D'var Torah: "Who Is a G-d Like You?" (Michah 7:18). The angels praise HaShem, declaring, "A King Who tolerates insults," even beyond human comprehension. There is nothing hidden from His view. Nor is there a minute when He does not sustain man with His Powers. You will find that man does sin against HaShem, and at the same time, He supports man's existence and grants him the movement of his limbs. You will learn that HaShem holds power over man to paralyze him, as He did to Yeruvam. Yet, in general, HaShem does not withhold His goodness from man. Instead, He tolerates their insults, He grants them power, and He gives them His goodness. "Who Is a G-d Like You?" You have the kindness to give to man according to his goodness. You have the strictness to withdraw from man your goodness. Nevertheless, mercifully, you bear his insult until man repents!
Moral: Patience is an attribute that man needs to acquire, even to the degree that he bears insults. A man who has patience does not withdraw his goodness from his abuser, the recipient of his kindness.
Application: King David tolerated King Saul's obsession to kill him. Even more, King David bore the insult of his son Avshalom, who declared himself to be king. When King David fled from Avshalom, he accepted the abuse of Shimi ben Gera, who threw rocks at him and cursed him. King David merited to embody the fourth leg of the Divine Chariot, on the merit of saying, "HaShem told Shimi ben Gera to curse me."
(Based on Tomer Devorah, Rav Moshe Cordevero)
