7. Come and behold, When King David was saved from Achish, King of Gat, he said, "THE ANGEL OF HASHEM ENCAMPS..." For the Shechinah surrounded him and saved him from Achish, his people, and those who attacked him. As it is written, "Vayitholel (Eng. 'feigned himself mad') in their hands" (I Shmuel 21:14). HE ASKS, Why is it written "Vayitholel" rather than 'Vayishtage'a',' as it is written, "you have brought this fellow to play the mad man (Heb. lehishtage'a) in my presence?" (I Shmuel 21:16).

8. HE ANSWERS, THIS VERSE refers to what David said earlier. As it is written, "For I was envious of the Holelim ('madmen') ..." (Tehilim 73:3). So the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Upon your life, you shall be in need of that yet. And when he came to the house of Achish and was attacked, it is written, "He feigned himself mad in their hands," like those Holelim ('madmen') he first envied WHEN HE SAID, "FOR I WAS ENVIOUS OF THE MADMEN." Only then did the Shechinah come and protect him. She dwelt there, around David.