RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 5:19
By Yehudah ben Shomeyr
“Any love that is
dependent on something--when the thing ceases, the love also ceases. But a love
that is not dependent on anything never ceases. What is [an example of] a love
that is dependent on something? The love of Amnon for Tamar.
And one that is not dependent on anything? The love of David and Jonathan.”
2 Samuel 13:1-19 And it came to pass after this, that
Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the
son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his
sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do
anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of
Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto
him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not
tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and
when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister
Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see
it, and eat it at her hand. So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when
the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar
my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at
her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's
house, and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he
was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight,
and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but
he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out
every man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber,
that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and
brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought
them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me,
my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such
thing ought to be done in Israel Israel
1 Samuel 18:1-4 And it came to pass, when he had made an
end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of
David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and
would let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David
made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped
himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments,
even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits
me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does
not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its
own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but
rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never fails.
But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are
tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish
away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is
perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away When I was a
child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but
when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as
I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest
of these is love.
Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben Shomeyr
