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Haftarah Parashat Chayye Sarah

1 Kings 1:1- 31

1:1 וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַיְכַסֻּ֙הוּ֙ בַּבְּגָדִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יִחַ֖ם לֽוֹ׃

1:2 וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ ל֣וֹ עֲבָדָ֗יו יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ לַאדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה בְתוּלָ֔ה וְעָֽמְדָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּתְהִי־ל֖וֹ סֹכֶ֑נֶת וְשָׁכְבָ֣ה בְחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וְחַ֖ם לַאדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

1:3 וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה יָפָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּ אֶת־אֲבִישַׁג֙ הַשּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית וַיָּבִ֥אוּ אֹתָ֖הּ לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

1:4 וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ה יָפָ֣ה עַד־מְאֹ֑ד וַתְּהִ֨י לַמֶּ֤לֶךְ סֹכֶ֙נֶת֙ וַתְּשָׁ֣רְתֵ֔הוּ וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֹ֥א יְדָעָֽהּ׃

1:5 וַאֲדֹנִיָּ֧ה בֶן־חַגִּ֛ית מִתְנַשֵּׂ֥א לֵאמֹ֖ר אֲנִ֣י אֶמְלֹ֑ךְ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ ל֗וֹ רֶ֚כֶב וּפָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ רָצִ֥ים לְפָנָֽיו׃

1:6 וְלֹֽא־עֲצָב֨וֹ אָבִ֤יו מִיָּמָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מַדּ֖וּעַ כָּ֣כָה עָשִׂ֑יתָ וְגַם־ה֤וּא טֽוֹב־תֹּ֙אַר֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְאֹת֥וֹ יָלְדָ֖ה אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃

1:7 וַיִּהְי֣וּ דְבָרָ֔יו עִ֚ם יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֔ה וְעִ֖ם אֶבְיָתָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַֽיַּעְזְר֔וּ אַחֲרֵ֖י אֲדֹנִיָּֽה׃

1:8 וְצָד֣וֹק הַ֠כֹּהֵן וּבְנָיָ֨הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֜ע וְנָתָ֤ן הַנָּבִיא֙ וְשִׁמְעִ֣י וְרֵעִ֔י וְהַגִּבּוֹרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְדָוִ֑ד לֹ֥א הָי֖וּ עִם־אֲדֹנִיָּֽהוּ׃

1:9 וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח אֲדֹנִיָּ֗הוּ צֹ֤אן וּבָקָר֙ וּמְרִ֔יא עִ֚ם אֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּחֶ֔לֶת אֲשֶׁר־אֵ֖צֶל עֵ֣ין רֹגֵ֑ל וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶת־כָּל־אֶחָיו֙ בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה עַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

1:10 וְֽאֶת־נָתָן֩ הַנָּבִ֨יא וּבְנָיָ֜הוּ וְאֶת־הַגִּבּוֹרִ֛ים וְאֶת־שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה אָחִ֖יו לֹ֥א קָרָֽא׃

1:11 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר נָתָ֗ן אֶל־בַּת־שֶׁ֤בַע אֵם־שְׁלֹמֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲל֣וֹא שָׁמַ֔עַתְּ כִּ֥י מָלַ֖ךְ אֲדֹנִיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־חַגִּ֑ית וַאֲדֹנֵ֥ינוּ דָוִ֖ד לֹ֥א יָדָֽע׃

1:12 וְעַתָּ֕ה לְכִ֛י אִיעָצֵ֥ךְ נָ֖א עֵצָ֑ה וּמַלְּטִי֙ אֶת־נַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ וְאֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ בְּנֵ֖ךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

1:13 לְכִ֞י וּבֹ֣אִי׀ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֗ד וְאָמַ֤רְתְּ אֵלָיו֙ הֲלֹֽא־אַתָּ֞ה אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ נִשְׁבַּ֤עְתָּ לַאֲמָֽתְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בְנֵךְ֙ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ אַחֲרַ֔י וְה֖וּא יֵשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְאִ֑י וּמַדּ֖וּעַ מָלַ֥ךְ אֲדֹנִיָֽהוּ׃

