The Talmud Bava Metzia (59a) relates that David Hamelech bemoaned to Hashem that, following the incident with Bas Sheva, certain men were humiliating him. He added, “Even when they are engaged in (studying) Negaim (Mishnayos discussing various plagues) and Ohalos (Mishnayos dealing with tumah, ritual contamination, in a closed area such as a tent), they come to me and ask, ‘David, what form of execution does bais din give to one who has an immoral liaison with a married woman?’” They were alluding to David’s relationship with Bas Sheva which was legally permissible, but this did not prevent their tongues from wagging.
This outrage took place during David’s shiur, halachic lecture. One person (probably egged on by others) had the temerity to ask a question which was obviously an allusion to David Hamelech. The king did not flinch. He responded, “The punishment for one who cohabits with a married woman is chenek, death by choking. However, the punishment for one who embarrasses another Jew in public is losing his portion in Olam Habba, the World to Come.” The implication was clear: “You might think that I acted inappropriately. Even if it were true – which it was not – your sin of humiliating me in public carries a much greater punishment.”
The question that requires elucidation is why David chose Negaim and Ohalos over any other difficult (requiring serious concentration) sugya, topic, in the Talmud, to emphasize how such men can interrupt what seems to be serious learning to humiliate him.
Likutei Shoshanim (cited by Peninei Kedem) explains that negaim, various plagues, are Heaven sent to punish one who speaks lashon hora, slander. Thus, David intimated, “Even when they are engaged in Negaim – they know that lashon hora catalyzes negaim. This still did not prevent them from slandering me publicly. Furthermore, although they are studying the laws of ohalos, a tent which is a canopy over a dead body, thus bringing to mind the yom ha’missah, day of death (when we will all have to give a reckoning), these wicked men had no problem slandering me.”
We wonder what provoked such scholars to act so despicably, to insult in the lowest manner, the Melech Yisrael – whom Hashem had chosen to be His anointed one. Was it jealousy – or righteous indignation? Was it frumkeit – or fragile egos? Perhaps they heard members of their congregations murmuring, and, in order to satisfy the people, they were willing to transgress and spill blood. I ask this because the problem has not disappeared. We still have weak, spineless leadership holding positions of power, who, when their baalei batim say “Jump,” ask, “How high?” All this is carried out at the expense of others and their families. If David Hamelech complained about this outrageous behavior, what should we say?
