King Solomon's Tale (Pt II) | Rabbi Shai Finkelstein | December 9th 2025

Okay. Hello everyone. So we continue. Uh we are on page three if I'm not mistaken. Uh maybe in the front desk. I'm not sure. Uh so just this year is is sponsored for the entire year in memory of Mel and Sylvia David by their families. Amen. >> Okay. So uh we spoke about me if you remember and his tremendous expectations since he was born and um some of the disappointments that we will know that uh come uh his way. I got maybe I'll just bring this thing here >> and we spoke about the fact that um that is a complicated person. Um on one hand tremendous divine expectations from him called him and since he was born. So tremendous expectations and tremendous wisdom. But at the same time, King Schlammo is very involved with I will call it science. He understand God's divine um be quote unquote behavior and methods and uh in a way he feels that uh maybe he can do more things that he really supposed to do. So we are in we are on page three. Page three. And if you see that will be the fourth source on the page. Do you see that? Page three. Yep. Okay. So is getting married with now obviously he's not marrying Pharaoh. He took Pharaoh's daughter to be his wife. >> Patri Yeah. Yeah. Patri, he brings her to the city of David until he was able to what to complete to build his own home and betem and also the beta mikdash and the wall around it. Now many questions comes up for someone who is loved by God and is called God's friend and has so many expectations of him. You would think that he will find a nice Jewish girl, right, as his first wife and not the daughter of Pharaoh. That's a B. You do see that there is no criticism. The narrative does not criticize Schlommo for doing that. C we see see we see from the way that the basically express this marriage. It says which seems to be what a political marriage as well but it does not take away from what from the problem still pharaoh's daughter uh we don't know the her to be Jewish and we don't see here that in the narrative itself that she was converted to Judaism right so obviously we have a bit of a problem so So the says immediately for someone that Hashem loves, he cannot marry someone who is not Jewish. Obviously he married what? So he converted her. Now if you remember I don't know I think we did it here if maybe somewhere else when we spoke about Shimon I think I think we it was with you when we spoke about Shimon we spoke about the fact that many of the commentators basically says that what that Shimon converted all his wives through his ad adventures uh but there were some who said no he did not and then we obviously had a problem how come that a chafet a judge can marry someone who is not Jewish so the immediately says converted her. But then he says the following. meaning intentionally married women who were not Jewish in order to bring the the people who are external to Israel to what? To Israel in order to do what? In order to spread manism and Judaism, whatever the expression of Judaism was at the time of to whom? To everyone. which means think about something and I know it's hard to think like that and we definitely don't want to uh say it in quote unquote say it in public but now we know that they have 600,000 people watching us so it is in public but the idea is is that had a mission and the mission is is the mission of Israel it's not only to do what to establish your own kingdom but it's to be a light unto the nations so what will be better than to be a light unto the nations when you bring them into your family Which means Schlommo perhaps thought that what the time came for him to lead humanity back to montheism, back to Judaism, back to God really. And in order to do so, he will use his power and his talent and his abilities to bring them in. Now why would he go with because back then the Egyptian Empire was a tremendous empire very very wealthy and very powerful and we know that because after died and was the king the one of the first thing that Shishak the king of Egypt did was what to go into into Jerusalem and to take all the gold from there and no one stopped him. Okay so the Egyptian Empire was very strong. So you can imagine if I can influence the Egyp Egyptian empire to become >> Jewish, >> not even Jewish, but to keep the seven laws of Noah and to keep some kind of monetism, you convert half of the people of the world probably. So that's what the al says, so what went wrong with that brilliant plan? The problem is by his um perception of outreach. He out he over outreached. Okay. He was outreached by the people he outreached to and basically they caused him to deviate and they influenced his heart to the extent that the narrative now consider to be the one to build those altars to the idol worshiing which means the plan was correct. The problem was he thought too much on him of himself. He thought that his wisdom and his ability will be able to help him to always overcome any temp temptation and seduction of going after idol worshiing. But he failed. So the story of which is very interesting is what is the story of someone who is so smart but sometimes he's too smart for his own good. That was the last thing we did last week. Which means that's what the when before he died, he told and you should be strong and be a man. You remember what the Mudot says? Don't rely only on your wisdom >> wisdom. If you will rely only on your wisdom, you will fail. Because at the end of the days we have even to the people who have maximum cognitive abilities there is