ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: Statue of Limitations

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

ื›ื— ื•ื™ืจื ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ื“ืข ื›ื™ ื”ืณ ืขื ื“ื•ื“; ื•ืžื™ื›ืœ ื‘ืช ืฉืื•ืœ ืื”ื‘ืชื”ื•ืƒ ื›ื˜ ื•ื™ืืกืฃ ืฉืื•ืœ ืœืจื ืžืคื ื™ ื“ื•ื“ ืขื•ื“; ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ ืื™ื‘ ืืช ื“ื•ื“ ื›ืœ ื”ื™ืžื™ืืƒ

ืœ ื•ื™ืฆืื• ืฉืจื™ ืคืœืฉืชื™ื; ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืžื“ื™ ืฆืืชื ืฉื›ืœ ื“ื•ื“ ืžื›ืœ ืขื‘ื“ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ื™ืงืจ ืฉืžื• ืžืื“ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื™ื—

The ื ื‘ื™ื foreshadows the tragic end of the story: Saul will never make peace with David, even though the next paragraph leaves us hopeful about their relationship. We also see Davidโ€™s fame increased to the point that he was notorious among the ืคืœื™ืฉืชื™ื as well. ืจื“ืดืง points out that the halacha is that a ื—ืชืŸ is exempt from military service for the first year of marriage, so the ืคืœื™ืฉืชื™ื hoped that David would be indisposed, but for a ืžืœื—ืžืช ืžืฆื•ื”,โ€Ž (ืžืฉื ื” ืกื•ื˜ื” ื—:ื–)โ€Ž ื”ื›ืœ ื™ื•ืฆืื™ืŸ, ืืคืœื• ื—ืชืŸ ืžื—ื“ืจื• ื•ื›ืœื” ืžื—ืคืชื”.


ื ื•ื™ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉืื•ืœ ืืœ ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ื ื• ื•ืืœ ื›ืœ ืขื‘ื“ื™ื• ืœื”ืžื™ืช ืืช ื“ื•ื“; ื•ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ืŸ ืฉืื•ืœ ื—ืคืฅ ื‘ื“ื•ื“ ืžืื“ืƒ ื‘ ื•ื™ื’ื“ ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ืœื“ื•ื“ ืœืืžืจ ืžื‘ืงืฉ ืฉืื•ืœ ืื‘ื™ ืœื”ืžื™ืชืš; ื•ืขืชื” ื”ืฉืžืจ ื ื ื‘ื‘ืงืจ ื•ื™ืฉื‘ืช ื‘ืกืชืจ ื•ื ื—ื‘ืืชืƒ ื’ ื•ืื ื™ ืืฆื ื•ืขืžื“ืชื™ ืœื™ื“ ืื‘ื™ ื‘ืฉื“ื” ืืฉืจ ืืชื” ืฉื ื•ืื ื™ ืื“ื‘ืจ ื‘ืš ืืœ ืื‘ื™; ื•ืจืื™ืชื™ ืžื” ื•ื”ื’ื“ืชื™ ืœืšืƒ

ื“ ื•ื™ื“ื‘ืจ ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ื‘ื“ื•ื“ ื˜ื•ื‘ ืืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ืื‘ื™ื•; ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื™ื• ืืœ ื™ื—ื˜ื ื”ืžืœืš ื‘ืขื‘ื“ื• ื‘ื“ื•ื“ ื›ื™ ืœื•ื ื—ื˜ื ืœืš ื•ื›ื™ ืžืขืฉื™ื• ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœืš ืžืื“ืƒ ื” ื•ื™ืฉื ืืช ื ืคืฉื• ื‘ื›ืคื• ื•ื™ืš ืืช ื”ืคืœืฉืชื™ ื•ื™ืขืฉ ื”ืณ ืชืฉื•ืขื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืœื›ืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืจืื™ืช ื•ืชืฉืžื—; ื•ืœืžื” ืชื—ื˜ื ื‘ื“ื ื ืงื™ ืœื”ืžื™ืช ืืช ื“ื•ื“ ื—ื ืืƒ ื• ื•ื™ืฉืžืข ืฉืื•ืœ ื‘ืงื•ืœ ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ; ื•ื™ืฉื‘ืข ืฉืื•ืœ ื—ื™ ื”ืณ ืื ื™ื•ืžืชืƒ ื– ื•ื™ืงืจื ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ืœื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ื’ื“ ืœื• ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ืืช ื›ืœ ื”ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื”ืืœื”; ื•ื™ื‘ื ื™ื”ื•ื ืชืŸ ืืช ื“ื•ื“ ืืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืœืคื ื™ื• ื›ืืชืžื•ืœ ืฉืœืฉื•ืืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื™ื˜

