And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul: This is [the meaning of] the verse, He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11), everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, made in His world is beautiful. [David] said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the world, everything that You have made in Your world is beautiful except for madness, [and] wisdom is more beautiful than everything. What benefit is there from the madman, [that] man tears his clothes in the marketplace, and the children mock him and chase him, and the people laugh at him. Is this beautiful before You?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, "David, are you challenging foolishness? By your life, one day you will need it." And Solomon said, He who disdains a thing will be injured by it [yichabel lo, which can also by pawned to it] (Proverbs 13:18). He will be pawned to it, as it is found, If you take your neighbor’s garment in pawn [chavol tichbol] (Exodus 22:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You will suffer and pray for it until it is given to you." David did not do this, but went to be with the Philistines: And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul and he came to Achish. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "David, you are going to Achish while yesterday you killed Goliath, yet you are going today to his brothers with his sword in your hand? And his brothers are the bodyguards of Achish, behold Goliath's blood has not yet dried up!" When he came to them, they came to Achish, they said to him, "We will kill the one who killed our brother." Achish replied, "Was it not in battle? And if your brother killed him, would it not have been in battle that he killed him? And now that he has killed him, did your brother not stipulate, If he is able to fight me and defeat me, [then he shall rule over you] (1 Samuel 17:9)." They replied, "If that's the case, then step down from your throne, as the kingdom is David's." And it is as it is found, "Is not this David, king of the land (I Samuel 21:12). "So we will be his servants." At that moment, David was afraid and began to say, In the day of my fear, I will trust in you (Psalms 56:4). David began to pray, saying, "Master of the worlds, answer me at this hour." The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him, "What do you request?" David said to Him, "Give me a little of that thing." He said to him, "Did I not tell you that He who disdains a thing will be pawned to it? So you are asking for foolishness?" So he acted like this fool. He wrote on the doors, "Achish the king of Gath owes me 100,000 and his wife 50,000." And his daughter was mad; so she shouted and behaved foolishly inside and David shouted and acted foolishly inside. Achish said to them, "Do you not know that I am lacking madmen?" As it is stated, I am missing crazy people (I Samuel 21:16). At that moment, David rejoiced with a great joy. When the madness left him, the joy died. This is [the meaning of] what is written, I will bless the Lord at all times (Psalms 34:2).
And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul — This
Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team
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