a limit and you can't plan everything and you also cannot ignore the heart the emotions and when you have thousand of them okay thousand women who all of them are idol worshipers most of them they will influence your Okay. So, he brings a proof that really he didn't marry those non-Jewish women just because he he didn't like the Jewish women. That was not the issue. The issue was I will marry them. I'll influence them. they will influence their countries at home and then we will create a transformative change in the world. That's what said. So you see the title of the class you remember between her particular universal and is trying to do what to dance on both. Okay. Says Rashi after theim here, you know, let's readim is the nation are still bringing sacrifices in like local uh altars because a house a proper house for God was not built until that day. So it says that even after he married this the daughter of Pharaoh he is still what and he's walking or he's is walking in the path that David created for him there is only one thing that he brings sacrifices to this uh little altars is it fine says Rashi So Rashi says, "Uh-uh, you need to have the timeline here." The timeline is very, very different. Four years before he start building the beta mikdash, then loved God before he start marrying all those women. But when he start building the beta mikdash and also got married with Pharaoh's daughter. Now this is a very interesting thing. Rashi basically quotes the basically says the following. There is no there is a debate if there is a chronological order in the Torah including Tanak or not right which means when you read the stories are they basically based on chronological order or not so here many people say okay there's no chronological order in the Torah says this is the way you need to read it here when it says that loved God and he went in the same path that of Davidid and the Torah That was before he married the Egyptian girl. But after he started building the beta mikdash and he married this Egyptian girl, he did not walk in the right path. And that's what the says which means later on in Hashem says that the beta mikdash that was built from the get-go it brought my anger against it. Why? Because what did do? He built a beta mdash which is a house of and at the same time he did what? Married but now according to Rashi what do you think? Did he convert to her or not? It seems to be that he did not right because if he would why would God be angry with him? Not not a problem. So you already see that Rashi has a little bit obviously of a different take but also something which is very interesting. for the first four years before he start building the beta mikdash and everything was not married yet and he did what David asked him and everything became a king became a very powerful king and decided to do what to build a beta mikdash then he decided to do what not only to build a beta mikdash for the Jews but to do what to try to do an outreach for the entire humanity and by doing so at the same time God said basically the minute that you did you brought my anger and I don't liked and I don't like what you do now. So here Rashi finds another criticism on and he says what that for four years he waited what to build the beta mikdash why didn't you do it immediately right he didn't need to wait for isharim from the municipality right uh you know to arba or whatever it is yeah he could go ahead and start building but he didn't so he delayed the process and in a way maybe this criticism is connected to the first criticism which is if immediately will start building the beta migash maybe he would not have time to do what >> to marry this pharaoh's daughter okay >> um what was the process at that time for all those wives to convert >> no one knows >> was there a any something like a base was there any who was teaching But it just converts them and I can be with them. >> The only the only conversion that we think we know from Tanakh is root root and even there there is nothing there. Root says to know me. That's it. Your nation is my nation. Your God is my God. Wherever you go, I'll follow. That's it. >> That was she was teaching her all the time. >> Teach taught her what? >> What she was doing with her? >> What? What did Dom do know? What did she know? Whatever her mom told her and what her mom know. Whatever her mom knew, right? Not much. I can I can guarantee you that. Not much. And not only that. When you look at the sukim, it's not nice to say, but it worked. It did work. But it was not a good process. Nomi told root, go dress nicely, go to take a shower, put some perfume, go and see boas at night. Not sure that that's the best advice from my mother-in-law. Yeah. So, the thing is is that we don't know anything about the conversion. Now the Talmud takes this sukim and says okay those are the fundamentals but it's nothing it's not even similar to what's the process today. So we can't compare it all and how they were converted. I don't know. The same thing with Shimon. I don't know. I guess they just need to accept it upon themselves monetism not to worship idols. I don't know. Not to murder anyone. Basically maybe the seven laws of and maybe a little bit more. Okay. So So that's what Rash says. Now take a look at Radak says the following. He says he mentioned with all the others because they basically deviated caused him to deviate. You want it more clear than that? You got it. Okay. Says he was not guarding them to what? To come and to be part of the of the Jewish people. Go. >> This is not