Aposiopesis

An interesting note about Saulโ€™s oath: ื—ื™ ื”ืณ ืื ื™ื•ืžืช. Oaths in ืชื ืดืš commonly employ aposiopesis, abruptly ending the sentence to leave the rest to the imagination (โ€œClean your room or elseโ€ฆ!โ€), to the extent that the JPS translates ืื as โ€œwill not [condition]โ€ rather than โ€œif [condition] โ€ฆ [bad things happen]โ€. But that weakens the force of the oath, and I think it is better translated as โ€œifโ€ with the consequence left unspoken.

For example:

ืžื— ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืœื‘ืŸ ื”ื’ืœ ื”ื–ื” ืขื“ ื‘ื™ื ื™ ื•ื‘ื™ื ืš ื”ื™ื•ื; ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ืงืจื ืฉืžื• ื’ืœืขื“ืƒ ืžื˜ ื•ื”ืžืฆืคื” ืืฉืจ ืืžืจ ื™ืฆืฃ ื”ืณ ื‘ื™ื ื™ ื•ื‘ื™ื ืš: ื›ื™ ื ืกืชืจ ืื™ืฉ ืžืจืขื”ื•ืƒ ื  ืื ืชืขื ื” ืืช ื‘ื ืชื™ ื•ืื ืชืงื— ื ืฉื™ื ืขืœ ื‘ื ืชื™ ืื™ืŸ ืื™ืฉ ืขืžื ื•; ืจืื” ืืœื”ื™ื ืขื“ ื‘ื™ื ื™ ื•ื‘ื™ื ืšืƒ

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืคืจืง ืœื

And Laban said to Jacob: This heap is a witness between you and me today, so he called it โ€œGileadโ€ and โ€œMitzpahโ€, since he said: G-d will watch between you and me when we are hidden from one another. If you afflict my daughters or take other wives besides by daughtersโ€ฆ Look, G-d is a witness between us.

ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืืœื”ื ื™ื•ืกืฃ: ื”ื•ื ืืฉืจ ื“ื‘ืจืชื™ ืืœื›ื ืœืืžืจ ืžืจื’ืœื™ื ืืชืืƒ ื˜ื• ื‘ื–ืืช ืชื‘ื—ื ื•: ื—ื™ ืคืจืขื” ืื ืชืฆืื• ืžื–ื” ื›ื™ ืื ื‘ื‘ื•ื ืื—ื™ื›ื ื”ืงื˜ืŸ ื”ื ื”ืƒ

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืคืจืง ืžื‘

Or the positive can be left to the imagination:

ืœื ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ืžืฉื” ืืœ ื”ืณ ื•ื™ืืžืจ: ืื ื ื—ื˜ื ื”ืขื ื”ื–ื” ื—ื˜ืื” ื’ื“ืœื” ื•ื™ืขืฉื• ืœื”ื ืืœื”ื™ ื–ื”ื‘ืƒ ืœื‘ ื•ืขืชื” ืื ืชืฉื ื—ื˜ืืชื; ื•ืื ืื™ืŸ ืžื—ื ื™ ื ื ืžืกืคืจืš ืืฉืจ ื›ืชื‘ืชืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืช ืคืจืง ืœื‘

ื”ืณ Himself uses this idiom:

ื™ ื•ื™ื—ืจ ืืฃ ื”ืณ ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื; ื•ื™ืฉื‘ืข ืœืืžืจืƒ ื™ื ืื ื™ืจืื• ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ื”ืขืœื™ื ืžืžืฆืจื™ื ืžื‘ืŸ ืขืฉืจื™ื ืฉื ื” ื•ืžืขืœื” ืืช ื”ืื“ืžื” ืืฉืจ ื ืฉื‘ืขืชื™ ืœืื‘ืจื”ื ืœื™ืฆื—ืง ื•ืœื™ืขืงื‘; ื›ื™ ืœื ืžืœืื• ืื—ืจื™ืƒ

ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืคืจืง ืœื‘

ื— ื•ืชื•ืกืฃ ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ืœื”ื™ื•ืช; ื•ื™ืฆื ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื™ืœื—ื ื‘ืคืœืฉืชื™ื ื•ื™ืš ื‘ื”ื ืžื›ื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ื•ื™ื ืกื• ืžืคื ื™ื•ืƒ ื˜ ื•ืชื”ื™ ืจื•ื— ื”ืณ ืจืขื” ืืœ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื”ื•ื ื‘ื‘ื™ืชื• ื™ืฉื‘ ื•ื—ื ื™ืชื• ื‘ื™ื“ื•; ื•ื“ื•ื“ ืžื ื’ืŸ ื‘ื™ื“ืƒ ื™ ื•ื™ื‘ืงืฉ ืฉืื•ืœ ืœื”ื›ื•ืช ื‘ื—ื ื™ืช ื‘ื“ื•ื“ ื•ื‘ืงื™ืจ ื•ื™ืคื˜ืจ ืžืคื ื™ ืฉืื•ืœ ื•ื™ืš ืืช ื”ื—ื ื™ืช ื‘ืงื™ืจ; ื•ื“ื•ื“ ื ืก ื•ื™ืžืœื˜ ื‘ืœื™ืœื” ื”ื•ืืƒ

ื™ื ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ืฉืื•ืœ ืžืœืื›ื™ื ืืœ ื‘ื™ืช ื“ื•ื“ ืœืฉืžืจื• ื•ืœื”ืžื™ืชื• ื‘ื‘ืงืจ; ื•ืชื’ื“ ืœื“ื•ื“ ืžื™ื›ืœ ืืฉืชื• ืœืืžืจ ืื ืื™ื ืš ืžืžืœื˜ ืืช ื ืคืฉืš ื”ืœื™ืœื” ืžื—ืจ ืืชื” ืžื•ืžืชืƒ ื™ื‘ ื•ืชืจื“ ืžื™ื›ืœ ืืช ื“ื•ื“ ื‘ืขื“ ื”ื—ืœื•ืŸ; ื•ื™ืœืš ื•ื™ื‘ืจื— ื•ื™ืžืœื˜ืƒ ื™ื’ ื•ืชืงื— ืžื™ื›ืœ ืืช ื”ืชืจืคื™ื ื•ืชืฉื ืืœ ื”ืžื˜ื” ื•ืืช ื›ื‘ื™ืจ ื”ืขื–ื™ื ืฉืžื” ืžืจืืฉืชื™ื•; ื•ืชื›ืก ื‘ื‘ื’ื“ืƒ

ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ืฉืื•ืœ ืžืœืื›ื™ื ืœืงื—ืช ืืช ื“ื•ื“; ื•ืชืืžืจ ื—ืœื” ื”ื•ื

ื˜ื• ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ืฉืื•ืœ ืืช ื”ืžืœืื›ื™ื ืœืจืื•ืช ืืช ื“ื•ื“ ืœืืžืจ: ื”ืขืœื• ืืชื• ื‘ืžื˜ื” ืืœื™ ืœื”ืžืชื•ืƒ ื˜ื– ื•ื™ื‘ืื• ื”ืžืœืื›ื™ื ื•ื”ื ื” ื”ืชืจืคื™ื ืืœ ื”ืžื˜ื”; ื•ื›ื‘ื™ืจ ื”ืขื–ื™ื ืžืจืืฉืชื™ื•ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื™ื˜

ืชืจืคื™ื

What are these ืชืจืคื™ื that ืžื™ื›ืœ had in the house, to be used in an emergency to save ื“ื•ื“? Every other use of the word in ืชื ืดืš implies ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื” or at least black magic:

