Agents Of Destruction

Hashem offered Dovid HaMelech a choice of two punishments. He was forced to make the awful choice of either falling into the hands of his enemy or having his children wiped out, save for one. The Gemara records that Dovid initially told Hashem that he prefers the former punishment so all of his children could survive.

The Be’er Sheva observes that Dovid HaMelech did nothing wrong. He was running for his life; he needed food to save his life. Achimelech had no idea that Shaul was pursuing Dovid. The mistake lay in Doeg and Shaul’s faulty interpretation of events. Achimelech and the kohanim of Nov did not in any way intend to rebel against Shaul. Indeed, the pasuk records Achimelech’s protestations. The tragedy was caused by Doeg and Shaul’s unfortunate misinterpretation of the events. Why then did Dovid need atonement for the deaths of the kohanim of Nov?

The Be’er Sheva concludes that if someone causes a death even inadvertently, he needs kapparah. It once happened that a merchant sent an agent on a business errand. The agent was unfortunately murdered during his travels. The Be’er Sheva ruled based on this Gemara that the merchant needs atonement. Though the merchant did nothing wrong, and the agent’s death was totally unforeseeable, the merchant is held liable for the death of his employee. The Be’er Sheva advised the merchant to fast for 40 days and to undertake to personally support the employee’s family.

The Tzemach Tzedek, however, felt that the merchant should not be held liable in any way. Of course, it is a tremendous mitzvah to support the employee’s widow and orphans, but the onus cannot be forced on the merchant. The proof from Dovid HaMelech is not convincing. Dovid HaMelech should have realized that his actions were putting the city of Nov in danger. He was considered a traitor, and he could have foreseen that anyone aiding him might be deemed a traitor as well.

Interestingly, the Tzemach Tzedek concludes that he was just raising these points for the sake of learning. However, as a practical matter, he feels that he cannot argue with the Be’er Sheva, “a lion,” after his passing. Moreover, the Maharshal and Maharam Lublin concur with the Be’er Sheva. Therefore, he says, for practical halachah, if this unfortunate occurrence ever happens, the merchant should fast and undertake to personally support the poor family.

The Noda B’Yehudah discussed a similar issue, but with a twist. An entrepreneur approached a merchant and convinced him to give him merchandise on credit. The merchant acquiesced and the entrepreneur embarked on a fateful trip. Unfortunately, he met a tragic end. The Noda B’Yehudah said this case differed from the one told by the Be’er Sheva. There the merchant initiated the idea of having his employee go on a mission. Here the traveler himself came up with the idea. Therefore, the Noda B’Yehudah argued, the Be’er Sheva would agree that in this case the merchant should not be held liable at all.

The Noda B’Yehudah said a proof of this difference can be deduced from this very Gemara. Why doesn’t the Gemara say that Dovid HaMelech was liable for the death of Avner? Avner was Shaul’s general who decided to switch sides to Dovid HaMelech. Dovid HaMelech agreed to accept him if he brought along Michal, Dovid’s wife. Michal, Shaul’s daughter, was legally married to Dovid HaMelech. However, Shaul was of the opinion that Michal was actually single and gave her to Palti ben Laish for a wife. Dovid told Avner that he would be accepted if he managed to bring Michal with him. Avner fulfilled this condition and was thereby accepted by Dovid HaMelech.

This ultimately led to Avner’s murder. Avner was fulfilling a mission for Dovid, rescuing his wife. Still, it was Avner who initiated the idea of switching sides for his own personal reasons. Therefore, the Noda B’Yehudah says, Dovid HaMelech was not held liable for Avner’s death.

The Chidah disagrees with the Noda B’Yehudah. He cites the dictum “megalgelin chov al yedei chayav,” bad things happen through guilty people. In fact, Dovid HaMelech was held liable for Avner’s death but had already done teshuvah for it. But the destruction of an entire city was deserving of a much more serious consequence and teshuvah alone was not enough.

The Gemara says that Hashem rewards in a much more generous fashion than He metes out punishment. Therefore, anyone who even indirectly saves a life is deserving of unfathomable reward.