Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 159/ספרי דברים קנ״ט
א(דברים יז יז) וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים – אֶלָּא שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה.
1Pisqa’ 159891. “And he is not to have himself many wives” (Dt. 17:17)—well, not more than eighteen.
ברַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מַרְבֶּה הוּא לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְסִירוֹת אֶת לִבּוֹ.
2R. Judah says:a king surely may have himself many wives,as long as they do not lead his heart astray [from Torah].
גרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: אֲפִלּוּ אַחַת וְהִיא מְסִירָה אֶת לִבּוֹ – לֹא יִשָּׂאֶנָּה. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים? אֲפִלּוּ כַּאֲבִיגַיִל. לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ נָשִׁים – אֲפִלּוּ כַּאֲבִיגַיִל וְחַבְרוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁהֵן כְּשֵׁרוֹת, לֹא יִשָּׂאֶנָּה. וּכְגוֹן אִיזֶבֶל וְחַבְרוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁהֵן רָעוֹת – הִיא מְסִירָה לִבּוֹ.
3R. Shimon says:even one—if she leads his heart astray [from Torah],he should not marry her!If so, why is it stated:“He is not to have himself many wives” (Dt. 17:17)?Even wives like Abigail (1Sam. 25:1-42)!90“He is not to have himself many wives” (Dt. 17:17)—even wives like Abigail and her companions,who were upstanding—he should avoid marrying her!As for the likes of Jezebel and her companions,who were wicked (e.g., 1Ki. 16:31-33)—she would certainlylead his heart astray [from Torah].91
דוְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ מְאֹד, יָכוֹל לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ כְּדֵי לִתֵּן לָאַפְסַנְיָא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ, לוֹ אֵינוֹ מַרְבֶּה, אֲבָל מַרְבֶּה הוּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָאַפְסַנְיָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר: כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לָאַפְסַנְיָא? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ, לוֹ אֵינוֹ מַרְבֶּה, אֲבָל מַרְבֶּה הוּא לָאַפְסַנְיוֹת. וְכֵן עָשָׂה דָוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כב יד): ״וְהִנֵּה בְעָנְיִי הֲכִינוֹתִי לְבֵית ה׳״ אֲבָל שְׁלֹמֹה שִׁנָּה, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א י כז): ״וַיִּתֵּן אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כָּאֲבָנִים״.
42. “And he should not amass for himself much silver and gold” (Dt. 17:17).Is it possible to say thathe should not amass for himself wealthin order to provision his army?The Teaching states:“He should not amass for himself” (Dt. 17:17)—for himself he may not amass wealth,but he may amass wealthin order to provision his army.92Another word:In order to provision his army?The Teaching states:“He should not amass for himself” (Dt. 17:17).For himself he may not amass wealth,but he may amass wealthin order to provision his army.93And this is what David did,as it is said:“Indeed, though unworthy, I have provisionedthe Abode of HASHEM with gold,at a hundred thousand ingots,and with silverat a thousand thousand ingots” (1Chron. 22:14) .But Solomon devalued the currency,in accord with what is said:“And he made silver in Jerusalemas common as stones” (1Ki. 10:26).94