to be your God” (Leviticus 25:38). The Gemara expresses surprise: And can it really be said that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael has no God? Rather, this comes to tell you that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as though he is engaged in idol worship. And so it says with regard to David: “For they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave to the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve other gods” (I Samuel 26:19). But who said to David: Go, serve other gods? Rather, this comes to tell you that anyone who resides outside of Eretz Yisrael is considered as though he is engaged in idol worship. § The Gemara relates: Rabbi Zeira was avoiding being seen by his teacher, Rav Yehuda, as Rabbi Zeira sought to ascend to Eretz Yisrael and his teacher disapproved. As Rav Yehuda said: Anyone who ascends from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael transgresses a positive mitzva, as it is stated:

תהילים ז׳:א׳

(א) שִׁגָּי֗וֹן לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֥ר לַיהוָ֑ה עַל־דִּבְרֵי־כ֝֗וּשׁ בֶּן־יְמִינִֽי׃

Psalms 7:1

(1) Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning Cush, a Benjaminite. 1

בראשית ב׳:כ״א

(כא) וַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה׃

Genesis 2:21

(21) So the LORD God cast a deep sleep upon the man; and, while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that spot.

בראשית ט״ו:י״ב

(יב) וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃

Genesis 15:12

(12) As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great dark dread descended upon him.

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