The First Reading • 1 Kings 3:5–12
Rabbi Fred Raskind, Temple Bet Yam, St. Augustine, Florida
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask, what shall I grant you?”
Solomon said, “You dealt most graciously with Your servant my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and in integrity of heart. You have continued this great kindness to him by giving him a son to occupy his throne, as is now the case. And now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David; but I am a young lad, with no experience in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. Grant, then, Your servant an understanding mind to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and bad; for who can judge this vast people of Yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. And God said to him, “Because you asked for this—you did not ask for long life, you did not ask for riches, you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for discernment in dispensing justice—I now do as you have spoken. I grant you a wise and discerning mind; there has never been anyone like you before, nor will anyone like you arise again.”
[Editor's comment: President Donald Trump and his wife, and Vice President Mike Pence and his wife were in attendance. Melvine and I watched the entire service via television.]
Rabbi Fred Raskind, Temple Bet Yam, St. Augustine, Florida
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask, what shall I grant you?”
Solomon said, “You dealt most graciously with Your servant my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness and righteousness and in integrity of heart. You have continued this great kindness to him by giving him a son to occupy his throne, as is now the case. And now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David; but I am a young lad, with no experience in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of the people You have chosen, a people too numerous to be numbered or counted. Grant, then, Your servant an understanding mind to judge Your people, to distinguish between good and bad; for who can judge this vast people of Yours?”
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. And God said to him, “Because you asked for this—you did not ask for long life, you did not ask for riches, you did not ask for the life of your enemies, but you asked for discernment in dispensing justice—I now do as you have spoken. I grant you a wise and discerning mind; there has never been anyone like you before, nor will anyone like you arise again.”
[Editor's comment: President Donald Trump and his wife, and Vice President Mike Pence and his wife were in attendance. Melvine and I watched the entire service via television.]