Rav Daniel Kohn הרב דניאל כהן

The Story of Shlomo’s Coronation and David’s “Crowning” Achievement Through Bat Sheva
(1 Melachim 1:11-31). The Book of Melachim opens with this scene, which is not only the story of Shlomo’s coronation through Bat Sheva (“The crown that his [Shlomo’s] mother placed upon his head” – Shir Hashirim 3;11), but also the clarification by David of what it means to be a king, not as someone who is simply “in control” of his passions, but as someone who has integrated those passions into his being such that he is not aroused by Avishag but can cause Bat Sheva to wipe herself 13 times (per Sanhedrin 22a).

Avishag and the “shigayon” of the Rambam – end of Sefer Deah – Hilchot Teshuva 10:6 – to be “crazy in love” with God.

The placing of story of Yitro prior to giving of the Torah is part of God’s invitation to humanity to participate in the divine unfolding on its terms, an invitation which must necessarily precede the revelation of Torah.

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Shir Hashirim came into the world with the inauguration of the Beit Hamikdash, the day that the sun and the moon wore the crown together. There could be no Shir Hashirim until there was a Kadosh Hakadoshim. The Temple was a temple of love.

G-d Appeasements of the moon (Chullin 60b)
1) Seen by day and by night
2) The Moadim – the moon provides the points of meeting – the moadim - between Creator and created and participate in the dynamic of time.
3) The Tzadikim – who are also named katan and who reflect God's first conception
4) The korban chatat l’Hashem (Bamidbar 28:15), “God’s sin offering” offered by the Jewish People on Rosh Chodesh. The consumption of God’s korban on the altar is a testament to God’s own disappearance in the absence of an other’s awareness of God’s presence. This provides true reciprocity to the relationship between giver and receiver.

Emunah is the motherly response to the challenge of Amalek, the challenge of keri, of a chaotic tohu v’vohu that becomes ordered through the application of human awareness. Shlomo’s mother – Immah – provides this emunah as the crown, the awareness of a divine ratzon that provides order to a chaotic exterior.

“Who’s in charge?” This was the Moon’s initial challenge and it introduced “outsider” consciousness into creation and was mirrored in the Chet Etz Hadaat of Chavah’s taking from the fruit of the tree.

The day of Shlomo’s coronation is described in Melachim 1, chapter 1. King David, Natan, the prophet, Batsheva, and Avishag all play crucial roles. Per the Midrash (Sanhedrin 22a), Avishag taunts David with his apparent impotence, and David, through Batsheva, proves her very wrong.
Avishag is related to term “Shogeh,” the pure love for God described by the Rambam as the ultimate goal of love and of deah (Rambam Hilchot Teshuva 10:6).

All reflect the nature of God's name Havayah - as a meeting of Creator and created.

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