Today, we're diving into a fascinating story from Bamidbar Rabbah 10, a section of the larger Midrash Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies and interpretations of the Torah. It’s a story about King Solomon, the wisest of all men, and a night that almost changed everything.
The text opens with a perplexing question: Why is Solomon also called Lemuel, as in, "The words of Lemuel the king" (Proverbs 31:1)? Rabbi Yishmael offers a dramatic answer. It all happened on the very night Solomon finished building the Temple. A night of double celebration, because he also married the daughter of Pharaoh.
But here’s where things get dicey. According to this midrash, the joy over Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter actually overshadowed the rejoicing for the Temple itself. Can you imagine? This upset God, and the text tells us that God even considered destroying Jerusalem in response! As we find in (Jeremiah 32:31), God said, “For [this city has been] a cause of My wrath and of My anger [from the day that they built it until this day; remove it from My presence].”
Why did this marriage cause so much upheaval? Well, the Rabbis explain that Pharaoh's daughter introduced Solomon to a thousand types of song, each dedicated to a different idol. She created a seductive, almost hypnotic atmosphere. Even worse, she put a canopy above Solomon covered in gems that shone like stars. Every time he tried to wake up for his duties, he saw the dazzling display and fell back asleep.
Rabbi Levi adds that on that particular day, the morning offering in the Temple wasn’t sacrificed until the fourth hour of the day – terribly late! There was an incident, we're told, where the daily morning offering was sacrificed at the fourth hour. Imagine the distress of the Israelites. It was the dedication of the Temple, but they couldn't wake Solomon! They were afraid to disturb the king.
So, what did they do? They went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and she took matters into her own hands.
Bathsheba woke Solomon and delivered a powerful rebuke. The text says, "The oration with which his mother admonished him" (Proverbs 31:1). Rabbi Yoḥanan paints a vivid picture: Bathsheba bent him over a post! She then asks, "What, my son?" (Proverbs 31:2). She reminds him that everyone knows his father, King David, was God-fearing. Now, she fears, they'll say she's the reason he's straying.
She continues, "What, son of my womb?" (Proverbs 31:2), reminding him of the sacrifices she made for him, even breaking custom to ensure he was a worthy heir. "And what, son of my vows?" (Proverbs 31:2). While other women prayed for sons fit for kingship, she prayed for a son quick in Torah and worthy of prophecy.
Then comes the core of her message: "Do not give your strength to women" (Proverbs 31:3). She warns him against the dangers of lust and reminds him of the Torah's commandment: "He shall not amass for himself many wives" (Deuteronomy 17:17). Be careful, she warns, these things destroy kings.
She then challenges him: "It is not for kings, Lemuel" (Proverbs 31:4), implying, what business do you have with kings who say, 'Why do we need God [lama lanu el]?' Don't emulate their actions! "It is not for kings to drink wine" (Proverbs 31:4), she continues. Why do you act like kings who get drunk and engage in lewd acts? Don't be like them.
Rabbi Shimon explains that drinking wine can lead one to forget the Torah's commandments, the meḥukak, especially "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:13). Bathsheba reminds Solomon that justice was entrusted to the House of David. Drinking wine could lead him to "subvert justice for all the children of the poor" (Proverbs 31:5).
The text even delves into the proper use of wine: "Give strong drink to the hopeless, and wine to embittered souls" (Proverbs 31:6). Rabbi Ḥanan says wine was created to reward the wicked in this world and to comfort mourners. It should be used to ease suffering, not to cloud judgment.
The passage then turns to the responsibility of the court to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves: "Open your mouth for the mute" (Proverbs 31:8), specifically orphans who don't know how to claim their inheritance.
Finally, the text returns to the name "Lemuel." It suggests that "Lemuel" means whispering [nam] to God [lael], saying, "I can amass many wives and not sin." It's a warning against arrogance and the belief that one is above temptation.
The midrash then interprets Bathsheba's admonishment through the lens of Torah law, connecting it to the prohibitions against intermarriage, adultery, and excessive drinking. It emphasizes that these prohibitions are not arbitrary but are essential for maintaining spiritual and moral integrity.
The episode concludes by suggesting that Solomon eventually conceded his error. He learned from the mistakes of Noah and Adam, who were both led astray by wine. Solomon realized that true wisdom lies in acknowledging one's limitations and adhering to the teachings of the Torah.
