34
votes
Accepted
Understanding the reasoning of the woman who agreed with King Solomon to "cut the baby in half"
I generally understood the story based on the Malbim: obviously, everyone involved (including "Woman B," as you call her) knew that King Solomon's suggestion would result in the death of the child. ...
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16
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Understanding the reasoning of the woman who agreed with King Solomon to "cut the baby in half"
The Meiri asks and answers this question in Yevamos 17b:
והוא הענין שנאמר בהגדה על אותן שתים נשים זונות שבאו לדין לפני שלמה שהרי כשצוה שלמה לגזור את הילד החי והשיבה האחת תנו לה את הילוד החי והמת אל ...
- 1,203
13
votes
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Why did the Davidic dynasty need to come from questionable relations?
See the gemara in Yoma 22b.
This was orchestrated in order to ensure the longevity of his kingdom.
As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: One appoints a leader over the ...
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10
votes
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Why does the haftarah of Vayeira include the miracle of the oil?
The mefarshim on this portion of Navi (Targum, Rashi, Radak, etc.) explain that the man who died was actually Ovadiah (see Melachim Aleph 18). He was the man who kept 100 true prophets alive during ...
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9
votes
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Why does David refuse to kill Shimi b. Gera, but then later tell Shlomo to kill him?
Both Targums on Esther 2:5 identify The Shimei in Mordecai's lineage with Shimei Ben Gera. They state that David saw through a prophetic experience that Mordecai (and Esther according to the first ...
- 8,210
7
votes
Accepted
What tribe was Jehu from?
From Menashe. See Pesikta Rabbati 3
ובמלכים ירבעם בן נבט משל אפרים ואחרי כן יהוא בן (מנשה) [נמשי] משבט
מנשה
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7
votes
Contradiction in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles?
Yes. The commentators in both locations ask this contradiction.
The Metzudas Dovid explains here:
בן שמונה שנים. ובמ״ב נאמר בן שמנה עשרה שנה ואלו יהויקים אביו המליכו בחייו עשר שנים על כי ראה אשר עם ...
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7
votes
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Should one rend a garment when hearing an important teaching ‘late’?
Radak and Ralbag explain there that when he found the Torah, he saw the part about "God exiling you and your king off to a faraway land", and thus felt this was an ominous sign that the ...
- 131k
6
votes
Was the tribe of Shimon part of the Kingdom of Israel or Judah?
Ralbag notes this in his commentary to Melachim 12:23, and he writes that the verse does mention יתר העם in addition the tribes of Yehudah and Binyamin, which is meant to be a reference to Shimon.
...
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6
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Aveira Lishma: Is it permissible to make a decision that contradicts Halacha because it is for the greater good?
This topic is dealt with extensively by Rav Asher Weiss on his website. The following is a summary.
To begin with, two major authorities have already said that today there is no practical application ...
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6
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Why did the Davidic dynasty need to come from questionable relations?
Good question.
(1) We each have two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, and the numbers keep growing exponentially in powers of two. So each one of us has A LOT of ancestors – ...
- 20.8k
6
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Understanding the reasoning of the woman who agreed with King Solomon to "cut the baby in half"
She was calling the king's bluff.
My understanding of the story goes against the universal one, but fits with the text and answers your question and a lot of others --
Woman A (the one holding the ...
- 1,827
5
votes
Gechazi's accursed descendants
Interesting theory as to the potential translation into psoriasis, but it seems unlikely based on Rav Hirsch's challenges to those who compared tza'raas to leprosy:
Tzaraat is not 'leprosy' as we ...
- 13.8k
5
votes
How Could Jezebel, the Worshipper of Baal, be the Mother of Two Kings of Israel?
This is a complicated issue. You should read these two articles 1 2.
Some Rishonim say explicitly that Jezebel did not convert, and that was part of Ahab's sin in marrying her (see, for instance, ...
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5
votes
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Does Jewish tradition hold the book of Jonah to be depicting historical events?
