HaShem Looks to the Heart \ King David
“HaShem said to Shmuel, ‘Do not look to his appearance, nor towards his height, for I have rejected him, for the truth is not seen through the eyes of man, for a man looks with his eyes, and HaShem looks to the heart” (Shmuel 16:7).
HaShem charged Shmuel with the holy task of appointing one of Yishai’s sons to be the king of Klal Yisrael. Shmuel arrived at Yishai’s residence and saw his first born son, Eliyav, who was tall and stately. Shmuel was very impressed with his dignified appearance and assumed that Eliyav was destined to be the king. Although Eliyav had the qualifications for royalty, his inner being was blemished because he harbored the trait of anger.
“HaShem said to Shmuel, ‘Do not look to his appearance, nor towards his height, for I have rejected him, for the truth is not seen through the eyes of man, for a man looks with his eyes, and HaShem looks to the heart.”
Shmuel reviewed the remaining sons of Yishai, but did not find any of them suited to serve as king of Israel. Shmuel asked Yishai if he had any other sons. Yishai responded, he had another son, David, who was assigned to shepherd the flocks. He was the “black sheep” of the family because he was suspected of being an illegitimate child.
When David was summoned, Shmuel was shocked by his ruddy complexion and red hair, which had seven shades of red. Shmuel thought that David had the aggressive traits of Eisav, and could not imagine that he was the one whom HaShem chose to be king. “HaShem said, ‘Arise and anoint him for he is the one.”
Although King David was born with a similar nature as Eisav, he overcame his base traits and refined his personality. He relegated his aggression to exclusively do HaShem’s will, and defeat the enemies of Israel. King David's inner being was kind and refined, and he was good-hearted and diligent in his service of HaShem.
Let us learn to look at the inner being of other people and not be influenced by their outward appearance. We will see their inner goodness, “for HaShem looks to the heart.”
(Based on the commentary of Rav BZ Miller)
