Shoftim 14: Oh Honey Honey, You Are My Candy Girl

Chapter 14 foreshadows the story of Delilah in chapter 16. Shimshon has a secret—here it is his riddle, there it is the source of his strength. His love interest is pushed to reveal the secret by the Philistines—here his bride-to-be is threatened by the Philistines at the party, there Delilah is bribed to obtain the information. Both times his love interest pesters him to reveal the secret. Both times he gives in. Why does the Navi repeat such similar stories? If we look at the story of Shimshon as a parallel to the Israelites at the time, then the answer becomes clearer. The book of Judges is all about falling back into bad patterns repeatedly. The Israelites, just like Shimshon, keep making the same mistake over and over again.As to the riddle itself, it should be impossible to answer because it is based on an incident that only he witnessed.וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם מֵהָאֹכֵל יָצָא מַאֲכָל וּמֵעַז יָצָא מָתוֹק(Judges 14:14)What is the symbolism behind the lion and honey? A lion is usually connected to the tribe of Yehudah. However, Dan, Shimshon’s tribe, is described as a lion by Moshe—“Dan is a lion’s cub, springing out of Bashan.” (Deuteronomy 33:22).וּלְדָן אָמַר דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְזַנֵּק מִן־הַבָּשָׁן(Deuteronomy 33:22)Shimshon is the strong lion waiting to attack. The honey could be symbolic of Shimshon’s first wife and later Delilah. Shimshon eating the honey is symbolic of him getting stuck by these two women.It could also reference next chapter, when Shimshon hides out in the tribe of Yehudah as a result of the trouble he causes with the Philistines. Shimshon is the honey in this reading providing a sweet surprise for the Philistines who surround Yehudah.In I Samuel 17, David will tell Saul about defeating a bear and lion to show he has the strength to defeat Goliath.וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־שָׁאוּל רֹעֶה הָיָה עַבְדְּךָ לְאָבִיו בַּצֹּאן וּבָא הָאֲרִי וְאֶת־הַדּוֹב וְנָשָׂא שֶׂה מֵהָעֵדֶר(I Samuel 17:34)Using this analogy, the lion could be symbolic of the Philistines. Instead of running away, Shimshon faces down the lion and defeats it.וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ ה׳ וַיְשַׁסְּעֵהוּ כְּשַׁסַּע הַגְּדִי וּמְאוּמָה אֵין בְּיָדוֹ(Judges 14:6)After defeating the lion, sweet honey appears in its place.וַיָּסַר לִרְאוֹת אֵת מַפֶּלֶת הָאַרְיֵה וְהִנֵּה עֲדַת דְּבוֹרִים בִּגְוִיַּת הָאַרְיֵה וּדְבָשׁ(Judges 14:8)If Shimshon can defeat the Philistines, then the Israelites will be able to have a sweet existence in the land once again.