A short Insight into SHMUEL 2, Chapter 8 By Rabbi Nisson Dov Miller

(PLEASE LEARN FOR A RUFUA SHELAMA FOR THE GEDOLIM Rav Elyashiv -Yosef Sholom ben Chaya Musha, Rav Shteinman - Aaron Yehuda Leib ben Gitel Feiga, Rav Weiss - Yitzchak Tuvia ben Rikal, Rav Belsky - Yisroel ben Chana Tzirtel, Rav Yosef - Yaakov Chai ben Margalit And Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, Yitxchok Izak ben Trina Devorah for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am Yisrael.) In our chapter, we learn of King David spreading his kingdom to what the gemora refers to as Suria. We find in verses five and six, “Aram of Damascus came to assist Hadadezer, King of Tzovah, and David struck down twenty two thousand men of Aram. David appointed authorities in Aram of Damascus and Aram became servants of David, bearers of tribute.” The gemora in Gittin (8b, 47) discusses if the conquest of Suria by King David is a conquest that bestows upon the land a sanctity which would obligate it in terumos, ma'aseros and perhaps other laws like Israel. Or perhaps the only obligations would be rabbinic. Rashi and Tosfos disagree why this conquest by David, which the gemora refers to a a “kibush yachid”, a individual's conquest, is referred to in this manner.