1:14 הִנֵּ֗ה עוֹדָ֛ךְ מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת שָׁ֖ם עִם־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאֲנִי֙ אָב֣וֹא אַחֲרַ֔יִךְ וּמִלֵּאתִ֖י אֶת־דְּבָרָֽיִךְ׃

1:15 וַתָּבֹ֨א בַת־שֶׁ֤בֶע אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַחַ֔דְרָה וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וַֽאֲבִישַׁג֙ הַשּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית מְשָׁרַ֖ת אֶת־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

1:16 וַתִּקֹּ֣ד בַּת־שֶׁ֔בַע וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּֽךְ׃

1:17 וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אֲדֹנִי֙ אַתָּ֨ה נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתָּ בַּֽיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לַֽאֲמָתֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־שְׁלֹמֹ֥ה בְנֵ֖ךְ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ אַחֲרָ֑י וְה֖וּא יֵשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסְאִֽי׃

1:18 וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֥ה אֲדֹנִיָּ֖ה מָלָ֑ךְ וְעַתָּ֛ה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתָּ׃

1:19 וַ֠יִּזְבַּח שׁ֥וֹר וּֽמְרִיא־וְצֹאן֮ לָרֹב֒ וַיִּקְרָא֙ לְכָל־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְאֶבְיָתָר֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וּלְיֹאָ֖ב שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֑א וְלִשְׁלֹמֹ֥ה עַבְדְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א קָרָֽא׃

1:20 וְאַתָּה֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עֵינֵ֥י כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עָלֶ֑יךָ לְהַגִּ֣יד לָהֶ֔ם מִ֗י יֵשֵׁ֛ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

1:21 וְהָיָ֕ה כִּשְׁכַ֥ב אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֑יו וְהָיִ֗יתִי אֲנִ֛י וּבְנִ֥י שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה חַטָּאִֽים׃

1:22 וְהִנֵּ֛ה עוֹדֶ֥נָּה מְדַבֶּ֖רֶת עִם־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְנָתָ֥ן הַנָּבִ֖יא בָּֽא׃

1:23 וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֖ה נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא וַיָּבֹא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ עַל־אַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃

1:24 וַיֹּאמֶר֮ נָתָן֒ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ אֲדֹנִיָּ֖הוּ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ אַחֲרָ֑י וְה֖וּא יֵשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסְאִֽי׃

1:25 כִּ֣י׀ יָרַ֣ד הַיּ֗וֹם וַ֠יִּזְבַּח שׁ֥וֹר וּֽמְרִיא־וְצֹאן֮ לָרֹב֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ לְכָל־בְּנֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וּלְשָׂרֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ וּלְאֶבְיָתָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנָּ֛ם אֹכְלִ֥ים וְשֹׁתִ֖ים לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ יְחִ֖י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲדֹנִיָּֽהוּ׃

1:26 וְלִ֣י אֲנִֽי־עַ֠בְדֶּךָ וּלְצָדֹ֨ק הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְלִבְנָיָ֧הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֛ע וְלִשְׁלֹמֹ֥ה עַבְדְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א קָרָֽא׃

1:27 אִ֗ם מֵאֵת֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ נִהְיָ֖ה הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֤א הוֹדַ֙עְתָּ֙ אֶֽת־עבדיך [עַבְדְּךָ֔] מִ֗י יֵשֵׁ֛ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֥א אֲדֹנִֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

1:28 וַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִד֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר קִרְאוּ־לִ֖י לְבַת־שָׁ֑בַע וַתָּבֹא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

1:29 וַיִּשָּׁבַ֥ע הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר חַי־יְהוָ֕ה אֲשֶׁר־פָּדָ֥ה אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִכָּל־צָרָֽה׃

