Commentaire de citation sur Jérémie 9:23

as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come: This verse is not a proof about the matter that one who is happy with his lot is called rich. Rather, [it shows] that a person is happy [also] with this good trait: when he does not desire to gather money and he hates gifts. [Instead,] he eats from the work of his hands and suffices with it, like the one who is happy with his lot - as his want is only to support himself. And Ben Zoma arranged these three traits like the order of Yirmiyahu the prophet, peace be upon him: wisdom, might and wealth, as it is stated (Jeremiah 9:22), "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his wealth." He had wisdom precede might because it is a true virtue and it is in the intellect of the soul and sits in the body, not like might which is only in the body. Still, [might] is more elevated than wealth, since might is in his body - something that exists all the days that he is still alive - whereas wealth is outside of his body. And it is something transient, as he can make his wealth, and others take it [after only] half of his days. And even though the prophet stated that a man should not glory in these three traits, Ben Zoma made a distinction and said that there is a side of these traits that is without [physical] exertion and toil and that he can glory in: With wisdom, it is to be one learning (in every) [from every] man. As such, he will understand fear of God; and there is no exertion in it, as it is wisdom and not work. With might, it is to overcome his impulse and to forgive during his anger. In this too he can glory, since he is doing it from his fear [of God]. And this is what Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 19:11), "It is the intellect of a man that is slow to anger; it is his glory when he overlooks an offense." And since the desire of the one who is happy with his lot is only to learn and to keep the commandments, and when he has enough for his livelihood and support he is happy and recognizes that the rest is vanity, he is the 'rich' man who can glory in his wealth. As [in] all of these things, there is knowledge of the Creator, may He be blessed. [It is] as it is stated (Jeremiah 9:23), "But only in this should the one who glories glory, in his using his intellect and knowing Me; that I the Lord act with kindness, justice, and equity in the world; for in these I delight, declares the Lord." And Ben Zoma added a fourth trait and said:

והיה תמים, "acquire the maximum degree of perfection human being are capable of attaining. Be intelligent so that you can acquire more intimate knowledge of Me through recognising the way I operate in the universe. As a result you will be emulate My attributes to the degree that this is possible for humans." The deeds of man reflect his having emulated G'd when he tried to do so. This is what Moses had in mind when he asked G'd: הודיעני נא את דרכיך ואדעך, "make know to me Your ways so that by this means I will get to know You." (Exodus 33,13) This is the ultimate perfection that the human species is able to achieve. This was G'd's objective for man when He created him, when he added the word בצלמנו, "in our image," when announcing that He was about to create man with the words נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו, "let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1,26).

They said three things: Be deliberate in judgment: They said [this] to teachers of legal decisions and decisors of legal decisions and decisors of litigation; that they should not rely on the first thought, but rather upon great deliberation and incisive investigation, so that they not err in their evaluation. As a man who is quick to make a decision is called a sinner - and even though he thought he was saying the truth, it is not [considered] accidental but rather is [considered] to be close to volitional, since he did not put it into his heart to say, the quick hearts do not understand to know. As error is found in all men, as the rabbis say (Avot 4:13), " Be careful in study, for an error in study is considered an intentional transgression." And about this matter, Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 26:12), "If you see a man who thinks himself wise, there is more hope for a dullard than for him." And it is as the sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 4:7), "One who is nonchalant about giving legal decisions is an imbecile, wicked, and arrogant in spirit." Therefore, it is incumbent upon a man who makes legal decisions to go back and forth on the matter and let his thought ripen and to hold on to it; as the matter that they said (Sanhedrin 35a) [that] we should ripen a judgement, as through ripening and deliberation, he adds reasoning to his reasoning and sharpness to his sharpness, until he judges a completely true judgement. As he will see to say with the second thought that which he did not see with the first. And about this matter, Asaf stated (Psalms 73:21), "As my heart ripened and my kidneys were silent," which is to say [that] after my heart has ripened and been sharp with wisdom and with my kidneys, I have been silent and have refined my understanding to know. As without this, I have not known, and this is my portion. (And as) it is after it, "I was a dolt, without knowledge; I was brutish toward You." And the reason [they] said, "Be deliberate in judgment," is in order to warn about litigation more than other legal decisions, as they are fundamental in the knowledge of Him, may He be blessed and elevated; and as Yirmiyahu the prophet stated (Jeremiah 9:23), "ponder and know Me, for I am the Lord who makes kindness, justice, and equity in the world; for in these I delight, declares the Lord." And how can a man a ponder and know God, as it is not possible? However with this have we known Him, by dong judgment and justice, since God does these. And that is what is stated (Jeremiah 22:16), "He judged for the poor and needy— then all was well. That is truly knowing Me, declares the Lord." And it is written in another place (Micah 6:8), "And what does the Lord require of you? Only to do justice and to love kindness," since judgments are a pillar of the Torah. And from them the world is made firm, as is said in the Midrash (Shemot Rabbah 30 3), "It is written in front of The Ten Commandments, 'and they will judge the people at all times' (Exodus 18:22). And after the Ten Commandment, it is written, 'And these are the laws' (Exodus 21 1). There is a parable [about this] concerning a matron that was walking along the way and her armed guards were walking in front of her and behind her."