alh the alh was at least talking about something altruistic here, right? He is going to want to convert them and to change the world here. He says what? >> I mean I'm sorry to say this but it's almost like an app you know he says oh I like that one. Okay I'll take her. Right. And he says he will allow them to do whatever they want. Meaning exactly the opposite. Not only he's not going to influence them, he will allow them and there are a thousand of them to do whatever they want. And he will not rebuke them. Which means he create what? A false pluralism. Okay. Look at I was just a Jew in the time of and I look at my king. My king obviously is a religious king, right? is doing everything but look at his wife and he does not say to them anything which means gam by the way if you look at most of the times the Jews when they worship idols they worship idols and at the same time they did what worshiped god they didn't see that there is any contradiction that's what ela later on says to them elohim go after him go after him but you can't do both Both is the most terrible thing to do because then you what? You basically equate God, God forbid, with all the other gods. If you don't want to believe in God, don't believe in God. I mean, it's much better than believing in what? In dualism. Dualism. I think it's called dualism or duality of God or multiplicity of gods. Okay. So, that's the why the paro is being mentioned. So, let's continue. We are in the same. So the king went to give on to bring a sacrifice there because there you have a big altar. He would bring a thousand sacrifices. God revealed himself in a dream to Schlommo and he says to him, "Ask me whatever you want." Now before we go into into um what he asked for and what he received, the says when married. So Shimi was one of the scholars and when he was there didn't deviate but only after Shimi died then felt that he can what he can marry Pharaoh's daughter meaning after established his kingdom of which means he tried to find is trying to find what was the moment when basically start deviating. So he says it might be when he start marrying Pharaoh's daughter or when he felt that the kingdom is cemented in his hands which means when he felt what the power when he failed that nothing can stop him. when he felt that he has no limits which he felt like any other king when you have the power I can do whatever I want and nothing will happen to me and that was his mistake and then the al continues okay so now so Now basically in if you remember Hashem asking what do you want? What do you want? I'll give you whatever you ask for. And asked for what? Wisdom. Which is interesting. He could ask for wealth, health, whatever he wanted. But he asked for wisdom. So, Hashem says to him, "I did what you asked me." Which means what? You will be the smartest guy ever. Ever in your generation and in generations to come. And even things that you didn't ask for like wealth and and honor you will also get that too because you ask for wisdom I'm going to give you everything. Ah there is condition. And if you will follow my commandments if you will follow the Torah I will give you long life and everything. Okay. I know. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> Seems to be that it was a at least according to Rashi before he married that pharaoh's daughter says that's what the puk says that King Solomon loved non-Jewish women. Ashimisha's says he loved non-Jewish women. Simple as it is. He loved non-Jewish women and he wanted to marry them just for fun. And that's why he was punished because the Torah says you should not marry them. No, no, no. He didn't marry them just for fun. He married them for a purpose, for a divine purpose. Do you see the debate between the tanim regarding it's fascinating? Think about it. Two tanim seats and talks about King Solomon who built the beta mikdash at his time. It was the glorious time for Israel in terms of power and religion and scholarship everything. Everyone came to see King Schlommo, Queen of Sheba and all of them. They came and they were amazed. But you can see a debate between Tutanim regarding his character and the reason behind his actions. And without any hesitation says, It means what it means. Okay. Says the inb so in the name of says what when he got married we pharaoh's daughter she brought him all kinds of uh of instruments. You start playing those instruments. says that that's how you play to this idol. This is how you play to this idol. And instead of saying to her, what are you doing? He said to her what nothing but he didn't rebuke her. So what? So he didn't rebuke her. The thing is this is where comes and wisdom and being open to other wisdoms besides Torah. That's where the issue is. Thought that she can do whatever she wants and I will do what I think is right and she will see the truth. I will be able to influence her. But he did not know the human condition. Sometimes you can be very very smart, really truly smart, but you really you have no clue what's flying. And that's seems to be problem. He relies too much on his wisdom, thinking that nothing will change his mind, but something changes his heart and will and will change his actions. And then the continues and says says the minute married Pharaoh's daughter an angel Gabriel Gabriel is the angel of Israel took like a little beam whatever straw and basically put it in the ocean and then the Roman Empire start what growes the Roman Empire destroyed the second temple. The Roman Empire came after the Greeks basically who created what an