David the teacher

Psalm 34 l’chu vanim shimu li Come, sons, listen to me

yirat Hashem alamedhem Fear of G-d I will teach you

I Samuel 17:45 David said to the Philistine ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin – but I come to you with the Name of Hashem, Master of Legions, the God of the battalions of Israel



Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, known as Ramak, (1522-1570), wrote in Tomer Devorah, chapter 3, that the attribute of chochmah, wisdom, has two aspects – the higher aspect faces upwards and receives from above, and the lower aspect faces downwards extending to and overseeing lower attributes, sefirot. “Likewise, a person should have two aspects:

1) contemplation in solitude with his Creator in order to increase and perfect his chochmah

2) to teach others the chochmahthat Hashem has bestowed upon him.”

David was a perfect example of an individual who opened his heart to receive chochmah,wisdom, from the Almighty above and lovingly shared it with whoever was willing to receive. Contrary to the superficial image of David as primarily the king and military leader who communed with G-d and wrote psalms in his spare time, the more detailed review of his life shows David as primarily the spiritual leader of his people. People of Israelfollowed and served David not just because of his royal office, but first and foremost because they loved him and believed in him, believed in the words that David taught them and the ruach hakodesh,divine spirit, that he carried.

The story of David as a young shepherd facing the giant Goliath is an example of Hashem’s miraculous intervention in David’s life, an example of faith and devotion. What is often missing in the popular interpretation is David’s early role as a spiritual leader. He comes to the camp carrying food for his older brothers, runs to the battle line(17:22), hears Goliath disparaging words “I have disgraced the battalions of Israel this day”, and sees how 17:24 “all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and they were very frightened”.

So in 17:26 “David spoke to the men standing with him, saying ‘What will be done for the man who slays this Philistine and removes disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he disgraces the battalions of the Living God?” David does not just shoot the rock at Goliath – he starts with talking to men, arousing the anger against the enemy, outrage at the disgrace, and reminding the men that their army is the battalion of the Living God. His first entrance in public is starting with the speech proclaiming the glory of God!

In 17:28 his oldest brother Eliab, the authority figure, tries to turn him away in no uncertain terms, while David plays innocence 17:29 “What have I done now? Was it not mere talk?” 17:30 “He then turned away from him (Eliab) toward someone else, and said the same thing…” 17:31“The words David was saying became heard; people related them to Saul and he summoned David.” David’s words were no mere talk, they became heard, his words were gaining more and more power among people, until they reached the ears of the king.

17:32“David said to Saul: ‘Let no man lose heart because of him (Goliath). Your servant will go forth and fight this Philistine’.” After ensuing dialog with naturally skeptical Saul, David says 17:37“Hashem Who rescued me from the hand of lion and from the hand of bear, He will rescue me from this Philistine!” After these words the argument is over and Saul says 17:38“Go, and may Hashem be with you!” It is David’s unwavering faith that gets the king to trust him with the fortune of Israel. A lot is in stake, as the Philistines put the condition on the one-to-one battle 17:9“If he can fight me and kill me, we will be slaves to you; and if I defeat him and kill him, you will be slaves to us and serve us.” Saul entrusts everything in the hands of the youth whose only credit so far is calling out in the name of Hashem.

David comes out to fight the mighty Philistine in his plain shepherd’s clothes, with the staff and the slingshot in his hand and five smooth stones in his knapsack. Again he does not shoot right away, he speaks to the Philistine for all to hear, and what he says is more impressive and profound than “I have a dream”speech by M. L. King, it defines the faith, emuna, for history of the mankind.

17:45-47“David said to the Philistine ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin – but I come to you with the Name of Hashem, Master of Legions, the God of the battalions of Israel that you have ridiculed. On this day Hashem will deliver you into my hand. …Then the whole earth will know that there is a God in Israel, and all this assembly will know that not through sword and spear does Hashem grant salvation; for unto Hashem is the battle, and He shall deliver you into our hands!”

David pronounces in public, in front of ‘all this assembly’ the same line that Hannah said in private in the very opening of the book of Samuel: 2:9 “for not through strength does man prevail”.

We all know the ending of this story 17:50-54 “Thus David overpowered the Philistine with the slingshot and stone, he smote the Philistine and killed him; there was no sword in David’s hand… David took the sword of Goliath and cut off his head with it. The Philistines saw that their hero is dead and they ran away. The men of IsraelandJudahrose up, and shouted exultantly, and pursued the Philistines… David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalemand his weapons he put in his tent.”

David becomes a popular hero overnight. 18:5 “Saul appointed him over the warriors, and it was good in the eyes of all the people and also in the eyes of Saul’s servant.” But the public adoration does not come for free, and eventually the excessive popularity gets David in trouble. 18:6-7“It happened when …David returned from slaying the Philistine – that the women from all towns of Israel came out to sing with timbrels to greet king Saul, with drums, with gladness and with cymbals. The rejoicing women called out and said ‘Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands’ Saul grew very angry and this matter was disturbing in his eyes”.

This starts a long period of exile, danger and constant pursuit, while David is hiding from Saul, gathering around himself a whole army of rebels and disciples. According to my teacher, Shira Eliaser, it is to them, the loyal outcasts who followed him into the wilderness, that David says in psalm 34 “Come, sons, listen to me, fear of G-d I will teach you. Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” His warriors and students became his family, his sons, his spiritual descendants.