Why Did King Solomon Marry Many Women?

Galia asks: "Hello. I studied the verses about the end of King Solomon's life. It seems as if he sinned, as he took many wives and also followed idols. What does this mean? How can one explain the verses in his favor? Thank you." Hello and blessings, Galia, and thank you for your question.
 
In Tractate Shabbat (page 56b), it is said: "Anyone who says Solomon sinned is mistaken, as it is stated (I Kings 11:4), 'And his heart was not fully devoted to Hashem his God as the heart of David his father was.' Certainly, it would not have been stated that Solomon's heart was not as devoted as David's if he had committed such a grave sin. The scripture compares Solomon to his father David, indicating that King Solomon was a great righteous man, yet he did not reach the perfection of his father David.
When examining King Solomon's sacred and enlightening works, one immediately recognizes Solomon's sanctity and deep wisdom in the Torah. More importantly, King Solomon was chosen to build the first Temple! Therefore, anyone who believes Solomon sinned is simply mistaken.
 
To understand the verses, we must know the context in which they were said. The Bible was meant to educate for generations; Hashem scrutinizes the righteous down to the smallest detail, and therefore, it deliberately exaggerates the description of the sins of prophets and great righteous figures in the Bible. For instance, when Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it, he was reprimanded harshly: "Because you did not believe in me to sanctify me" (Numbers 20:12), and he did not enter the Land of Israel. Can we understand this verse literally, implying a lack of faith? Clearly, the intention of the verse is to express the high level of faith required from our teacher Moses. The Torah treats the mistakes of the righteous very seriously, using harsh language corresponding to their level.
 
Also, during the sin of the golden calf, not all the Israelites worshipped the calf (as we learn at the end of the narrative that only 3,000 people actually worshipped the golden calf, and they were known as the mixed multitude). Nonetheless, the Israelites were punished for not protesting against the mixed multitude, and this is considered as though the entire nation sinned.
About King David it said, "Why did you despise the word of Hashem to do what is evil in His eyes?" (II Samuel 12:9), even though he did not actually kill Uriah (and not directly either). Uriah the Hittite was sentenced to death, and Uriah's wife was divorced, and Bathsheba was destined for David. However, because David did all of this in secret and hastened matters, it appeared as if he committed these grave sins.
 
Similarly, due to his high status, King Solomon was responsible for the actions of the wives he took, and therefore everything his wives did was as if he sinned himself. This is because the Torah commands the king: "He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray" (Deuteronomy 17:17). King Solomon, being the wisest of all men, understood the profound reason behind this commandment and believed he could overcome it. Thus, he took many wives, thinking they would not lead him astray and that he would be able to promote peace in the world through them.
 
King Solomon married 700 wives and had 300 concubines for three main reasons:
1. He wanted to marry many impoverished women to feed and support them with the kingdom's funds (King Solomon also contributed to the poor of the land, but the treasury, sustained by taxes, was reserved for the kingdom and its associates).
2. He converted many foreign women from neighboring nations to establish long-lasting peace treaties with their kings (as was customary in ancient times).
3. He wished to expand his wisdom and Torah in the land through many families in Israel. In Kabbalah, this is described as the correction of sparks and has a deep Kabbalistic significance. Rabbi Benjamin Shmueli added: "Kabbalists explain the depth of King Solomon's actions in the secret of elevating sparks. Solomon attempted to elevate the holiness that resided within the nations before its time and thus drew them close, consequently failing. However, Heaven forbid, he never sinned as the Talmud states in Tractate Shabbat (56b): 'Anyone who says Solomon sinned is mistaken.'"
 
Some of King Solomon's wives sinned:
The many wives King Solomon converted for peace agreements and other reasons did not convert wholeheartedly, and some continued idol worship. Since they were respected and wealthy queens, they erected altars for idols—this occurred at the end of Solomon's life and after his death, without his being able to monitor or stop them in time. Because the Torah commands the king "not to take many wives, or his heart will be led astray," the foreign wives' sins are attributed to King Solomon as if he himself sinned in their sins. Hence, it is said they led his heart astray, meaning despite everything, he transgressed the reason mentioned in the Torah: "or his heart will be led astray."
 
As it is said in the Talmud: "It is written (in the Torah): 'He must not take many wives'—Solomon said, I will take many and not be led astray, and it is written (in the Torah): 'When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart'; and it is written 'He must not take many horses,' and Solomon said, I will acquire many and not return, and it is written 'And a chariot came out of Egypt'" (Sanhedrin page 21b).
 
In the Book of Kings, it is recounted, "Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh..." (I Kings 11:7). Rashi explains: "Then Solomon built - our Rabbis (Shabbat 56b) said that because he did not rebuke his wives, it is attributed to him," and Metzudat David interprets: "Then he built - meaning when he allowed his wives, then it was considered as if he built a high place, etc."
 
King Solomon was righteous and pure, and all his intentions were pure. However, due to his mistake, his heart did not reach the level of his father David, as stated: "And his heart was not fully devoted to Hashem his God as the heart of David his father was."