Commentaire sur Les Proverbes 29:29

but stiffens his nape not to listen.

will suddenly be broken He will quickly be broken.

but one who keeps company with harlots Heb. ורעה. He joins harlots to himself, as its apparent meaning. Our Sages, however, said: “He who says, ‘This tradition is acceptable, I will learn it, but this one is not acceptable, I will not learn it.’” The support [for this view] from the verse is that זונות throughout the Scriptures is not spelled fully [with two “vavim”] except this once only.

establishes the country If he is an honest judge, he establishes the country.

but a haughty man Heb. תרומות, a haughty man, who does not care to take time in judgment. Our Rabbis (Keth. 105b) stated: “If the judge is like a king, who does not have to acquire friends and accept bribes, he establishes the country. But if he is like a priest, who asks for terumoth in the threshing floors, he tears it down.”

flatters Heb. מחליק, talks smoothly.

When a wicked man sins a snare will come.

and a righteous man who did not go in his ways, sings and rejoices.

the judgment of the poor The torments of the poor and what they require, and puts his mind to them.

inflame Heb. יפיחו, lit. they blow. They inflame it like a flame of fire that is fanned by the wind.

a wise man contends Heb. נשפט, debates with the fool.

he will have no contentment Whether he shows him an angry countenance or he shows him a laughing countenance, there is no contentment either in this or in that. He finds no satisfaction. We find in the case of Amaziah that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him a laughing countenance and delivered Edom into his hands, and when he returned from defeating them, (11 Chron 25:14) “he brought their (sic) gods, etc. and prostrated himself before them.” To Ahaz, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed an angry countenance and delivered him into the hands of the kings of Aram (ibid. 28:23): “And he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, etc. for he said, ‘The gods of Aram are helping them.’”

seek his soul [This is] an expression of love, and it appears that it is so, as David said to Abiathar (I Sam. 22:23): “for he who seeks my soul seeks your soul.” He who will deal kindly with me will deal kindly with you. The exegetes, however, do not agree with me.

will quiet it When the fool has let out all his wind, the wise man comes and humbles it with the reply of his mouth. Similar to this is (Ps. 65:8): “Who stills (משביח) the noise of the seas”; (ibid. 89: 10): “when its waves rise up, You still (תשבחם) them.”

and a man of deep thoughts A man of thoughts, a Torah scholar. And our Sages explained it concerning a disciple who said to a teacher, “Teach me.”

but a child left free Whom his father set free to follow the dictates of his heart, ultimately... brings shame to his mother This is Ishmael; since he was wicked, he brought about that Sarah should say to Abraham (Gen. 21:10): “Expel this bondwoman and her son.”

Without vision the people become unrestrained When Israel causes prophecy to withdraw from them by mocking the prophets, they will become unrestrained and will degenerate.

because he will understand, but without response As soon as he sees him (sic) that the one who was reproving him is silent, he reverts to his sins; therefore, one must chastise him with blows and punishments. He does not speak of an actual slave, but about all who disobey the words of the judges.

hasty with his words Who hurries and rushes to reply.

there is more hope for a fool than for him A fool has more hope than he.

If one pampers his slave from childhood [This refers to] the evil inclination.

a ruler Heb. מנון, a ruler, and so is (Ps.72:17): “May His name be magnified (ינון) as long as the sun exists.” Similarly, every instance of נין in the Bible, since the son rises in his father’s stead to rule over his property.

stirs up strife According to its apparent meaning, מדון is the Divine standard of justice.

will grasp honor Heb. יתמך, will come near the honor and constantly grasp it.

he hears an oath that they adjure him, “Did you see so and so who stole so much and so much from me?” And since he shares with him, he does not testify.

A snare brings terror to a person It is transposed. A snare of sin brings terror to a person. Another explanation: According to its apparent meaning, if a person is stingy and fears that if he gives charity he will require help from people, this fear will be a snare for him. I prefer the former [interpretation], however.

the countenance of a ruler to litigate before him.

but the judgment of a person Any [judgment], whether he will be adjudged innocent or guilty. Scripture [here] speaks of the gentile kings.

whose way is straight A man who is straight in his ways.