Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa 2 Mga Hari 4:10

Make haste with three se’ah of flour, fine flour. (Bava Metzia 87a) The Talmud notes that the verse mentions both “flour” [kemach] and “fine flour” [solet]. Rabbi Yitzchak derives from here that a woman is more miserly with guests than a man. Rashi explains that Abraham said fine flour while Sarah said flour. The opposite scenario wouldn’t teach us anything, because if he had said “flour,” how would she have been permitted to take more than what her husband commanded, since everything belongs to him? However, to reduce expenses is possible as she might be trying to curry favor with her husband in this way. Although the verse’s language suggests that Abraham said flour, fine flour, nevertheless, he said “flour” for the servants’ paste and “fine flour” for the cakes. I have heard some say that “flour” is a general term including both fine and coarse qualities. Abraham initially used the term “flour” casually, intending to say “take from the fine quality,” but then thought to himself that she might take from the inferior quality, as Abraham knew she was miserly with guests. Therefore, he quickly clarified his words and said “fine flour is what I want.” Alternatively, he first said flour for the paste but feared she might use flour for the cakes as well, so he specified fine flour. Because she was miserly, Sarah is not mentioned in any of this preparation as she did nothing. This is why it states I will surely return to you and not “to her,” because she was miserly with guests. Regarding the son as well, it says I will surely return to you, because it was his merit alone that caused her to have a son, through the merit of hospitality. As we find with the Shunammite woman, in the merit of let us make a small walled upper chamber etc., as she would welcome guests, therefore it was said to her at this season, you shall embrace a son (Second Kings 4:10–16). The matter was attributed to her and not her husband because she was perfect in hospitality while he was not, opposite to what is said here I will surely return to you. Similarly with Lot, it states and he baked matzot, implying he did it and not his wife. Therefore, she became a pillar of salt because she was not perfect in the attribute of charity, which is compared to salt, as it is said (Ketubot 66b) “Salt your money and diminish it [through charity].”

ועשית שלחן, after the Ark, which symbolised G’d’s throne on earth, as expressed by the words ונועדתי לך שם, “I will designate this for My meeting place with you,” (verse 22) had been completed, G’d commanded the construction of the Table and the Lamp stand, essential furnishings for a guest room, as we know from King II 4,10 where the lady in Shunem, planning to provide private accommodation for the prophet Elisha who was her frequent guest, discusses such details with her husband. According to our sages in Yuma 72 the crown-like border surrounding the surface of the table symbolised the crown of the kingdom of G’d. A king’s task in administering the affairs of state is divided into two aspects. 1) He must dispense justice, or appoint people who see to it that justice is dispensed. 2) He must concern himself with the defense of the realm, again, either personally, or by delegating his authority to loyal experts. This is how the people requesting that Samuel appoint a king for them defined the king’s duties in Samuel I 8,20. Accordingly, the table actually had two “crowns.” (this exegesis differs from that of Rashi who holds that there was only one such “crown.”) One of the “crowns” is for the table as such, the table symbolising the physical nourishment of the people and the general conduct of its affairs, the second symbolises an “enclosure, security fence,” מסגרת, a defensive system against harm to the people from whatever source, signaling that any attacker will not only be repelled but will be crushed.