A short Insight into MELACHIM 1, Chapter 12 By Rabbi Nisson Dov Miller

(PLEASE LEARN FOR A REFUA 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 - NAME ADDDED Chaim Yisroel ben Chana Tzirtel, Rav Yosef - Yaakov Chai ben Margalit And Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, Yitzchok Izak ben Trina Rivka HaRav Matisyahu Solomon Shlita-for Matisyahu Chaim ben Etel for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am Yisrael.) Some sins that we learn about in our studies of Nach seem to defy our senses. How could a great man like Yeravam become such a wicked leader of our brethren? How could the Jews of Yeravam's kingdom go along with his decrees and practices? More pertinent to us, how could Yeravam dream up this idea to have a fake holiday on the fifteenth of Cheshvan (the eighth month) and not on the fifteenth of Tishrei (the seventh month) a.k.a. Sukkos – the holiday of the gathering of the crops? As we read in verse thirty two, “Yeravam also innovated a holiday in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, in imitation of the holiday in Yehuda and brought offerings on the altar.”