Pensée juive sur Isaïe 33:6

When striving to achieve his potential, man must look beyond himself and attempt to act as if he had become a partner in what he is striving for. When king Saul listened to the people and allowed Agag to live, his error was that he was too aware of his own shortcomings and not sufficiently aware of the lofty position he occupied by reason of being king of Israel, G'ds holy nation, (compare Samuel I chapter 15) Concentrating on the Divine, which constitutes part of man's roots, is the antidote to dwelling on one's mortality. The latter is depressing, whereas the former is elevating. G'ds imperative "be holy, for I am holy," means "do not use the fact that you are in a mortal shell as an excuse not to strive for the ultimate you are capable of." This seems to conflict with the view expressed by Akavyah ben Mehallalel in Avot 3,1, who states "look at three things and you will not become a sinner. Your origin, i.e. a smelly drop of semen; your destiny, i.e. a place of dust and worms; the celestial tribunal before which you will have to give an account of your life to the Almighty." Surely, a person who is imbued with that outlook is apt to become rather permissive with himself, telling himself that nothing much can be expected of him seeing he is of such lowly origin and headed for such a miserable destiny. This also seems to be what Job argued when he justified his despair saying: "man, the product of woman, of short lifespan and excess of trouble, anger etc." (Job 14,1) Did not Samuel say to Rav Yehudah (Eyruvin 54 ) "smart one, eat and drink while you can, since the world we will depart from is like a feast." Even though the parable may tell us to seek the permissible pleasures of life while we are still here to enjoy them, it is certainly a public pronouncement totally different from that of Akavyah ben Mehallalel. In fact, since man's sins are rooted in any or all of three types of motivations, "jealousy, sensual desire, quest for honour and glory," the considerations Akavyah asks us to bear in mind, will act as brakes to any of the aforementioned causes of sin. How can a person be haughty, seek glory, when he considers his lowly origin?- How can a person be consumed with desire to gratify the urgings of his flesh, when he knows all too well that he will soon return to dust, and his own flesh will be food for the worms? How can one be greedy and jealous of someone else's possessions, when one knows full well that all these possessions will be left behind? How can one indulge the flesh when one knows one has to render an accounting of how one spent one's time down here? While Akavyah seems to make a good case, superficially, his arguments can be countered nonetheless. If one will turn into dust and worms, what judgment is there to be afraid of? If one's origin is low, so is everyone else's; how could this be a deterrent to sin then? Pride, i.e. being vainglorious, may reflect merely one's achievments, not one's origin! Why does Akavyah describe the fate of the corpse? It would have been simpler to say "we are all headed for death!" Is not the fact that one has to die a sufficient deterrent? In Kohelet 9,10, Solomon has already said "whatever you are able to do, do it with all your might; for there is neither action nor reasoning nor knowledge nor wisdom in she-ol, [the place] that you are going to." Since your body is finite, all that is connected with it comes to an end when your body dies. Akavyah, however, reminds us that we should consider the elevated part of man, not desecrate it or debase it. To this end, the considerations he suggests to keep in mind are very helpful. It is only the body that is lowly, just as it is only the body that turns into dust and worms; the soul, the Divine part of our roots will live on and have to give an accounting of itself. All phenomena in nature share three criteria. A) They are all observed in their present stage of development, evolution. B) They have all undergone some metamorphosis before they reached their present stage. C) They all appear in a certain format. Remembering these three facts, Rabbi Akavyah says will help one avoid sin. 1) Considering that one's raw material is only matter. 2) Considering that all matter is in a constantly changing state, not enduring as such. 3) Considering that one's format is "in the image of G'd." When considering all these factors combined, remembering the Divine part of our format helps to give us the proper perspective on life. Akavyah's warning then is not to let the yetzer hara mislead us into thinking that because our bodies are transient and our origin insignificant, we are not losing anything by enjoying the pleasures of life, but to remember that there is another part of us that transcends the body, and which we may place in jeopardy if we do not act properly. If the body is subject to metamorphosis, how much more so the soul. Death of the body as an end to existence is quite an illogical premise then. Death is merely a transition to another state, not a final disposition, extinction. It is this thought that is the rationale underlying all yirat chet, fear of sin, the knowledge that there is no escaping the consequences of one's actions. When the Mishnah in Ediyot 5,6-7, describes this same Akavyah as a person possessed both of great wisdom and fear of the Lord in the highest degree, it only shows that the author of the statement quoted in Avot, himself lived in accordance with his own philosophy. He is reported to have declined the highest office in order not to compromise what he believed to be the truth. He preferred to be called a fool, rather than appear wicked in the eyes of G'd by recanting publicly something which he believed privately. He who gives people cause to suspect him of wrongdoing, cannot be well liked in the eyes of the Lord. This is what Rabbi Chaninah ben Dotha had referred to in the opening quote from Tractate Avot. People of Akavyah's caliber require wisdom to help them distinguish true integrity. This is the reason that they are granted such wisdom. If, however, people want to employ their wisdom for ulterior personal motives, they are not really in need of such wisdom. Therefore, it will not endure, they will lose it. G'd does not endow people with the talent to deny their fear of G'd. In the words of the psalmist, Rabbi Chaninah's statement is "the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, ensuring good intelligence for those who practice its dictates." (Psalms 111,10.) Those who act in accordance with that wisdom will find that their intellect stands them in good stead. When that psalm continues "his fame will endure forever," this is parallel to the statement in Avot "those whose deeds are more numerous than their theoretical wisdom will enjoy enduring wisdom." Anyone whose fear of the Lord is his priority number one, will try and do more than his wisdom dictates. He will do both what his own wisdom dictates and what his mentors have taught him to do. Those people who invert the process are described by the Rabbis as being like builders who have provided doors, but lack the house to put them in. What good are doors when you do not have a house?

