Sicha, 10 Shevat 5726
A. Akavya’s Truth
The first Mishnah of chapter three contains the teachings of Akavya ben Mahalalel. A different Mishnah recounts how he disagreed with the sages on four issues, and they promised him a key position if he recanted. He rejected the offer. (Source 1)
The Rebbe shared this story with an IDF chief rabbi when the latter deliberated whether to stand his ground on an issue of Jewish law or turn a blind eye.
B. How is Payment Exacted?
Mishnah 16 describes the judgment after one’s passing, where “payment will be exacted with or without their knowledge.” The Rebbe cites the Baal Shem Tov’s explanation that the judges present a theoretical case to the subject and ask for their opinion, while in reality, that case is really their own. This is the interpretation of the words: “with” his knowledge means according to his opinion, yet it is “without” him knowing that he is passing judgment on himself.
This is also the meaning of “before Whom you will give judgment and accounting.” First, the subject rules regarding someone else, then they are shown the accounting of their own sins, which match.
The Baal Shem Tov cites King David as an example; after the incident with Batsheva, Nathan the Prophet presented King David with a similar case and David ruled that the hypothetical offender be executed. Nathan explained that David had just passed judgement on himself. (Sources 2-3)
The lesson is not to be hasty in judgment of others. We tend to criticize other’s action and judge them harshly while we’re effectively passing judgment on ourselves!
C. David and Batsheva
Ultimately, David married Batsheva and they bore Solomon (Source 4), the ancestor of Moshiach. This story is well-discussed by the sages, who unequivocally declare that David did not sin, certainly not in the classic sense. His act was not adultery, because Uriah, like all soldiers, had divorced his wife before going to battle. (Source 5)
The Talmud adds that one who says David sinned is mistaken, because the Torah says G-d was “with” David, which would make it impossible for him to sin (Source 6). Batsheva, they explained, was actually destined to marry David all along, and David knew this with a flash of divine inspiration. The issue was that David was supposed to wait and not artificially rush the process. (Sources 7-8)
What does this story teach us?
The Rebbe quotes the Talmud which says that David was not able to commit such a sin, yet G-d made it happen so that David would repent, teaching the world that one can repent for anything.