alternative wisdom to Torah which means by bringing Pharaoh's daughter into the palace into the Jewish people basically began the demise of his kingdom and the demise of Israel says the king is in these glorious times was able to control the heavenly powers and the lower powers. Every promise that Hashm gave to Israel was fulfilled in his time. But that was what at the beginning of his kingdom or kingship. However, when married Pharaoh's daughter and he connected himself to what to the other nations, he gave what? Strength or power to the other nations. It cannot be it cannot coincide. It's either or. Which bring us obviously to whom? >> You can't go together. Therefore, that's what the says. So when Schlommo married Pharaoh's daughter, Gabriel, who is in charge on on the attribute of judgment, He came, he put like a straw or like a beam in the ocean. Meaning really gave the strength to Rome and Rome grew and grew and grew until they overpowered. This is brilliant what the maral says. No one lives in the ocean. But created what? A little island in the ocean. And this island grew and grew and grew and became what? The Roman Empire. And he says it came just a natural result of marrying Pharaoh's daughter. Why? Meaning when he went ahead and married Pharaoh's daughter, he showed that he needs her and therefore he empowered her. This is like a little bit of a mystical idea. Meaning if you want to influence them, let them what? Come to you. Don't go to them. which in a way bits a little bit the idea of outrich. Okay, that's more of an enrich but whatever. And then he says this is an incredible thing. I'm not sure if it's politically correct, but basically what Schlommo says is that when Schlommo when Maharal says that when Schlommo basically went to Pharaoh and says to him, I would like to marry your daughter, he made a major mistake. He showed Pharaoh like he needs him instead of begging Schlommo, please, please, please take my daughter. says, "Look, I know that Egypt is not part of Adam Rome, but still they're talking about the other nations." Now, I would just say that uh what the Mar says obviously is a bit problematic. It means that uh we shouldn't connect with any nation. I'm not talking about marriage. I'm talking about like political alliances. uh any uh I don't know >> back to dependent. >> Oh, so it seems to be that it's not talking about political alliances. It talks about what marrying when you marry them, when you ask them for their full contribution and participation, then you show that what that you need them. Meaning until the minute that you show them that you need them, it's fine. When you start showing them that you need them, that's when you lose your power. So exactly the opposite. We found something really fascinating. He says the says that you need to keep yourself away from anything that it's not Torah. >> It's a it's not so simple. B it's very much against modern orthodoxy and that's fine. Uh by the way, one of these things I gave a dash here when oh about um um and you know it was about like throwing the cognitive abilities throw your brain just have a but definitely even more so when you approach external wisdom like other wisdoms besides Torah and then he says Pharaoh's daughter is not just Pharaoh daughter Pharaoh's daughter but she a representative of what >> of a foreign wisdom. A strange wisdom says all the other wisdoms, all everything else, it's nonsense. You need to focus only on what? Onra. By the way, it obviously contradicts whom? The Rambam. But I'm not sure that read the Rambam. Uh the Rambon was all about and he says to you what you need to learn everything in order to be a complete Jew and to appreciate the content of Tua. You see it's unbelievable. Now don't forget was in a time of already enlightenment. Okay? And so he was afraid that what that people will follow the follow the light and will abandon the Talmud. Years later we have this famous poem or everyone follow the what? The light and the spirit talking obviously about what? So [clears throat] the idea is that says all those other wisdoms are called the bat. So when got married with bat he basically decided to be committed and attached to what to all the other wisdoms and that was his downfall. religion you're talking wisdom >> wisdom wisdom not religion >> it's right but he talks about wisdom here he does not talk about idol worshippers or idol worshiing or idol worshippers he's talking only about being involved with other wisdoms besides Torah which we don't need to accept it but that's how he perceive it and then he says Which means downfall was his request to be so smart and he was inquisitive probably. So he was interested in what? In knowing everything else and also knowing about other methods of worshiping God thinking that he can learn from worshiping the other gods and that was his problem. Yes. Is it mentioned about any children that he would have had that these descendants have Jewish blood in them? No, >> he married some Jewish some Jewish women too. >> Which of the non-Jews will recognize the fact that they had a Jewish ancestor? >> No idea. >> No one. >> No, does not. Okay. So, interestingly, according to you shouldn't learn at university. You shouldn't learn any other occupation. Only what? Only Torah. And we know that we are not exactly in agreement but we are aware of the influence. Sometimes a good one sometimes less good. Yes. >> But if you have a strong foundation you should be >> true but you still need to be careful. And that's the story of he had a great foundation