And in the chapter [entitled] Ein Omdin (Berakhot 33b): Rabbi Chanina said, "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven, as it is stated, And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc. (Deuteronomy 10:12)." Is fear of Heaven a minor matter? Didn’t Rabbi Chanina say in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, has nothing in his treasury other than a treasure of fear of Heaven, as it is stated, Fear of the Lord is his treasure (Isaiah 33:6)?" Indeed, for Moses fear of Heaven is a minor matter. It is comparable to one who is asked for a large vessel, and he has one; it seems to him like a small vessel; one who is asked for just a small vessel and does not have one, it seems to him like a large vessel. Many asked very much about this piece. First, why is specifically the fear of Heaven not in the hands of Heaven? Moreover, about that which it said that it was a minor matter in the eyes of Moses — would Moses say, And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you, because it was a minor thing in his eyes? Behold, in fact, fear is a major thing [for others]! And the explanation of this piece: Even though this thing is very deep, we shall explain this thing to establish the truth in wisdom of the sages' words. And it is that we have already said that the essence of fear is that man is an effect of a Cause. And that is true fear. And because of this, that man is an effect; he is considered like nothing, since he is an effect that is dependent upon his Cause. And that which he is nothing, that thing is not from the angle of the Cause, since this Cause created him and took him from the potential to the actual. So God forbid that fear of heaven should be in the hands of God, may He be blessed. For the fear is that he considers himself to be null and nothing in front of the Cause, may He be blessed, as has been explained. And were this to have been from God, may He be blessed, something that is not considered existence would have, God forbid, come from Him. Yet existence is dependent upon Him, may He be blessed. And even though it is written, The Lord kills, and gives life (I Samuel 2:6), and that is in the hands of God, may He be blessed — that is that He removes life from a man because of his sin so that he is completely absent. But to say that the fear of Heaven would be in His hands, something like that, is impossible to say, since the essential fear is that he considers himself an effect. And that is not from the angle of the Cause, since any absence is not from the action of the actor, and this thing is very deep. Hence the fear is not from the angle of the cause. For behold, it exists from it, and that is why it is called a Cause. And that is why "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven." And this thing is very clear, for someone who has wisdom and knowledge will understand these things. As man is an effect from the angle of his essence, not from the angle of the Cause. And because of that, it is impossible that the fear of Heaven be in the hands of Heaven. Rather, it is only from the angle of man himself, since he is an effect. And that is why they said, "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven." But it asked, "Is fear a minor matter? But behold, the Holy One, Blessed be He, has nothing in his treasury other than a treasure of fear of Heaven." And it means to say that other things are not completely with God, may He be blessed, as is the fear of Heaven. For this fear reaches to the essence of His divinity, may He be blessed. As behold, the [Onkelos Aramaic] translation of divinity is dachala, which is an expression of fear. So you see from this that this fear is the essence of divinity. And in the words of the sages (Sanhedrin 106a), "He brought out His fear from His bosom." And that is why there is nothing in His treasury other than this fear, since it is completely with God, like divinity is with Him. And, if so, fear of Heaven is not a minor matter. And it answers, "Indeed, for Moses fear of Heaven is a minor matter, etc." And it means to say that if this fear was not a minor matter for Moses, then this would be difficult — is this a minor matter for Moses? But Moses had this fear, and it is fitting for every creature to have this fear. For, behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, only created His world so that there be those who fear before Him. And, if so, one who has this fear does not have an additional thing at all. For if it were an additional thing, it would be appropriate to say, "And is fear a minor matter?" As he would then have an additional thing, but this fear is not an addition. For it is not like wisdom, that one acquires wisdom as an addition. And it is from this angle that Scripture stated, what does the Lord [...] ask of you other than to fear It is just that the one lacking this fear lacks a major thing. But one who has this fear is not considered as if he acquired an additional virtue. Rather, one who has not acquired this fear is not considered a person. And that is why it is said concerning one who has this fear, And now [...], what does the Lord [...] ask of you other than to fear Him? Meaning to say, what addition is there with that fear? But one who is lacking this fear is certainly lacking a major matter. An analogy for this is bread, upon which man's life depends. If he has bread, we do not say about it that he has a major thing beyond that which he needs for his life. However, if he is lacking bread, then he is certainly lacking a major thing, since he does not have bread, which is what he lives upon. Hence this fear for one who is lacking it is a major matter. But with Moses, who had this fear, and it would not be fitting that he not have that fear, it could certainly be said, what does the Lord [...] ask of you other than to fear? For He is not requesting something that is called an addition at all, but rather something appropriate and required.

