שמואל ב, פרק י״ג, פסוק ה׳

A calculated plan is designed to bypass the protections surrounding a royal princess. The strategy relies on emotional manipulation, exploiting a father's natural worry for his sick son to bring the sheltered sister directly into a private bedroom. Jonadab advises Amnon to feign illness. When the King arrives for a visit, Amnon is to seize the opportunity to make his request [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון]. He must ask that Tamar come to serve him a meal, or perhaps just a small portion of food [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון]. The specific dish requested is dough fried in oil in a pan [אברבנאל].

To make the request appear innocent, it relies on simple human nature. Amnon can claim that watching Tamar prepare the food right in front of him, combined with the smell of the cooking, will revive his lost appetite and finally allow him to eat [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Commentators differ on Jonadab's true intentions behind this advice. One approach suggests that this is a premeditated, malicious plot designed to help Amnon carry out a dark offense. By validating Amnon's desires, Jonadab essentially gives him permission to act, with the unspoken understanding that once Tamar is isolated in the bedroom, Amnon can do whatever he pleases [אברבנאל, מצודת דוד].

Conversely, another perspective argues that Jonadab never imagined a wicked outcome. Instead, his goal is to help Amnon express his feelings in a permissible way, hoping King David will legally marry them. According to this view, Jonadab instructs Amnon to phrase his request in a specific order: asking first that Tamar feed him from her hand, and only afterward mentioning the preparation of the food. By prioritizing the act of being fed over the cooking itself, the request is designed to subtly signal to the King that Amnon's true desire is not the food, but rather Tamar's closeness and touch. The hope is that the King will realize his son is simply lovesick for her [מלבי״ם].