So, what can we take away from this story? It's a reminder that even the wisest among us are fallible. It's a call to humility, a warning against arrogance, and a reminder of the importance of staying grounded in our values. And perhaps most importantly, it highlights the power of a mother's love and a mother's wisdom in guiding her child back to the right path. It's a powerful narrative about temptation, responsibility, and the enduring strength of moral guidance, still resonant today.
That is what is written: “The words of Lemuel the king” (Proverbs 31:1). Why is Solomon called Lemuel? Rabbi Yishmael said: On the very night that Solomon completed the labor of the Temple, he married Bitya daughter of Pharaoh. There was rejoicing there, in the celebration of the Temple and the rejoicing over Pharaoh’s daughter. The rejoicing over Pharaoh’s daughter overshadowed the rejoicing over the Temple. That is what the parable says: Everyone flatters the king. That is why he is called Lemuel, because he cast the yoke of God’s kingdom from upon him, as though saying: ‘Why does he need God [lama lo el]?’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He considered destroying Jerusalem. That is what is written: “For [this city has been] a cause of My wrath and of My anger [from the day that they built it until this day; remove it from My presence]” (Jeremiah 32:31). The Rabbis said: Pharaoh’s daughter introduced to him one thousand types of song, and he commanded them to be sung before him that night. She would say to him: ‘This is the way they sing before such-and-such idol, and that is the way they sing before such-and-such idol.’ What did Pharaoh’s daughter do? She spread a hanging over him and affixed on it all sorts of gems and jewels that shone like stars and constellations, and any time Solomon would seek to rise, he would see the stars and constellations and he slept until the fourth hour of the day. Rabbi Levi said: On that day, the daily offering was sacrificed at the fourth hour. Regarding that hour, we learned: There was an incident and the daily morning offering was sacrificed at the fourth hour. Israel were saddened, as it was the day of the dedication of the Temple, but they were unable to do anything because Solomon was sleeping and they were afraid to wake him due to fear of the monarchy. They went and informed Bathsheba his mother and she went and woke him and rebuked him. That is what is written: “The oration with which his mother admonished him” (Proverbs 31:1). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It teaches that his mother bent him over a post and said to him: “What, my son?” (Proverbs 31:2) – everyone knows that your father was God-fearing. Now, this is what they will say: Bathsheba his mother caused him to do thus. “What, son of my womb?” (Proverbs 31:2) – all the women of your father’s household, once they became pregnant, they would never see the face of the king, but I forced my way and entered so that my son would be fair and agile.44The Rabbis say that relations during the last trimester are beneficial to the fetus. “And what, son of my vows?” (Proverbs 31:2) – all the women of your father’s household, when they would become pregnant they would vow and say: ‘Let me have a son who is worthy of kingship,’ but I vowed and said: ‘Let me have a son who will be quick and scholarly in Torah and worthy of prophecy.’ “Do not give your strength to women” (Proverbs 31:3) – you would be pursuing lewdness, as they agitate a man’s mind: “A companion of harlots will lose a fortune” (Proverbs 29:3). “Or let your ways destroy kings” (Proverbs 31:3); the Torah cautioned and said: “He shall not amass for himself many wives” (Deuteronomy 17:17). Be careful regarding these matters, as they destroy kings. “It is not for kings, Lemuel” (Proverbs 31:4); what [business] do you have with kings who say: ‘Why do we need God [lama lanu el],’ and [you] emulate their actions? “It is not for kings to drink wine” (Proverbs 31:4) – why do you liken yourself to kings who drink wine, become inebriated, and perform all kinds of acts of lewdness? Do not emulate their actions. “Or for princes: Where is strong drink?” (Proverbs 31:4). Shall one for whom all the secrets of the world are revealed drink wine and become inebriated? “Lest he drink, and forget what was legislated [meḥukak]” (Proverbs 31:5) – Rabbi Shimon said: These are the words of the Torah that are inscribed [haḥakukim], and it is written among them: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13). “And subvert justice for all the children of the poor” (Proverbs 31:5), she [his mother] said to him: Justice was entrusted to the kingdom of the House of David, just as it is written: “House of David, so said the Lord: Adjudicate justice in the morning” (Jeremiah 21:12). If you drink wine and subvert justice for all the children of the poor, you will exonerate the guilty and convict the innocent. From here they said: A judge who drank a quarter log of wine shall not judge, likewise, a Sage who drank a quarter log of wine shall not issue a ruling. “Give strong drink to the