1:30 כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי לָ֜ךְ בַּיהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בְנֵךְ֙ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ אַחֲרַ֔י וְה֛וּא יֵשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסְאִ֖י תַּחְתָּ֑י כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

1:31 וַתִּקֹּ֨ד בַּת־שֶׁ֤בַע אַפַּ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתֹּ֕אמֶר יְחִ֗י אֲדֹנִ֛י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד לְעֹלָֽם׃

The commentary about the connection between the Haftarah and Torah reading was written by

1. Purchase of Ma’arat HaMachpelah
2. A bride for Isaac
3. Ketura
4. Death and burial of Abraham
5. Lineage of Ishmael

Both the parasha and the haftarah tell of leaders in their old age: Abraham in the parasha and King David in the haftarah. Both wish to pass the torch to the younger generation, but there is a marked difference between the two. We can see the difference in the opening passages. Both Abraham and David are described as “old, advanced in years” (24:1; 1 Kings 1:1). But immediately afterwards we read, “and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things,” whereas of David it is said: “and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm.”
Abraham sends his servant to Haran in order to bring back a bride for his son, Isaac; David’s servant, on the other hand, offers to find him someone for himself: “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to wait upon your Majesty and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm” (1 Kings 1:2).
But wait: Where are all of David’s wives? Why doesn’t Michal or Ahinoam or Abigail or Ma’acha, Hagit, Avital or Bathsheba come to lie in his bosom? How can it be that the ruddy, beloved “singer of psalms”, has managed to alienate all of his wives?
David lies alone, while Abraham continues to flourish and even takes a new wife, Ketura, who bears him six children. He makes sure to settle the inheritance issues in his lifetime: “Abraham willed all that he owned to Isaac; but to Abraham’s sons by concubines* Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the East” (25:5-6).
Even Abraham’s death has positive ramifications: “And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented; and he was gathered to his kin: His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre” (25:8-9). His two sons, who had been separated in their childhood, meet peacefully at the graveside of their common father.

Rinah Sheleff

Rinah Sheleff is a retired lecturer in Bible Studies at the Kibbutzim College of Education, Tel Aviv. She specialized in teaching methodologies that incorporate the creative arts as a way of emotionally connecting students with the human dilemmas inherent in Bible stories. Rinah is also a professional storyteller and a movement instructor. Currently she is working with a team of storytellers on a project designed to make Talmudic and Hassidic stories accessible to the public at large. She is a founding member of a women's Rosh Hodesh group that has been meeting for over 20 years, and was also active in creating the Tali School in Hod HaSharon. And she loves Susie Dvoskin.

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Nurit Novis-Deutsch

My name is Nurit Novis-Deutsch. I am a 42 year old mother of three living with my family in Hanaton, a small village in the Galilee. I am a researcher in the field of psychology of religion, and I teach at Haifa university and at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Thirty years ago, when I was preparing for my Bat Mitzvah at congregation Hod v’Hadar in Kfar Saba, Susie Dvoskin was my wonderful and energetic teacher for reading Torah. I still read Torah on a regular basis, and I still love it. For my Haftorah I learnt the South African ‘trop’ (that being where my family and I made Aliya from) by listening to a tape recorded by a Chazzan my father knew. Later, I learnt the more common ‘trop’ by listening to Susie and others chant Haftoras at shul. Over the years I also learnt how to read the different Megillot, and taught Bar and Bat Mitzvah students myself. Reading Torah and Haftorah is a meaningful part of my life. Thanks to this skill I became deeply familiar with portions of Torah and the Prophets, which resonate and inspire me along my life's journey. I also find Torah-reading to be a good way to make contact with local communities. For example, when we spent two years in Berkeley, I offered to read Torah at the Conservative synagogue in town and with time developed a very meaningful relationship with that congregation. Finally, I enjoy expressing my Jewish identity musically. Thanks to Susie Dvoskin and Emanuel Alon who taught me the foundations of precise and musical chanting, I acquired an additional Jewish “language” which has enriched my life, and for that I am truly grateful.

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