Faith
Adam HaRishon to Give King David Seventy of His Years
Question
Why did Adam need to give up 70 years of his life in favor of King David?
And if he had to give them up, why did Hashem not remove 70 years from the beginning?
Why did Hashem not choose from the outset to give those 70 years to King David and leave Adam to live 1,000 years?
Thank you
Answer
Shalom u-vrachah
Adam was not obligated to give up and grant seventy of his years to King David. Rather, of his own good will he chose to bestow them upon him, as it is stated in Yalkut Shimoni (Bereishit, remez 41): This is the book of the generations of Adam. He brought before him all the generations, showed him David, and [saw that] life was decreed for him for three hours. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, is there no remedy for this one? He said: Thus it arose in thought before Me. He said to Him: How many are the years of my life? He said to him: One thousand years. He said to Him: Is there a gift in Heaven? He said to him: Yes. He said to Him: Seventy years from my years will be for this fortunate one. What did Adam do? He brought the document and wrote a deed of gift upon it, and Hashem, Metatron, and Adam signed it. Adam said: Master of the Universe, this beauty, kingship, and these songs are given to him as a gift for seventy years, so that he will live and sing before You. And this is what the verse says: I came with a scroll of the book written concerning me.
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
