Close To Torah

King Shaul took a search team of three thousand men to the desert of En Gedi in search of David. Shual distanced himself from his men to use the restroom in private unknowingly entering the cave which David and his men were hiding in! This was a real moment of truth. David’s men urged him to act and to finally kill the man who had made his life miserable. This would have been more than justified. David refused but did wish to make his mark. He chose to cut off a small corner from Shaul’s garment as a testimony that he had the opportunity to end Shaul’s life but chose not to carry this out because he was not his enemy. David felt that this action could finally end the rivalry and his pursuit (See I Samuel 24 for details). He was correct but only for a short while…

Emotional Composition

David composed three psalms (57-59) that expressed his feelings on the matter. Each psalm opens with the words, “Do not destroy,” beseeching Hashem to protect David from all harm. Additionally, it is a play on words expressing David’s plea not to have to kill Shaul as well (Alshich). What is interesting is that David was also expressing a most important principle here. Do not learn from the evil actions of Shaul and come to do what is morally incorrect. David felt that it was important to think matters through based on the light of logic and morality and not to simply learn from societal influences. Dovid showed himself to possess deep rooted moral integrity.

Turn To Hashem

David stated (verse 3), “I will call upon God, Most High.” Even though his situation was hopeless and he did not know whether he would ever be spared from Shaul, David realized that God is all-powerful and the only One worth turning to for salvation. Despite the power that Shual or anyone else had, Hashem is more powerful than any other power in the world (Radak).

Effects

It is interesting to explore the results of David’s actions in the cave in which he passed up the opportunity to terminate Shaul and instead cut his cloak. Rashi (in Samuel) quotes a Midrash that states that the prophet Samuel came to rebuke Shaul for leaving the Amaleki animals and king alive. Samuel grasped Shaul’s cloak and tore it. He then shared his prophetic message, “because of your sin, God will tear away the kingdom from you.” Shaul asked who would replace him. Samuel replied, “the man who will rip the corner of your cloak just as I did now.” Midrash Socher Tov states that Shaul remembered this well and after recognizing what David did in the cave he declared, “David will be the king and will surely rule (I Samuel 24:20)” in this world and the next.”

Chazal tell us that King David tore off the corner of Shaul’s cloak thus invaliding his four-cornered garment and rendering his tzitzis pasul, invalid. David’s actions were punished by God (unlike the action of Samuel which was done according to God’s command). “One who does not respect clothing will not benefit from their warmth and protection (Berachos 62b). David should have found another way of making his mark other than tearing the cloak. David was thus punished that at the end of his life he was unable to maintain his own body heat by means of any clothing. Hashem was very strict with him because of his great statute and never did David question Hashem’s judgment.

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