ื™ื˜ ื•ืœื‘ืŸ ื”ืœืš ืœื’ื–ื– ืืช ืฆืื ื•; ื•ืชื’ื ื‘ ืจื—ืœ ืืช ื”ืชืจืคื™ื ืืฉืจ ืœืื‘ื™ื”ืƒ โ€ฆ ื›ื• ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืœื‘ืŸ ืœื™ืขืงื‘ ืžื” ืขืฉื™ืช ื•ืชื’ื ื‘ ืืช ืœื‘ื‘ื™; ื•ืชื ื”ื’ ืืช ื‘ื ืชื™ ื›ืฉื‘ื™ื•ืช ื—ืจื‘ืƒ โ€ฆ ืœ ื•ืขืชื” ื”ืœืš ื”ืœื›ืช ื›ื™ ื ื›ืกืฃ ื ื›ืกืคืชื” ืœื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ืš; ืœืžื” ื’ื ื‘ืช ืืช ืืœื”ื™ืƒ

ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืคืจืง ืœื

ื™ื’ ื•ื™ืขื‘ืจื• ืžืฉื ื”ืจ ืืคืจื™ื; ื•ื™ื‘ืื• ืขื“ ื‘ื™ืช ืžื™ื›ื”ืƒ ื™ื“ ื•ื™ืขื ื• ื—ืžืฉืช ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ื”ื”ืœื›ื™ื ืœืจื’ืœ ืืช ื”ืืจืฅ ืœื™ืฉ ื•ื™ืืžืจื• ืืœ ืื—ื™ื”ื ื”ื™ื“ืขืชื ื›ื™ ื™ืฉ ื‘ื‘ืชื™ื ื”ืืœื” ืืคื•ื“ ื•ืชืจืคื™ื ื•ืคืกืœ ื•ืžืกื›ื”; ื•ืขืชื” ื“ืขื• ืžื” ืชืขืฉื•ืƒ

ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™ื ืคืจืง ื™ื—

ื›ื‘ ื•ื™ืืžืจ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื”ื—ืคืฅ ืœื”ืณ ื‘ืขืœื•ืช ื•ื–ื‘ื—ื™ื ื›ืฉืžืข ื‘ืงื•ืœ ื”ืณ; ื”ื ื” ืฉืžืข ืžื–ื‘ื— ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœื”ืงืฉื™ื‘ ืžื—ืœื‘ ืื™ืœื™ืืƒ ื›ื’ ื›ื™ ื—ื˜ืืช ืงืกื ืžืจื™ ื•ืื•ืŸ ื•ืชืจืคื™ื ื”ืคืฆืจ; ื™ืขืŸ ืžืืกืช ืืช ื“ื‘ืจ ื”ืณ ื•ื™ืžืืกืš ืžืžืœืšืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ืคืจืง ื˜ื•

ื›ื™ ืขืžื“ ืžืœืš ื‘ื‘ืœ ืืœ ืื ื”ื“ืจืš ื‘ืจืืฉ ืฉื ื™ ื”ื“ืจื›ื™ื ืœืงืกื ืงืกื ืงืœืงืœ ื‘ื—ืฆื™ื ืฉืืœ ื‘ืชืจืคื™ื ืจืื” ื‘ื›ื‘ื“:

ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื›ื:ื›ื•

ื ืฉืืœื• ืžื”ืณ ืžื˜ืจ ื‘ืขืช ืžืœืงื•ืฉ ื”ืณ ืขืฉื” ื—ื–ื™ื–ื™ื; ื•ืžื˜ืจ ื’ืฉื ื™ืชืŸ ืœื”ื ืœืื™ืฉ ืขืฉื‘ ื‘ืฉื“ื”ืƒ ื‘ ื›ื™ ื”ืชืจืคื™ื ื“ื‘ืจื• ืื•ืŸ ื•ื”ืงื•ืกืžื™ื ื—ื–ื• ืฉืงืจ ื•ื—ืœืžื•ืช ื”ืฉื•ื ื™ื“ื‘ืจื• ื”ื‘ืœ ื™ื ื—ืžื•ืŸ; ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ื ืกืขื• ื›ืžื• ืฆืืŸ ื™ืขื ื• ื›ื™ ืื™ืŸ ืจืขื”ืƒ

ื–ื›ืจื™ื” ืคืจืง ื™

The ืื‘ืŸ ืขื–ืจื and ืจืžื‘ืดืŸ (on ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ืœื:ื™ื˜) bring the interpretation that they are โ€œื›ืœื™ ื ื—ืฉืช ื”ืขืฉื•ื™ ืœื“ืขืช ื—ืœืงื™ ื”ืฉืขื•ืชโ€, to be used for astrology, which makes them relatively benign but doesnโ€™t explain why ืžื™ื›ืœ used them specifically as a decoy.

