More Discussions for this daf
1. Three reasons to keep away from a Churvah 2. The signs of Mishmaros 3. The end of the Ashmuros
4. Simanim for the end of night 5. Tosfos DH v'Ein, Sparing the rich 6. Answering Tosfos' question
7. King David 8. Source of R. Yehuda's opinion of plag hamincha 9. Q&A Answer #1a
10. What we can say before the Mes 11. Tosfos DH Kashya 12. How many Mishmaros
13. The signs for the Mishmaros 14. Rebbi Nasan 15. Dovid Hamelech's Evening Schedule
16. Churvah 17. Time of Going to Bed 18. Mishmaros
19. A Handful Doesn't Feed a Lion 20. Sending out to war 21. Times of the Mishmaros; When is midnight
22. Ashmuros; Urim v'Tumim 23. King David's harp 24. Fooling the angels; 3 or 4 Ashmuros
25. King David sending the nation to war 26. Source for Ashmoros 27. query
28. חצות לילה היה עוסק בדברי תורה
DAF DISCUSSIONS - BERACHOS 3

David Kallus asked:

What is the hesber why dovid's economic policy was lchu pashtu ydeichem min hagdood. We don't see that dovid did this in the tanach and how often did this happen anyway that the gmara says that this it what dovid did at amud hashachar after a night of shteiging?

David Kallus, teaneck nj

The Kollel replies:

While the "Marguliyos ha'Yam" (Rav Reuven Margulies), on Sanhedrin 16a (#22,23) suggests that the Gemara means "fight against the Gedud" (see there) -- repel the Amalekim that are preventing you from earning a proper livelihood by raiding your fields etc., this does not seem to be the intention of the Gemara here. Besides being forced in the words "Pishtu Yedeichem...," it does not fit into the Gemara about "Ein ha'Bor Mismalei..." at all -- all the Rishonim explain that they were looking for wealth outside of the nation by overcoming another one.

As for the war being mentioned in Tanach -- there were many wars which Tanach discusses in more or less detail in the times of David; it could be any of them, such as Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzovah (or Surya), the nations that were considered to be "Kibush Yachid" of King David (Gitin 8a and elsewhere). The description fits according to both Rashi and Tosfos' explanation of Kibush Yachid (ibid.), I believe. Support for this can be found in Rashi to Sotah 44b, DH u'Milchemes Beis David.

The job of a king is to see to the nation's welfare, particularly by leading them in war (as is emphasized many places in Tanach). One would imagine that a nation with what others would term a "Batlan" at its helm would starve as their wealth quickly dwindles and the king pays no attention to their needs -- "Don't live in a city run by Talmidei Chachamim" (Pesachim 112a, and Rashbam). However, as the Gemara said about the Chasidim ha'Rishonim (Berachos 32b), "If they prayed for so long, when did they make a living? Since they were Chasidim, Hash-m gave a Berachah to all that they did (so that it should suffice for their needs)." David ha'Melech got that Berachah as well.

That's what was going on here. The Gemara is showing the nation's apprehensions while David was king. When they saw him learning all day and all night every day as the Gemara explains, and ignoring the nation's economic needs, they finally came crying that they can't go on any longer. Instead of stopping and leading them to war, he sent them to fight while he continued learning. Rather than being a poor nation, his Torah led Yoav, his general, to victory over the enemies -- "If not for Yoav, David would not have been able to learn, and if not for David's learning, Yoav would not have succeeded in battle" (Sanhedrin 49a).

(The Gemara's Drasha is undoubtedly based on the verse in Koheles 10:17, and Ben Chorin of course refers to one who learns Torah, see Bamidbar Rabah 10:8).

The "north wind" that aroused him may hint to the fact that the blessings of wealth were entirely in his hand -- "mi'Tzafon Zahav Ya'asah," "Shulchan b'Tzafon."

Mordecai Kornfeld