2022/5782
King David sharply scolds his wife Michal after she yells at him for dancing hysterically as the Ark is brought to the Temple. He justifies his excitement by saying, “I was in the presence of Hashem Who chose me over your father… I will hold myself even more lightly esteemed than this” (Shmuel II 6:21-22). This can all be found in Shemini’s usual Haftarah. However, two questions can be raised. Why do the Pesukim address Michal as “daughter of Shaul” (Shmuel II 6:16), and why does David HaMelech seemingly bash Shaul HaMelech?
These two questions can be answered with one answer. In both of these quotes David is saying I am not like your father Shaul. Shaul was a great king and had faith in Hashem. But that trust stopped when Shaul did not understand why Hashem was commanding certain things. King David in his humility was able to accept that he wouldn’t understand everything in order to honor Hashem. This is why he danced eccentrically and this is also why Michal rebuked him, because she was not used to this.
It would be challenging for us to all go out and be like King David, due to how holy he was. But when we fulfill the word of God we should do it with joy and love. David Hamelech, himself, expresses this idea: “Serve God with happiness; come before him with joyous song” (Tehillim 100:2). This idea is a major theme of Lubavitch. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe once said: “There are many ways to serve Hashem. However the ultimate way is to serve him through joy.” Even if one does not know how to do Mitzvot, if they just serve God with happiness, maybe with dancing or singing, they fulfill a big Mitzvah. And in the end, a little happiness won’t hurt.