The moral profligacy that reigned in Canaan overrode the spiritual perversion that prevailed in Charan. As the D’Rashos HaRan explains, it is possible to penetrate the mind of he who is spiritually perverse, because idolatry is a philosophical issue which can be addressed rationally, so that the individual can understand how his logic has been twisted. In contrast, the moral degeneracy of the Canaanim is more difficult to counter, because the degeneracy becomes imbedded in the psyche of the individual, so that he is unable to comprehend anything outside of his established belief system. Horav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Shlita, supplements this with the story related in Melachim 1:1 concerning the aged David HaMelech and the question surrounding his successor. The Navi relates that David was at the end of his days when the question arose: Who will succeed David? Adoniah ben Chagis audaciously proclaimed himself as the future king (he was David’s son). Nasan HaNavi, together with Bas Sheva, David’s wife, asked if the king had declared Adoniah to be his successor. The king emphatically said that he had not. He then swore that Shlomo, his son from Bas Sheva, would reign after him`. When she heard this declaration, Bas Sheva bowed down to the ground and proclaimed, Yechi Adoni HaMelech David l’olam; “The King David HaMelech shall live on, and (afterwards) Shlomo will succeed him.” Why did Bas Sheva address David HaMelech’s tenure as king? At that moment, the discussion on the table was Shlomo’s succession, not David’s reign.
The Brisker Rav, zl, distinguishes between Malchus Yisrael, the monarchy of Yisrael, and Malchus David, the Davidic dynasty. Shlomo HaMelech was designated to follow his father and become the Monarch of Bais David. Had Adoniah become king, he would not have carried on the Davidic dynasty. When David took an oath assuring Bas Sheva of her son’s position within Malchus Bais David, she declared, Yechi ha’melech David, because now that Shlomo had been designated to perpetuate Malchus Bais David, the present king, David HaMelech, could/would live. The Davidic dynasty would not cease to exist with his passing, which would have been the case had Adoniah become king.
The Rosh Yeshivah advances this thought, noting that hemshech hadoros, generational continuity, occurs only when the next generation does not alter their parental legacy in any way. As long as they guard the ways of the tradition handed to them from the previous generation, then hope for continuity prevails. David established a monarchy that would continue only if his position were to be transferred to a successor who would adhere to his every way. Only Shlomo HaMelech would fill his father’s shoes; only he would be faithful to his father’s legacy. Thus, they demanded that he be proclaimed David’s successor.
Adoniah had a right to claim the meluchah, monarchy. He, too, was a son, but it would initiate a new monarchy, not linked to the previous one. Unless one were to follow exactly in David’s ways, the previous king’s monarchy would cease to exist with David’s passing.
We must take into consideration that lineage does not only concern monarchial succession. The Avos, holy Patriarchs, comprise the foundation of our nation. Father to son, father to son, is a requisite upon which this foundation is based. It was crucial that the son meticulously adhere to his father’s customs. Thus, Avraham Avinu married a woman (Sarah Imeinu) from a family with whom he was familiar, one that was not morally degenerate. If Yitzchak were to alter this practice and marry a Canaani, he would have thereby broken the Patriarchal continuum, having changed from the path forged by his father. Continuity, perpetuating the traditions of the previous generation, was – and remains- vital to building Klal Yisrael. Thus, Avraham set his criteria for Eliezer to find a suitable wife for Yitzchak. In order to provide hemshech, continuity, Eliezer had to attain this standard.
The Rosh Yeshivah explains that this idea applied to Yehoshua being selected to be Moshe Rabbeinu’s successor. He was Moshe’s talmid muvhak, primary student, who did not deviate in any way or nuance from his revered Rebbe’s teachings. Hemshech, likewise, pertains to the rebbe/talmid relationship. Only a student whose actions are synonymous with those of his rebbe can his successor. The king emphatically said that he had not. He then swore that Shlomo, his son from Bas Sheva, would reign after him`. When she heard this declaration, Bas Sheva bowed down to the ground and proclaimed, Yechi Adoni HaMelech David l’olam; “The King David HaMelech shall live on, and (afterwards) Shlomo will succeed him.” Why did Bas Sheva address David HaMelech’s tenure as king? At that moment, the discussion on the table was Shlomo’s succession, not David’s reign.
The Brisker Rav, zl, distinguishes between Malchus Yisrael, the monarchy of Yisrael, and Malchus David, the Davidic dynasty. Shlomo HaMelech was designated to follow his father and become the Monarch of Bais David. Had Adoniah become king, he would not have carried on the Davidic dynasty. When David took an oath assuring Bas Sheva of her son’s position within Malchus Bais David, she declared, Yechi ha’melech David, because now that Shlomo had been designated to perpetuate Malchus Bais David, the present king, David HaMelech, could/would live. The Davidic dynasty would not cease to exist with his passing, which would have been the case had Adoniah become king.
The Rosh Yeshivah advances this thought, noting that hemshech hadoros, generational continuity, occurs only when the next generation does not alter their parental legacy in any way. As long as they guard the ways of the tradition handed to them from the previous generation, then hope for continuity prevails. David established a monarchy that would continue only if his position were to be transferred to a successor who would adhere to his every way. Only Shlomo HaMelech would fill his father’s shoes; only he would be faithful to his father’s legacy. Thus, they demanded that he be proclaimed David’s successor.
Adoniah had a right to claim the meluchah, monarchy. He, too, was a son, but it would initiate a new monarchy, not linked to the previous one. Unless one were to follow exactly in David’s ways, the previous king’s monarchy would cease to exist with David’s passing.
We must take into consideration that lineage does not only concern monarchial succession. The Avos, holy Patriarchs, comprise the foundation of our nation. Father to son, father to son, is a requisite upon which this foundation is based. It was crucial that the son meticulously adhere to his father’s customs. Thus, Avraham Avinu married a woman (Sarah Imeinu) from a family with whom he was familiar, one that was not morally degenerate. If Yitzchak were to alter this practice and marry a Canaani, he would have thereby broken the Patriarchal continuum, having changed from the path forged by his father. Continuity, perpetuating the traditions of the previous generation, was – and remains- vital to building Klal Yisrael. Thus, Avraham set his criteria for Eliezer to find a suitable wife for Yitzchak. In order to provide hemshech, continuity, Eliezer had to attain this standard.
The Rosh Yeshivah explains that this idea applied to Yehoshua being selected to be Moshe Rabbeinu’s successor. He was Moshe’s talmid muvhak, primary student, who did not deviate in any way or nuance from his revered Rebbe’s teachings. Hemshech, likewise, pertains to the rebbe/talmid relationship. Only a student whose actions are synonymous with those of his rebbe can be viewed as a continuation of his rebbe. Chazal (Pirkei Avos 2:8) teach that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai had five talmidim. Surely, his yeshivah had many more than five students. He had the largest yeshivah in his generation. The Rosh Yeshivah explains that although Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai certainly had many students, only five could be counted as students whose Rebbe’s name was designated upon them. Their label, “Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai’s talmidim,” defined their identities; they were his sequel.
