Midras Mazmur 52:3: Vayikra Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

“The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord and one shall slaughter the bull before the Lord” (Leviticus 4:15).
“The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands.” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The nations of the world have no supporters, as it is stated: “The supporters of Egypt will fall” (Ezekiel 30:6). Israel has supporters [somekhin], as it is stated: “The elders of the congregation shall lay [vesamekhu] [their hands].”²³The phrase is understood to mean the elders of the congregation shall serve as support for the congregation. The nations of the world are called “congregation,” as it is stated: “For the congregation of the hypocrite will be desolate” (Job 15:34). Israel is called congregation, as it is stated: “The elders of the congregation shall lay [their hands].” The nations of the world are called abirim, as it is stated: “The herd of cavalry horses [abirim] going among the calves of the people” (Psalms 68:31). Israel is called abirim, “Hear Me, hard-hearted ones [abirei lev]” (Isaiah 46:12). The nations of the world are called adirim, “it and the daughters of mighty [adirim] nations” (Ezekiel 32:18). Israel is called adirim, “and the majestic ones [ve’adirei], all my wishes are with them” (Psalms 16:3). The nations of the world are called wise, “I will eliminate the wise from Edom” (Obadiah 1:8). Israel is called wise, “The wise store knowledge” (Proverbs 10:14). The nations of the world are called blameless, “and the blameless, like those descending into the pit” (Proverbs 1:12). Israel is called blameless, “and the blameless will inherit goodness” (Proverbs 28:10). The nations of the world are called righteous, “Righteous men, they will judge them” (Ezekiel 23:45). Israel is called righteous, “Your people are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). The nations of the world are called men, “men who are evildoers” (Psalms 141:4). Israel is called men, “men, I call to you” (Proverbs 8:4). The nations of the world are called mighty, “why do you boast of evil, mighty one” (Psalms 52:3). Israel is called mighty, “mighty in strength, performers of His bidding” (Psalms 103:20).

Another explanation is that he told Saul what had happened, and a Gadite told him to make David king while he was alive, because only a king and a court can ask the Urim and Thummim, and anyone who needs the support of the community can do so. And David was asked with the Urim and Thummim. Once he heard this, a spirit of jealousy entered his heart. How do we know this? Because it says in the same passage, "When you gave him bread and a sword, you were conspiring against me." Saul was not satisfied with this, and he asked him by God, and that is why Ahimelech died. As soon as he saw Saul's angry face, Ahimelech replied to the king and said, "Who among all your servants is as faithful as David?" Saul said, "Neither him nor anyone else." At first, Ahimelech had refused to ask God on Saul's behalf, saying that he had begun to inquire of God that day, and he had not yet been authorized to ask. However, Saul did not want to accept this and insisted that Ahimelech had to ask God for him. Saul then sentenced Ahimelech to death for having sought the support of the Urim and Thummim on David's behalf. Immediately, the king commanded his guards to attack Ahimelech, but they refused to obey him. This illustrates the verse, "Whoever keeps a command will not experience harm" (Ecclesiastes 8:5). This refers to Abner, who did not allow the priests to be harmed, as it says, "My lord's servants did not lift a hand against the priests of the LORD" (1 Samuel 22:17). Once he saw that they didn't listen to him, he said to him, "Worry about yourself. You have spoken harshly with your sword." As it is said (1 Samuel 22): "And the king said to Doeg, 'You turn around and strike down the priests.'" So he stood up and killed them, as it is said (1 Samuel 22): "And on that day he killed eighty-five men." See what courage he had, that no one in the world helped, but he himself killed them. And not only them, but also (1 Samuel 22): "And he struck down Nob, the city of the priests, with the sword." David cried out and said, "What glory is it to you to speak evil, you mighty one? All day long you plot destruction." He said to Doeg, "A strong man and the head of the Sanhedrin is busy with this evil, speaking ill of others. In this mighty act of evil, he is strong." He said to him, "This is true strength: when one sees his friend on the edge of a pit and pushes him in, or when he sees him on the roof and pushes him off. That is strength. But when is one truly strong? When his friend is about to fall and he grabs his hand so he won't fall. And also when he sees his friend falling into a pit and he lifts him up." And you saw that Saul was angry with me and threw water on my limbs (perhaps it means into the well). That is true strength, which a person does. All day long, he shows kindness. He said to him, "Do you think that if we had not received Ahimelech and he had not given us a portion, there would not have been anyone in Israel to give?" Indeed, the people of Israel are accustomed to doing kindness all day long.

Another thing is kindness all day. This is the Torah, as it is said (Proverbs 31:26), "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of kindness is on her tongue." A person who engages in Torah study like you should engage in these matters and make your Torah study a priority. In terms of doing good deeds, the children of Israel are commanded to do kindness to anyone who comes their way. Kindness all day. David said to Doeg, "A person who engages in kindness all day is doing something difficult." Similarly, anyone who studies Torah is as if they are doing kindness all day and speaking lashon hara (evil speech) is a transgression. In terms of evil, Rabbi Yosi ben Zimra said, "Come and see how difficult lashon hara is, for there are many organs in a person, some of them are erect, some of them are flaccid, some of them are standing, and this tongue is imprisoned in the mouth, surrounded by the cheeks, and there are many muscles attached to it that no one can stand against. If it were erect, and its difficulty were visible, how much more so would this be the case!