hopeless, and wine to embittered souls” (Proverbs 31:6). Rabbi Ḥanan said: Wine was created in this world only to pay a reward to the wicked in this world, as they are hopeless in the World to Come, and to comfort mourners. That is what is written: “And wine to embittered souls.” From here they said: All those executed by the court would be given undiluted wine to drink to addle their minds. That is what is written: “Give strong drink to the hopeless.” “Let him drink and forget his poverty, [and remember his misery no longer]” (Proverbs 31:7). Regarding the hopeless, it says that he will forget death, which is his poverty.45He has no reward after death. “And…his misery,” is said regarding the embittered soul; one whose sons and daughters die before him and his soul is embittered. The wine will cause his heart to rejoice and he will no longer remember his sorrow. “And remember his misery no longer,” these are his children, who are his misery, like that which we learned: “And our misery” (Deuteronomy 26:7), these are the children, just as it is stated: “Every son that is born [you shall cast into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). “Open your mouth for the mute” (Proverbs 31:8), from here [we learn] that if there are none proffering a claim for an heir or for a purchaser, the court proffers a claim on their behalf. Alternatively, “open your mouth for the mute,” this relates to the orphans who do not know how to proffer a claim; moreover, they do not know their father’s business, that the court proffers a claim on their behalf. That is, “for the judgment for all whose lives are transitory [benei ḥalof]” (Proverbs 31:8), these are the children of [someone] dead who passed [sheḥalaf] and went to his eternal home. Another matter, they46The orphans themselves. are their father’s replacement [ḥilufei], just as it says: “For whom there is no replacement [ḥalifot]” (Psalms 55:20) – Rabbi Ḥanina said: This is one who does not leave a son after him. “Open your mouth, rule justly” (Proverbs 31:9), that you will not act in a matter that will teach [false] claims. “And the case of the poor and indigent” (Proverbs 31:9), just as it says: “You shall not distort the judgment of your indigent in his dispute” (Exodus 23:6). Another matter, these are the charities and the gifts to the poor, which is theirs by law, as you must take from the robber and give to them, to realize what is stated: “Do not rob the impoverished, as he is impoverished…” (Proverbs 22:22). Another matter, “the words of Lemuel the king, the oration [masa] [with which his mother admonished him]” (Proverbs 31:1); this is the Torah that admonished Solomon, as it is called the mother [em] of those who study it, just as it says: “For if [im] you call for understanding” (Proverbs 2:3) – em is written.47The word im and the word em have the same Hebrew letters. Why are the words called masa?48Literally, a burden. It is because harsh matters will befall anyone who emulates the actions of Solomon. “What, my son [beri]?” (Proverbs 31:2). It does not say “what, beni,” but rather, “what beri.” These are the commands and the prohibitions in the Torah, which is called bar, just as it says: “Kiss bar, lest he become angry…” (Psalms 2:12), as all its matters are clear [barim]. It is regarding a prohibition in the Torah: “You shall not marry them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, [and his daughter you shall not take for your son]” (Deuteronomy 7:3), that it says this matter. It is because Solomon took from the daughters of the nations and married them, as it is stated: “King Solomon loved many…women… from the nations, regarding whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel: Do not consort with them, and they shall not consort with you, as they will sway [your heart after their gods; Solomon clung to them for love]” (I Kings 11:1–2). Ḥananya ben Rabbi Yehoshua said: It is for that reason that it said: “You shall not marry them.” Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Actually “for love” [means] for harlotry.49Namely, he did not marry them. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta says: He did not require them to convert and to draw them near beneath the wings of Heaven. “What, son of my womb [bitni]?” The Torah cautioned regarding a married woman. This is why beten is written here, as regarding an adulterer and an adulteress it is written: “Her belly [bitna] will distend…” (Numbers 5:27); “to cause a belly [beten] to distend…” (Numbers 5:22). “What, son of my vows?” The Torah cautioned him not to drink wine so that he would not come to engage in harlotry. This why “my vows” is written here, corresponding to the portion of the nazirite that is written after the portion of the sota. In it, it is written: “When a man or a woman will articulate to take [a vow of a nazirite].” “Do not give your strength to women” (Proverbs 31:3) – after the Divine Spirit alluded to these three prohibitions,50Not to intermarry, not to commit adultery, and not to drink wine. it then detailed them specifically. That is what is written: “Do not give your