Escape Plan

Kapital 3 begins with the words “Mizmor L’Dovid B’Barcho Mipnei Avshalom Beno”, words that reveal the context in which these Pessukim were written. In Sefer Shmuel, the Navi tells us that Avshalom assembled a militia and appointed himself king. Due to his charisma and bearing, the rebellious son gained popularity amongst the common man, and posed a true threat to his father. Seeing this, Dovid told his court in Yerushalayim: “Kumu V’Nivracha Ki Lo Tihiyeh Lanu Pleitah”. Indeed Dovid Hamelech, and many of his servants and associates left the city and stayed in the desert, until a battle ended Avshalom’s life.

As this Kapital was written during that period of time, it is not surprising that its words expose the anguish of their author. Dovid Hamlech cries: “Hashem Mah Rabu Tzarai Rabim Kamim Alai”. Rashi points out that the opposition raised by Avshalom was not only Rabim in number but was composed of Gedolei Torah, as well as affluent and powerful people, compounding the pain felt by his father. Sforno adds that this group included Shimi ben Geira, a close confidant of Dovid as well.

The Perek continues, “Rabim Omrim L’Nafshi Ein Yeshuaso Lo…” Radak explains that the Talmidei Chachamim, such as Achitofel, who sided with Avshalom felt that the revolt was a punishment that Dovid deserved for the story of Batsheva. They therefore assumed that the Melucha would never return to Dovid, indeed “Ein Yeshuaso Lo”.

Dovid emerges hopeful, however, reaffirming his Emunah that HKBH would extract him from his woes: “V’Ata Hashem Magen B’Adi…” Dovid knew that whatever punishment he was receiving was temporary in nature and that HKBH would protect him. His confidence also stemmed from an understanding of his ultimate strength: “Koli El Hashem Ekra V’Yaaneni M’Har Kadsho Selah”. Teffilah prevails, as Rashi writes: “B’Kol Es SheKarasi Eilecha V”Hu Ya’aneni…”

The remaining Pessukim continues in this vein, as Dovid Hamelech reinforces this idea with statements such as “Lo Ira M’Rivivos Am…” concluding with the ultimate statement of Emunah: “L’Hashem Hayeshua Al Amcha Birchasecha Selah.”

This Kapital pulls the curtain back on the emotions and feelings that Dovid Hamelech felt during this difficult period of his life, but there is a very important question that needs to be answered: what message does it give us? What can we learn from the way Dovid Hamelech reacted to the rebellion of Avshalom?

We may be able to answer this question by examining the way this Perek is introduced.

The Gemara in Brachos asks a relatively simple question on the opening words of this Kapital: “Mizmor L’Dovid Kinah L’Dovid Mibayeh”. Why does the Perek begin with the word “Mizmor”, which means song, would not the term Kinah be more appropriate? Why would Dovid sing as he fled from Avshalom, would it not be more likely that he would cry? The Gemara answers that Dovid knew, based on the Dvar Hashem, that someone from within his home would rise against him, and he feared that it would be a servant. Once he saw that it was his own son, he was happy because he felt that Avshalom, his own flesh and blood, was more likely to have Rachmanus on him.

This Gemara certainly teaches us a lot about the Kochos Hanefesh of Dovid Hamelech and perhaps the power of family, but a question remains. Why does the Passuk say “B’Barcho Mipnei Avshalom Beno”, placing an emphasis on the fact that Dovid was running away? The Mizmor was rooted in the actual rebellion, but it seems like it was said during Dovid’s actual flight from Yerushalayim towards the Midbar. Why? Why did Dovid express his feelings of joy, leading to a Mizmor, at that moment?

We can perhaps answer this question if we understand that Dovid was not running away from Avshalom merely as an act of self-preservation, but that the act of fleeing itself had meaning. Indeed, it seems from Chazal that this was exactly the case.

The Yalkut Shimoni in Sefer Shmuel tells us that when Avshalom began his revolt, Dovid came to a conclusion: “Kach Amar Dovid Yaakov Barach…Moshe Barach…Eliyahu Barach…V’Ani Barach Kamosam”. Yaakov Avinu, Moshe Rabbeinu and Eliyahu HaNavi each had to flee at some point in their lives, and Dovid determined that he was going to join their ranks, and therefore took flight. That these three luminaries were each Boreach, and that Dovid Hamelech decided to do the same, cannot be a coincidence—clearly there is a deeper meaning. What might that be?