The ืžืงืจืื•ืช ื’ื“ื•ืœื•ืช ื”ืžืื•ืจ brings a horrific explanation from a manuscript of ืจืฉืดื™:

ื•ืžื” ื”ืŸ ื”ืชืจืคื™ื, ืฉื•ื—ื˜ื™ื ืื“ื ื‘ื›ื•ืจ ื•ื—ื•ืชื—ื™ืŸ ืืช ืจืืฉื•, ื•ืžื•ืœื—ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ื‘ืžืœื— ื•ื‘ืฉืžื™ื, ื•ื›ื•ืชื‘ื™ื ืขืœ ืฆื™ืฅ ื–ื”ื‘ ืฉื ืจื•ื— ื”ื˜ื•ืžืื” ื•ืžื ื™ื—ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ืชื—ืช ืœืฉื•ื ื•, ื•ื ื•ืชื ื™ืŸ ื‘ืงื™ืจ ื•ืžื“ืœื™ืงื™ืŸ ืœืคื ื™ื• ื•ืžืฉืชื—ื•ื™ื ืœื• ื•ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืขืžื”ืโ€ฆ

But the most prevalent explanation, and the one that fits the pshat, is that of the Targum: ืฆืœืžื ื™ื, images, statues. So too ืจืฉืดื™, ืจื“ืดืง, and nicely summarized by ืžืฆื•ื“ืช ืฆื™ื•ืŸ:

ื”ื ื”ืขืฉื•ืขื™ื ื‘ืฆื•ืจืช ืื“ื, ืžื”ื ืœืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”, ื•ืžื”ื ืœืฆื•ืจืช ืื“ื ื™ื“ื•ืข, ื•ื”ื ืฉื™ื ื”ื™ื• ืขื•ืฉื•ืช ืขืœ ืฆื•ืจืช ื‘ืขืœื™ื”ืŸ, ืœื”ืกืชื›ืœ ื‘ืชืืจื• ืžืจื•ื‘ ื”ืื”ื‘ื”.

Disclaimer: Not Halacha Lโ€™Maโ€™aseh. Please Contact Your Local Orthodox Rabbi

But having a statue of a human being, even if it not ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”, is problematic:

ืœื˜ ืฉืœื ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืฆื•ืจืช ืื“ื ืžืฉื•ื ื“ื‘ืจ, ื”ืŸ ืžืžืชื›ื•ืช ื”ืŸ ืžืขืฅ ื•ืื‘ืŸ ื•ื–ืœืชื, ื•ืืคื™ืœื• ืœื ื•ื™, ืฉื ืืžืจ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื› ื›) ืœื ืชืขืฉื•ืŸ ืืชื™, ื•ื“ืจืฉื• ื–ืดืœ (ืจืดื” ื›ื“ ื‘) ืœื ืชืขืฉื•ืŸ ืื•ืชื™, ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ืœื ืชืขืฉื•ืŸ ื“ืžื™ื•ืŸ ืื•ืชื” ืฆื•ืจื” ื“ื”ื™ื ื• ื’ื•ืฃ ืื“ื ืฉื›ืชื‘ืชื™ ืขืœื™ื” ื‘ืชื•ืจืชื™ (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื ื›ื•) ื ืขืฉื” ืื“ื ื‘ืฆืœืžื ื•, ื•ื”ื›ื•ื ื” ื‘ื›ืชื•ื‘ ืžืฆื“ ื”ืฉื›ืœ ืฉื ืชืŸ ื‘ื•. ื•ืžื” ืฉืืžืจ ื‘ืฆืœืžื ื• ืขืœ ื—ืœืง ื”ืฉื›ืœ ืฉื‘ืื“ื, ืžืคื ื™ ืฉื”ืฉื›ืœ ื›ืœื• ื”ื•ื ื‘ื• ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื, ืื‘ืœ ืื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื ื“ืžื™ื•ืŸ ืื—ืจ ื‘ื™ื ื• ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืฉื•ื ื‘ืจื™ื” (ืฉืงื“ื ืขื ื™ื ื•) ืžื ื‘ืจืื™ื• ื—ืœื™ืœื”. ื•ืœืื• ื“ืœื ืชืขืฉื” ืœืš ืคืกืœ ืฉืœื ื ืขืฉื” ืฉื•ื ืฆื•ืจื” ืฉืชืขื‘ื“. ื•ื–ื” ื”ืœืื• ืžื™ื—ื“ ืœืฆื•ืจืช ืื“ื ืฉืœื ื ืขืฉื” ืื•ืชื• ื›ืœืœ ืืคื™ืœื• ืœื ื•ื™, ื•ื–ื” ืœื”ืจื—ื™ืง ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”.