strength to women,” corresponding to the foreign women whom he took and they diverted his heart from the Holy One blessed be He. “Your strength,” that is the strength of the Torah that said: “He shall not amass for himself many wives” (Deuteronomy 17:17), and he violated it. “Or let your ways eradicate counsel [melakhin]” (Proverbs 31:3), the verse is speaking regarding harlotry with a married woman. That is what is written: “Or let your ways [udrakhekha] eradicate,” just as it says: “As all flesh has corrupted [its way [darko]]” (Genesis 6:12). “Eradicate” – matters of Torah that counsel you to good, just as it says: “Counsel and resourcefulness are mine” (Proverbs 8:14). Melakhin is nothing other than counsel, just as it says: “Therefore, king, let my counsel [milki] be acceptable to you” (Daniel 4:24). That is, “eradicate [lamḥot] counsel,” just as it says: “The [priest] shall write these curses [in the scroll, and he shall dissolve [umaḥa] them]” (Numbers 5:23). “It is not for kings, Lemuel…” He was called by three names: Yedidya, Kohelet, and Solomon. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Seven – [those three, and] Agur, ben Yakeh, Lemuel, Itiel. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: His primary essence was three: Yedidya, Kohelet, and Solomon. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman concedes regarding these four; that he was called by them as a nickname and [therefore] they require expounding. Agur, because he accumulated [agar] matters of Torah. Yakeh, because he expelled [heki] matters of Torah, like this bowl that is filled for a while and emptied after a while. Lemuel, as he whispered [nam] to God [lael]: ‘I can amass many wives and not sin.’ Itiel, as he said: ‘God [el] is with me [iti] and I will prevail.’ And it says: “It is not for kings, Lemuel.” The Torah said three matters regarding which kings were commanded: Not to amass many wives, not to amass many horses, and not to amass much gold and silver. They must not say [lomar] to God [lael] that they will amass and will not sin. “It is not for kings to drink wine” (Proverbs 31:4). This is stated regarding the vow of the nazirite that is written after the portion of the sota, that kings must guard themselves from wine, and likewise princes, so they will not come to lewdness and render the world guilty. Why did it caution kings and princes alone? After all, everybody must be cautious regarding wine so they will not drink and be corrupted. It is, rather, because kings have the wherewithal to drink and do anything in transgression that they wish, and there is no one to reprimand them. “Lest he drink, and forget what was legislated [mekhukak]” (Proverbs 31:5); due to the wine that he drank, he will forget what the Torah commanded to the legislator [mekhokek]51This is a reference to Moses. See Deuteronomy 33:21. – the statutes of the Torah; that is the portion of the sota. “And subvert justice for all the children of the poor” (Proverbs 31:5). This adulterer who goes to the married woman and she becomes pregnant from him, that mamzer52Any child born from a forbidden union that is punishable by karet. has no portion in the belongings of her husband, but he will receive a portion of his belongings with his [other, actual] sons because they think he is his son. Another matter, at times, the husband will not leave a son, and by Torah law, the inheritance then goes to his brothers. But this mamzer will inherit his belongings, as they think he is his son, and [this] will subvert justice for all the children of the poor. That is why after the sota, the Torah cautioned regarding the law of the nazirite, as wine causes the adulterer and the adulteress to sin. That is what is written: “When a man or a woman will articulate [to take the vow of a nazirite, to abstain for the Lord].” From where is it derived that Solomon later conceded?53That he should not have drunk. It is as it is stated: “I am a greater fool than a man [ish]” (Proverbs 30:2) – this is Noah, as it is written: “Noah, the man [ish] [of the soil], began [and he planted a vineyard]” (Genesis 9:20) – by means of wine he was cursed,54Since his descendants were cursed as a result of his drunkenness , it is as though he was cursed (Etz Yosef). but I [Solomon] did not learn from him. “And the understanding of man [adam] is not mine” (Proverbs 30:2) – this is Adam the first man, who, by means of the wine that he drank, the entire world was cursed because of him, as Rabbi Avin said: Eve poured wine for Adam and he drank, as it is stated: “The woman saw [vatereh] that the tree was good for eating…” (Genesis 3:6), and it is written: “Do not look at [tereh] wine in its redness” (Proverbs 23:31). “I have not learned wisdom” (Proverbs 30:3) – from the wisdom of the Torah, as everywhere that wine is written, it makes an impression. “Nor do I know sacred knowledge” (Proverbs 30:3). One who seeks to sanctify himself so he will not sin with harlotry, shall abstain from wine. I was corrupted with harlotry, but now “I know sacred knowledge.” That is why the portion of the nazirite is stated after sota.
