{"id":58740,"date":"2019-07-03T16:14:43","date_gmt":"2019-07-03T13:14:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=58740"},"modified":"2023-01-26T06:47:19","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T04:47:19","slug":"jonathan-refused-the-kingship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/jonathan-refused-the-kingship\/","title":{"rendered":"Jonathan Refused The Kingship"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In our chapter, after David defeats the Philistines at Keilah, and with Saul still seeking to have him killed, we are told: \u201cDavid was once at Horesh in the wilderness of Ziph, when he\u00a0 learned that Saul had come out to seek his life. And Saul\u2019s son Jonathan came to David at Horesh and encouraged him in [the name of] God. He said to him, \u2018Do not be afraid: the hand of my father Saul will never touch you. You are going to be king over Israel and I shall be second to you; and even my father Saul knows this is so\u2019\u201d (23:15-17).<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the Talmud (Baba Metzia 85a and parallels), Jonathan, though the son of King Saul, was known for his exemplary humility, along with a few others from among the Rabbinic Sages, including the Bene (\u201csons of\u201d ) Batyra who served as presidents of the Sanhedrin. When the Bene Batyra were unable to resolve a halakhic issue that was resolved by Hillel the Elder, they made him President of the Sanhedrin in their stead, taking for themselves a secondary role. Their act of self-effacement was based, according to the Talmud, on the biblical example of Jonathan, who being the son of King Saul might have expected to reign after him, but as we saw, deferred to David.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jonathan stepped aside in favor of David because he saw that the Israelite masses were drawn to David. Similarly, the Bene Batyra realized that Hillel was preferable to them in halakhic knowledge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jonathan\u2019s exemplary humility and willingness to step aside in favor of David is then held up as the biblical exemplar of those who do not seek to remain in high office despite having a legitimate claim to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

On this Fourth of July, American Independence Day, it bears recalling that the first President of the United States and its first \u201cCommander-in-Chief\u201d, General George Washington also did not seek to remain in high office. Historians differ as to whether or not President Washington was offered — but firmly rejected — a more kingly role. But there is documentary evidence that he refused to run for a third term as President, not once but twice! This limitation of presidential power was followed by subsequent US Presidents and enacted into law in the 22<\/span>nd<\/span> amendment to the US Constitution, passed by Congress in 1947 and finally ratified by the States in 1951.<\/span><\/p>\n

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