Yalkut HaMakiri Tehilim (118 28): Tehlim (51:7) Behold I was born in sin. One view is that Dovid’s mother was the son of a beloved wife while another says a hated wife.. Yishai was separated from his wife for three years. After three years he had a pretty maid servant that he lusted for. He said to the slave,”My daughter; I prepared myself for you tonight to free you.” The slave went to his wife, “ “Save yourself and the soul of your husband from Hell.”She replied, “What is happening?”The slave told her everything. She replied, “My daughter what can I do since he hasn’t touched me for three years?. Go prepare yourself and so will I” And she did. That evening, the slave got up and extinguished the candle. and closed the door. The wife entered and the slave left. The wife was with her husband the whole night and became pregnant with Dovid. Because of his strong passion for the slave Dovid was born very ruddy compared to his brothers. His brothers wanted to kill him seeing that he was red {a sign of adultery]. However their father told them to leave him alone so instead of killing him they treated him instead as a slave and shepherd.
http://www.daat.ac.il/he-il/tanach/iyunim/neviim/rishonim/shmuel/prakim/grosman-ahavati.htm
It looks like it is concocted from stories about Isaac, Yaakov, esav, Joseph, yehuda, Tamar, etc.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't Dovid have turned out like reuven? (Ohr Hachaim dh pachaz kamayim)
ReplyDeleteI don't have a source for this other than I was told this by Rabbi Dovid Eidensohn and I'm probably mangling it.
ReplyDeleteYishasi became concerned that the Halacha might be like those who say Ruth was not allowed to marry Boaz. Thus her descendants would also not be allowed to marry in to the Jewish Nation. He therefore sought out a woman witj whom he could legally be with.
This would explain why he separated from his wife and why he sought out the maidservant.
So, it's my understanding that Yishai's wife hid the pregnancy and presumably the maidservant was given the baby to raise. David's "half brothers" distanced themselves from him. Apparently the truth came out when David was anointed by Shmuel.
It is very problematic that no other source says anything comparable.
ReplyDeletenormally medrashim repeat themes mentioned elsewhere
So yes there is a rational given about the concealment of Moshiach see the link I added
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe first part about the switch is taken from Rachel and Leah.
ReplyDeleteThe maidservant is a variation on Hagar, and also Yaakov's wives.
The ruddy face is from eisav.
The fratricide is from Joseph.
It has cobbled together various themes from the Torah to give this medrash
Good detailed bio.
ReplyDeleteBut cite a source, please.
it's from the Times newspaper in London
ReplyDelete