King David: A Life of Teshuvah
When considering the ability to accept having done something wrong and be redirected on a better path, a good place to start is the life of King David. Join Mrs. Sarah Davis Rudolph and explore King David’s life and how he, in contrast to King Shaul, was able to accept his own failings and move forward.
King David: A Life of Teshuvah: Saul vs. David; Getting to know Saul
Saul, the first king of Israel, and David, the second, each did things during their reigns that displeased God; Saul was removed for his (seemingly minor) offenses, while David was promised an eternal dynasty and is held up as the paradigmatic royal devotee of God (despite his apparently greater infractions). What was the difference?
One key to understanding these two individuals, and their successes and failures, lies in one word: Teshuva (repentance).
However, one word cannot tell a full story.
In this class, we will explore what seem to be the defining moments in each of their stories of sin/repentance, and we will also begin to look at Saul’s story more broadly, to uncover some of the qualities that led to his troubles with teshuva – in contrast to David.
King David: A Life of Teshuvah: David and the Habits of Teshuva
Sarah Rudolph is a freelance Jewish educator, writer, and editor. She has been sharing her passion for Jewish texts of all kinds for over 15 years, with students of all ages. Sarah’s essays have been published in a variety of internet and print media, including Times of Israel, Kveller, Jewish Action, OU Life, The Lehrhaus, TorahMusings, and more. She is Editor-At-Large, Deracheha: womenandmitzvot.org. Sarah lives in Cleveland with her husband and four children, but is privileged to learn online with students all over the world.