...And in the chapter [entitled] Ein Omdin (Berakhot 33b): Rabbi Chanina said, "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven, as it is stated, And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc. (Deuteronomy 10:12)." Is fear of Heaven a minor matter? Didn’t Rabbi Chanina say in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, has nothing in his treasury other than a treasure of fear of Heaven, as it is stated, Fear of the Lord is his treasure (Isaiah 33:6)?" Indeed, for Moses fear of Heaven is a minor matter. It is comparable to one who is asked for a large vessel, and he has one; it seems to him like a small vessel; one who is asked for just a small vessel and does not have one, it seems to him like a large vessel. Many asked greatly about this piece. First, why is specifically the fear of Heaven not in the hands of Heaven? Moreover, about that which it said that it was a minor matter in the eyes of Moses, would Moses say, And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you, because it was a minor thing in his eyes? Behold, in fact, fear is a major thing [for others]! And the explanation of this piece — even though this thing is very deep, we shall explain this thing to establish the truth in wisdom of the sages' words: And it is that we have already said that the essence of fear is that man is an effect from a Cause and that is true fear. And in that, that man is an effect, he is considered like nothing, since he is effect that is dependent upon his Cause. And that which he is nothing, that thing is not from the angle of the Cause, since this Cause created him and took him from the potential to the actual. So God forbide that fear of heaven should be in the hands of God, may He be blessed. For the fear is that he considers himself to be null and nothing in front of the Cause, may He be blessed, as has been explained. And were this to have been from God, may He be blessed, something that is not considered existence would have, God forbid, come from Him. Yet existence is dependent upon Him, may He be blessed. And even though it is written, The Lord kills, and gives life (I Samuel 2:6), and that is in the hands of God, may He be blessed — that is that He removes live from a man because of his sin, so that he is completely absent. But to say that the fear of Heaven would be in His hands, something like that is impossible to say, since the essential fear is that he considers himself an effect. And that is not from the angle of the cause, since any absence is not from the action of the actor, and this thing is very deep. Hence the fear is not from the angle of the cause. For behold, it exists from it, and that is why it is called a cause. And that is why "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven." And this thing is very clear, as some one who has wisdom and knowledge will understand these things. As man is an effect from the angle of his essence, not from the angle of the cause. And because of that, it is impossible that the fear of Heaven be in the hands of Heaven. Rather, it is only from the angle of man himself, since he is and effect. And that is why they said, "Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven." But it asked, "Is fear a minor matter? But behold, the Holy One, Blessed be He, has nothing in his treasury other than a treasure of fear of Heaven." And it means to say that other things are not completely with God, may He be blessed, as is the fear of Heaven. For this fear reaches to the essence of His divinity, may He be blessed. As behold, the [Onkelos Aramaic] translation of divinity is dachala, which is an expression of fear. So you see from this that this fear is the essence of divinity. And in the words of the sages (Sanhedrin 106a), "He brought out fear of Him from His bososm." And that is why there is nothing in his treasury other than this fear, since it is completely with God, like divinity is with Him. And, if so, fear of Heaven is not a minor. And it answers, "Indeed, for Moses fear of Heaven is a minor matter, etc." And it means to say, And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc. And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc. And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc. And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you other than to fear, etc.