מַתְנִי׳ ״לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ נָשִׁים״,
אֶלָּא שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מַרְבֶּה הוּא לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד
שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ מְסִירוֹת אֶת לִבּוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ אַחַת
וּמְסִירָה אֶת לִבּוֹ – הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִשָּׂאֶנָּה. אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר
״לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ נָשִׁים״? דַּאֲפִילּוּ כַּאֲבִיגַיִל.
MISHNA: The king “shall
not add many wives for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:17), but only eighteen.
Rabbi Yehuda says: He may add many wives for himself, provided
that they are not like those who turn his heart away from reverence
for God. Rabbi Shimon says: Even if he wants to marry only one
wife, if she turns his heart away, he should not marry her. If so, why is it
stated: “He shall not add many wives for himself”? This teaches that
even if his wives are like Abigail, who was righteous and prevented
David from sin (see I Samuel, chapter 25), it is prohibited for him to
have many wives. (source)
