[Avodah] loshon of the gemorrah/kol mi she'omer

[Arie Folger]

R'nTK wrote:
> "Whoever says Dovid sinned is mistaken"  MEANS "Whoever thinks that
> Dovid committed the sin that a simple reading of the pesukim would imply
> --  i.e., whoever thinks he committed the sin of adultery -- is mistaken."

Actually, quite a number of commentators explain the gemara exactly as
RAM and RHB did. One of the more interesting readings is kol haomer
David 'hata eino ella to'eh, because while true, one should not say
it. IOW, the gemara may be warning us against cutting those biblical
personalities down to size on account of their sins. Even after
sinning, they remain larger than life heroes. Plus, as is definitely
the case with David, teshuvah was complete. Finally, as is also
manifestly the case with David, the sin may not have been a crime of
passion, but a calculated, well meaning act, that was wrong
nonetheless, but that should not be confused with garden variety
adultery.

However, it is true that many commentaries do read the gemara as you do.

In the words of IIRC R' Tvi Grumet (I am paraphrasing, citing from
memory), restating the widely known limud zekhut R'nTK mentioned: "You
can bet that David haMelekh had his top notch legal team involved to
make sure the union between him and Batsheva' could be legally
defended."

So the issue is not open and shut.

Kol tuv,

-- 
Arie Folger,
Recent blog posts on http://ariefolger.wordpress.com/
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