I’d like to use that as a springboard to a related idea involving David HaMelech. When the Aron Brit was being sent back from the Plishtim to Eretz Yisrael, we are told:
וְדָוִד מְכַרְכֵּר בְּכׇל־עֹז לִפְנֵי ה' וְדָוִד חָגוּר אֵפוֹד בָּד׃ וְדָ וִד וְכׇל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעֲלִים אֶת־אֲרוֹן ה' בִּתְרוּעָה וּבְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר׃
David danced with all his strength before the Ark of Hashem. David was girded with a linen robe. David and all of the house of Yisrael brought up the Ark of Hashem with shouting and with the sound of the Shofar.
When David then returned to bless his household, Michal bat Shaul came out to meet him, and said, “How glorious was the king of Yisrael today, in that he uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the low fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” He danced around and they watched every move, seeing his legs as his robe flapped in the air. She saw this as an accusation unfavorable to him, but he saw it quite differently. She was telling him that her family was more honorable and would never act in such a way. He responded, “I did this for Hakadosh Baruch Hu like an infant reveals itself before its mother. There is no shame or embarrassment.” We are told that Michael was childless until her death: וּלְמִיכַל בַּת־שָׁאוּל לֹא־הָיָה לָהּ יָלֶד עַד יוֹם מוֹתָהּ, but Chazal say she indeed had a child. It was born on the day she died, as she was one of three who died immediately after giving birth. Chazal question her punishment. If she spoke improperly, take away her voice for a few months. Why did she have to go childless all those years, only to die on the very day she had a child? How is the midah k’neged midah?
Rav Yonatan Eybeschutz says, when Hakadosh Baruch Hu gives everyone children – and may everyone merit children and raising them to Torah and Mitzvot – there will come the time when the mother of the house steps out to take an older sibling to the doctor, and asks the father of the house to be ready – because the youngest is about to wake up and will need to be fed. If the baby drinks a bottle – all is straightforward and wonderful. But what if the baby only eats that special apple-mixture baby food, mixed with banana, and topped off with sherry tomato flavored vanilla punch? What do you do then? The bottle’s certainly easier – so put on a bib, pop open the cap, and feed away. But there’s only one problem. The child won’t open their mouth. Sealed tight. So, you invite the entire zoo along with their sounds, all the cars and trains and their sounds, and you use every imaginary prop available to get the child to smile and open their mouth. Animal by animal, spoon by spoon, it all needs to get in. And if the sounds don’t work – you try dancing! Rav Eybeschutz says, when a parent needs to feed their child, they’re ready to act like the child. Dancing in front of the child and making all sorts of funny sounds, too. And in front of a Sefer Torah that isn’t appropriate? One who doesn’t see the need to dance in front of the Sefer Torah will not be ready to dance in front of the child they’re feeding either!
