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A Song of Zion: Who Should Lead? [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-11-09
Thursday is here again, so that means it’s time for another open thread for the Jewish community here. Today, we’re gonna have some fun with this week’s Haftarah. The Haftarah is read in services on Shabbat and important holidays. It consists of several selections from Nevi'im (Prophets). It is then followed by the more well known reading of the weekly Torah portion.
This week in Melachim 1:1-31, we find King David in advanced age. David’s oldest living son was Adoniyah. He is described as charming, spoiled, and handsome like his father. While David had sworn an oath that Shlomo (Solomon) would be the one to carry on the kingship, Adoniyah thought the kingdom should be his. Noticing his fathers advanced age, he went about setting himself up as the de facto king of Israel. Many people in the kingdom joined his cause, but others resisted.
The Haftarah states:
“He conferred with Joav son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiatar, and they supported Adoniyah; but the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Natan, Shimei and Rei, and David’s own warriors did not side with Adoniyah. Adoniyah made a sacrificial feast of sheep, oxen, and fatlings at the Zohelet stone that is near En-rogel; he invited all his brother princesfand all the king’s courtiers of the tribe of Yehudah; but he did not invite the prophet Natan, or Benaiah, or the warriors, or his brother Shlomo.
King David in his age was completely unaware of the unfolding events. Seeing this, Natan the prophet, speaks with Batsheva (mother of Sholomo), and they visit King David explaining what is afoot. Batsheva says:
And so the eyes of all Israel are upon you, O lord king, to tell them who shall succeed my lord the king on the throne. Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be regarded as traitors.
After Natan speaks David responds by saying: “As GOD lives, who has rescued me from every trouble: The oath I swore to you by the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, that your son Solomon should succeed me as king and that he should sit upon my throne in my stead, I will fulfill this very day!” Immediately King David points Shlomo as co-regent solidifying his path to the kingship.
What I notice most in the Haftarah is the way it rhymes with other stories. In Judaism the eldest son is supposed to be the inheritor, but time and time again that is subverted- whether it’s Yaakov and Esov, Yitzchak and Yishmael, or Yonatan and David. The theme seems to be that merits are more important than birth order. Additionally each situation was only solved with the intervention of the rightful heir’s mother.
I also like the details of how Adoniyah was a spoiled, charismatic, and divisive leader. He was preparing to usurp the thrown and punish his enemies, including his family. It reminds me of Trump. And neither Trump or Adoniyah were worthy of leadership.
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Welcome folks! This is our weekly open thread and check-in for the Daily Kos Jewish community. Thanks for getting this started Ninalyn! As Xe said last week:
This is a safe post to talk about your struggles and concerns here on DKos and beyond, discuss your grief, and generally just…rest.
If you’re a goy you’re not unwelcome, but I would request you take this opportunity to listen, rather than to speak. It’s a very different world on this side of the shul.
So how’s everyone doing?
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