Mikra (the TaNaCh), as opposed to Aggadaic Medrashim and Talmudic passages, are not allegories. Even when the verse is hinting a lesson, we learn that אין מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו, the verse does not ...
- 4,988
5
votes
Would Chazal intentionally make a joke/pun?
Yes, you are correct, the Talmude here [pesachim 9b] is making a pun. This is mentioned as one of the more famous examples, but there are others.
Another example is Kiddushin 25a, Students called Rav ...
- 351
5
votes
The Priest-King's name
Rabbi Ahron Marcus in his book Kadmoniyot, pg. 131-142, discusses this subject at length. I'll translate some of the more relevant portions:
First of all, he strengthens the question by mentioning ...
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5
votes
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How much water could the tub Shlomo made hold?
In Eruvin 14b, the gemara asks this, and determines that the 2000 is a wet measurement and 3000 is dry, since dry goods can be heaped above the rim.
לא סלקא דעתך דכתיב (מלכים א ז, כו) אלפים בת יכיל ...
- 23k
5
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What’s the deal with צרויה?
In the commentary by the anonymous student of Rasag to Divrei Hayamim 1:2:16 he writes:
""and their sisters Tzruyah and Avigail" - And Tzruyah's husband was S'rayah, and not S'rayah ...
- 24.9k
4
votes
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Doors and Doorways in Parshat Vayeira
Firstly, yasher kochacho on a really good observation!
Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon makes an interesting analysis here.
He notes that there are interesting parallels with the story of Sodom and Pesach which ...
- 30.3k
4
votes
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Why were there only two tablets in the ark?
The meforshim explain that it was put "in front of" the ark, not inside the ark. Thus, it was in a separate container. As shown in Yirmiyahu 2:31, it was brought out then to show them. Rav Hirsch says ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
After Elijah claiming that he was the only zealot remaining that followed g-d a certain prophet tells Ahab that he will win the battle with Ben hadad
Izevel tried to kill them but failed. For example, Ovadiah saved 100 prophets (50 in a cave) and arranged for them them to be fed and hidden from Izevel.
The Gemara in tractate Sanhedrin, page 37a,...
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4
votes
How could Abijam and Asa both have the same mother if Asa was Abijam's son?
Maacah the daughter of Avishalom is the grandmother of Asa, and the text call her his "mother" because the Scripture sometimes call a grandmother a mother (see Radak on Melachim I 15:10).
- 6,874
4
votes
When The King Of Assyria Sent a Priest to The New "Inhabitants" of Israel Did the Priest Teach Them Correctly?
Rashi states that this was not a "real" kohein but was a "priest' from Samaria who included the idol worship of Samaria in what he taught them.
Similarly, they mixed the worship of Hashem with the ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
Why did Elijah the prophet pray for death?
Elijah is fleeing from Jezebel's death threat. Artscroll brings a few explanations as to why he prayed for death
Elijah did not feel safe from Jezebel even in the Kingdom of Judah; someone might ...
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4
votes
Accepted
Who exactly were the youths of the Governors Melachim 1 Chapter 20
Radak writes they were students who had been sent to the capital city to be educated and trained.
Rash writes Ahab kept sons of regional leaders in the palace as hostages to assure their parents ...
- 48.1k
4
votes
A holistic explanation of King David's use of Avishag
The fact that he could not be warmed by artificial means (specifically clothes) is explained in Rashi on I Melachim 1:1
But he was not warmed: Our Rabbis concluded and said: “He who disgraces ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
How exactly did Solomon determine the child's mother?
The commentaries have different angles on it. Radak says that the words of the first mother (the one who accused of a switch) just rang true when he heard them.
(Notice that the verse says "the ...
- 131k
4
votes
Why did God not accept the people's repentance in the days of King Yoshiyahu?
According to Eikhah Rabba 1:53, the "repentance" was not complete. Apparently they agreed with the elimination of state sponsored or public idolatry, but when it came to their own homes, ...
- 9,438
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