The first example identified by Dovid Hamelech, “Yaakov Barach”, comes at the end of this week’s Parsha, when Rivka uses this term to instruct her son: “Kum Berach Lecha El Lavan Achi”. There are two immediate questions that arise from this Passuk, however. First, why did Rivka instruct Yaakov to be Boreach in particular? Why didn’t she say “Kum Lech”, that Yaakov should go—what is added, besides urgency, by the word Berach? Second, why didn’t Yaakov listen to his mother’s words? We know that he did not go directly to Lavan’s home, but first went to Yeshvias Shem V’Ever. Why did Yaakov do so, in apparent contradiction to the instructions of Rivka Immenu?

Perhaps we can answer these questions if we better understand the concept of being Boreach.

There is a Medrash that contains a similar idea to the Yalkut, but adds important depth.

The Tanchuma at the beginning of Parshas Vayetzei makes the following statement, based on a Passuk in Yeshayahu: “B’Sha Sheata Roeh Hash’ah Chatzufah Lo Ta’amod K‘Negda Ela Ten Lo Makom”. When a challenging moment emerges, says the Medrash, do not stand against it, but rather give it space to pass, as the Passuk sas “Chabi K’Mat Rega Ad Yaavor Za’am.” The Medrash continues, giving examples of those who exhibited this Middah, including all the Avos HaKedoshim, Yosef HaTzaddik, Moshe Rabbeinu and Dovid Hamelech.

The instances of flight included in the Yalkut are all mentioned in this Tanchuma, giving rise to the notion that when Dovid noted that “Yaakov Barach…Moshe Barach…Eliyahu Barach”, it was the Hanhaga of “Lo Ta’amod K‘Negda Ela Ten Lo Makom” that he wished to emulate. If so, we must understand what that means—what is the purpose of the pause, the retraction, that the Medrash lauds in difficult times?

R’ Elchana Wasserman hy”d, in his Sefer Ikvesa D”Mishicha, written in the most trying of times, brings the words of the Tanchuma and references a similar Medrash which speaks about our relationship with Eisav. The Medrash there says: “Im Re’isem SheMizdaveg Lachem Barchu L’Torah”. If we see Eisav attaching himself to us, we are to run away, to the Torah itself.

R’ Elchanan explains that each of these Medrashim has the same message: when our enemies are strong against us, especially in Galus, we are not meant to stand up against them. Rather, we are to flee to Torah and Teffilah, for these are the only weapons with which we can be successful. Our only Koach, explains R’ Elchanan, is our Peh and the words of Kedusha we can use it to express.

It emerges that the fleeing of our forebearers, of the Avos, Moshe Rabbeinu, Eliyahu HaNavi, was not merely a physical flight, but one of Ruchnias. When these giants faced adversity, they did not stand in its face but they fled, committing themselves to Torah and Teffilah in a way that would allow them to prevail.

This is the advice of the Medrash: “B’Sha Sheata Roeh Hash’ah Chatzufah Lo Ta’amod K‘Negda Ela Ten Lo Makom”. In difficult times we are meant to stop, to take stock of ourselves and use our Koach HaPeh to bring our ultimate Yeshua, to enclose ourselves in an envelope of Kedusha, and heed the words of Chazal: “Barchu L’Torah”.

This can allow us to understand the events at the end of our Parsha. Rivka told Yaakov: “Kum Berach Lecha”, telling him the threat of Eisav was such that Yaakov should not try to stand up to him, but rather protect himself with the Koach HaPeh, the Kol Yaakov. She therefore told him to be Borach, “Kum Berach Lecha”, so that he may be saved by the protection afforded one who is Boreach L’Torah.

Heeding his mother's words, Yaakov went into hiding, immersing himself in the Torah of Shem V’Ever for fourteen uninterrupted years, the ultimate example of “Barchu L’Torah”, only then venturing to Bais Lavan.

This was the very behavior that Dovid Hamelech wished to emulate so many years later.

When Dovid Hamelech saw his son rising against him, he realized that it was a moment of “Hash’ah Chatzufah Lo”, and he realized that like many before him, the time had come to be Borach—not just in a physical sense but in the manner dictated by the Medrash: “Barchu L’Torah”. Dovid committed himself to Torah and Teffilah, understanding that these would be his ultimate saviors: “Koli El Hashem Ekra V’Yaaneni”.

Perhaps this was the reason that the Mizmor was said “B’Barcho Mipnei Avshalom Beno”. When Dovid Hamelech saw that he could be saved, that it was his own flesh and blood that rose against him, he knew that the path to victory would be reached only through fleeing. Dovid understood that, like so many before him, he had to be Boreach L’Torah, allowing the danger to pass while protected by his Koach HaPeh. This itself was reason for Mizmor, because the gift of Bericha, the ability to be saved by Torah and Teffilah, the knowledge that HKBH gave us the tools to survive, spurs the greatest song of all.