Publisher's Synopsis
Why did this historic episode exhibit so much wisdom?
The historic episode that catapulted King Shlomo (King Solomon) into epic renown as "the wisest man" remains a classic until today.
Suspenseful and compelling, one aspect of it always bothered me.
- How on earth did the command to slice through a live baby demonstrate the young king's wisdom?
After all, such a brutal act would kill the innocent newborn.
- And how could anyone ever agree to such a gruesome outcome, regardless of whose baby it was?
Furthermore, the non-mother's eager concession to the king's suggestion always both horrified and puzzled me.
- Why on earth would she desire the bloody half of a dead infant-whether hers or anyone else's?
Delving into millennia of traditional Jewish scholarship not only answered the above questions, but revealed far more to the Torah's narrative than ever imagined.
In-depth study also addressed an issue I never considered:
Which woman was the real mother-the accuser or the accused?
If you ever felt pricked by similar doubts and questions regarding this classic story of wisdom, please read on to discover the answers to these-and more.
Note: For those who like to review the weekly Torah portion and weekly Haftarah, this episode is the Haftarah for the Torah portion Miketz (Beresheit/Genesis 41:1 - 44:17)
