Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 4-6

Sugya Map

• Issue: The unique marital rights of a Jewish king, specifically regarding pilagshim (concubines), and its distinction from a commoner's permissible relationships.
• Nafka Mina: The scope of din melucha (law of kingship) to create heterim (permissions) that diverge from standard halacha, and the source of such authority.
• Primary Sources: Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 4:4; I Samuel 8:11-17; Devarim 17:17.

Text Snapshot

The Rambam states: "וּפִילַגְשִׁים בְּלֹא כְּתֻבָּה וְלֹא קִדּוּשִׁין. בְּיִחוּד בִּלְבַד קוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ וּמֻתֶּרֶת לוֹ. אֲבָל הַהֶדְיוֹט אָסוּר בְּפִילֶגֶשׁ" [Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 4:4]. Dikduk/Leshon Nuance: The phrase "בלא כתובה ולא קידושין" (without ketubah and without kiddushin) explicitly negates the standard matrimonial prerequisites, while "ביחוד בלבד קונה אותה" (by yichud alone he acquires her) posits a unique method of acquisition. The emphatic "אבל ההדיוט אסור בפילגש" (but a commoner is forbidden a concubine) sharply delineates the king's unique status.

Readings

Rambam's Chiddush

The Rambam establishes that a king may acquire pilagshim through mere yichud (seclusion) without kiddushin or ketubah [Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 4:4]. This directly contrasts with a hedyot (commoner), who is strictly forbidden from such a relationship, permissible only through chuppah v'kiddushin [Mishneh Torah, Ishut 1:4; Steinsaltz on Kings and Wars 4:4:3].

Steinsaltz's Clarification

Steinsaltz highlights that "הפילגש היא אישה קבועה ומיוחדת לאדם מסוים ללא קידושין ונישואין" (the concubine is a permanent and designated woman for a specific man without kiddushin or nisuin) [Steinsaltz on Kings and Wars 4:4:1]. This underscores that it's not a casual encounter but a recognized, albeit distinct, form of marital union specific to the king.

Friction

The Kushya: Din Melucha vs. Halacha L'Moshe MiSinai

How can the king's pilagshim be permitted without kiddushin, which is fundamental to permissible relations in Jewish law? This appears to be a direct contradiction of Hilchot Ishut and the very fabric of kedushat Yisrael.

The Terutz: The Prerogative of Kingship

The Rambam's position stems from parshat ha'melech (I Shmuel 8:11-17), which enumerates the king's rights. As Steinsaltz notes, "המלך זוכה בכל הזכויות שכתובות שם" (the king is entitled to all the rights written there) [Steinsaltz on Kings and Wars 4:1:2]. This implies a unique din melucha that, in certain spheres, overrides or creates exceptions to general halacha for the king's distinct role and needs.

Intertext

The prohibition for a hedyot to have a pilagsh is paralleled in Hilchot Ishut 1:4, where the Rambam states that a man may only marry a woman through kiddushin [Mishneh Torah, Ishut 1:4]. This contrast emphasizes the chiddush of the king's unique status. The king's right to pilagshim is distinct from the issur (prohibition) against "רבות נשים" (many wives) in Devarim 17:17, which applies to kiddushin-bound wives, limited by the Rambam to eighteen [Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 3:2].

Psak/Practice

While this specific halacha is not practically applicable today due to the absence of a king, it illuminates a significant meta-halachic principle: that the Torah's legal system can create specific, even divergent, dinim for functional roles within the nation, especially for the Melech Yisrael. This demonstrates the dynamic interplay between general halacha and the particular exigencies of national leadership.

Takeaway

The king's unique right to pilagshim underscores din melucha as a distinct halachic framework, capable of establishing unique heterim for the needs of kingship. This highlights the Torah's nuanced approach to governance and leadership.