but he was too smart. What does it mean too smart? He relied on his wisdom too much. And this is where the problem is. And you know, you know, I'm not going to do an analysis of every yeshiva, but in many yeshivot, they don't want you to think too much. They want you to follow. And the safe the the comfort zone that they create is is nice. You don't ask too much. You don't challenge too much and you believe. And there are some other ishivot that definitely encourage to ask and to be inquisitive and to try to challenge but sometimes you challenge too much and you get to the wrong conclusions because you think that you are what >> that you are too smart. Okay. How many times do you hear it? Oh that does not make any sense. I you never heard that thing. Okay. Oh that does not make any sense. Okay. It doesn't make sense to you but it doesn't mean doesn't mean that doesn't make sense. period. So the idea is and this is where the the problem is is that the balance between wisdom and being wise and being involved with other wisdoms but and to know that you are going to be influenced by that there's no question but the question is can you influence it and can you adopt the good things from them thought that he has it he didn't say So that's what gave to his son that he will dwell at the tents of Shem. Shem was his continuation. And if it was the Greek uh and and the Romans says Rash here says that the nations that created the most chaos in the world, they were the nations that were controlled by It says the third son it's all about heat about emotions about desires lost and basically they take all the other nations and they control them and they make chaos in the world. Okay. says on the other hand there are other nations nations from the world aesthetic beautiful they teach the world beauty art poetry okay um I don't know what else whatever culture fashion something nice to put on what to cover these desires that that we have but he says to teach or to educate or to inspire humanity only based on fashion and beauty and beauty and aesthetics will not bring humanity to art to reach its potential. There is no existence to a culture. This is beautiful. Basically says the nations that believe only in culture, art and everything and they think that this is where you maximize the person. He says if the only measure for human behavior is the satisfaction from the beauty, it's going to be empty cuz no one stays as beautiful as he or she were were before. And B, it's nice. But how many days and years can you spend in the Lou? Like not talking about men, I'm talking about even for women. Okay. After 3 days and now it's, you know, it's you don't you don't have all the exhibits in the Lou. Some of them were stolen. So, um, took them only 7 minutes. So, um, so the thing is is that you need to have an aspiration for something that it's what? It's outside of who you are. Something that it's greater than you. Beauty and everything is about you. It's about you. You need to have something that it's greater than it. And that's Shem. Shem not name. He's giving the content. He's giving the meaning. Yes. Can create this beautiful culture, but it needs to dwell where? With Shem. This beauty needs to be where in a tent to show that that there are things that are temporary. They are not here forever and B you need to have content. I will tell you and that's basically what says but I will just say in my own words and then we will conclude. I really do believe that some of the hate towards our soldiers, it's because most people of the world look at their young generation between 18 to 25 and they see the emptiness. Our generation 18 to 25 don't think about themselves. They think about the others. They think about the clal. Yes. Do they like to go and have a good time? Sure. Do they like from time to time to have a drink? Sure. But that's not their life. Their lives is what is about Israel. It's about it's about Torah. It's about something that it's much greater than them. And if and I can quote unquote I can understand it. If I was a parent for a child who has addictions or he's meaningless or it's only about himself and I look at someone else who has different set of values, I probably will be pretty jealous. So the idea is is that the world created a culture and we create meaning and this is kanuka and this is how a Jew and especially a Hebrew you know there's a different a Jew is a name that was given us because we went to exile okay we called Ibraim how do we manage in this world. The world has offer us many good things. There is a lot of good in culture, in other wisdoms, in other philosophies. But how do we learn them, integrate them and not being fully influenced by them by by a patre take the good and enrich Judaism. That's the story of Kanuka. Many Jews became yanim. The first people that the kashmonim killed were Jews, not Greeks because they took it too far and they thought that as Jews they can become not sure if what the did was necessary. Not this is not the question about them but it's the question about us. So I would like to say that that's the story of Schlommo and especially Schlommo as someone who is in modern eyes can really represent someone who is so involved with science and advanced technology and very very wise. How do you take someone like that put him in the real world in the outside world and keep him or her still committed? So >> the what? >> Not easy. >> Not easy at all. And definitely Schlommo was not a good model. So we need to do one of two things to find a new model or to create one. So