ืกืคืจ ื”ื—ื ื•ืš

But, the prohibition is against making the statue, not necessarily owning it:

ืฆื•ืจื•ืช ืฉืขืฉื• ืื•ืชืŸ ื’ื•ื™ื™ื ืœื ื•ืื™, ืžื•ืชืจื™ืŸ ื‘ื”ื ืื”; ื•ืฆื•ืจื•ืช ืฉืขืฉื• ืื•ืชืŸ ืœืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื”, ืืกื•ืจื™ืŸ.

ืžืฉื ื” ืชื•ืจื”, ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื–ืจื” ื–:ื—

The halachot are complex and the opinions numerous, with distinctions between two-dimensional and three-dimensional images and partial or disfigured vs. complete images. Here is an excerpt from a recent summary:

Dolls are more stringent than pictures of people because a doll is a protruding image while a picture is flat. Al pi din one is permitted to keep a doll in his house even though it closely resembles a person since there is no chashash one is worshipping the doll.(39) Additionally, since the dolls are commercially manufactured one does not have to worry that he will be suspected of making them himself (which would be an issur dโ€™oraisa).(40) However, many people are stringent and deface dolls by breaking off the nose or ear,(41) or by making a cut in the dolls face.(42) One can deface the ear even if it canโ€™t be seen such as where the dolls hair covers the ear.(43)

(39) Am Hatorah 3:5:pages 50-51, Vayivorech Dovid 1:99. Many times one has a doll hanging by his windshield. This should not be done (Shulchan Aruch Hamikutzar 4:145:footnote 34, Vโ€™ein Lumo Michshal 2:page 135:12). Some say the reason to have something hanging by your windshield is because the ayin hara should look at the thing hanging by the windshield and not the people in the car (ibid footnote 33). (40) Vayivorech Dovid 1:99. (41) Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Bais Lechem Yehuda Y.D. 141:10, Chasam Sofer 6:6, Teshuvos Vโ€™hanhugos 1:804 quoting the opinion of the Chazon Ish, Dinim Vโ€™hanhugos of the Chazzon Ish Y.D. 4:1, Divrei Chachumim Y.D. 5:46, Shevet Haโ€™Levi 7:134:1, Am Hatorah 3:7:page 95:3 quoting the opinion of Horav Moshe Feinstein zt"l, see ibid:5 where he says to remove the nose, Avodas Melech page 336:1 quoting the opinion of Horav Nissim Korelitz Shlita. Even if the hair is covering the ear one has to be pogem it (Am Hatorah 3:5:pages 54-55). Refer to Mesechtas Avoda Zara 43b, 53a. (42) Am Hatorah 3:5:page 53, Chai Haโ€™Levi 1:58. There is an uncertainty if one is allowed to break off a finger on the hand of the doll instead of the nose etc (Avodas Melech page 336:3). (43) Avodas Melech page 336:4 quoting the opinion of Horav Nissim Korelitz Shlita.

Halachically Speaking, 3:8

So Michal could well have had a lovely statue of David (though if they were ืžื—ืžื™ืจ, without ears) suitable for use in an emergency. Statue of David