Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 21:30

ויצו משה וזקני ישראל את העם, Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, etc. Why did Moses single out this paragraph to mention the elders of Israel? Moses referred to what is spelled out by our sages in Berachot 19 that when the desecration of G'd's name is at stake there is no room for worrying about the respect or honour due to one's rabbi. We base this principle on Proverbs 21,30: "there is no wisdom, insight, or counsel which prevails against G'd." Moses, the Chief Rabbi of the Israelites, decreed that the elders too issue the same command to the people. [I believe the author means that normally Moses would consult with the elders and leave it to their own wisdom to communicate the Torah insights they had learned from him to the people in their own time and in their own words. In this instance, when a renewed commitment to Torah was required by a generation most of whom had not been alive at the revelation, Moses acted in what appears like a somewhat autocratic manner for the reasons mentioned. Ed.] Moses used the word שמר, because it refers to negative commandments, and the rule that one does not bother to give honour to elders applies when we need to make sure that negative commandments are not violated in public.

and the archers discovered him Come and see that (Prov. 21:30): “... there is neither wisdom nor understanding, etc. against the Lord,” because man’s ways are before the Lord. Benjamin’s enemies would fall before them [when they used] the bow because they were well trained with the bow, as it is written: “[Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite,] a man with a shriveled right hand,” (Judges 3:15). And so it is written, concerning Jonathan (I Samuel 20:20): “And I shall shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a mark.” And it is written below (I Chron. 12:2) concerning Benjamin: “Armed with bows, shooting with the right and left hands, etc.” and concerning Asa in this Book (II 14:7): “... and out of Benjamin, who bore shields and drew bows, etc.” But when the Lord turned away from Saul [who was from the tribe of Benjamin], he fell into the hands of the archers, into something that was his own craft. and he was terrified of the archers וַיָחֶל like (Esther 4:4): “...and the queen was extremely terrified (וַתִּתְחַלְחַל).”

As described in the Sephardic Selichot, Hashem is “Goleh Amukot,” the One who reveals deeply held secrets. Achav, according to our approach, conceals his plot. Hashem, though, reveals Achav’s involvement, showing that, in the words of Shlomo HaMelech, “Ein Chochma, Ve’ein Tevuna, Ve’Ein Eitzah Neged Hashem,” “no wisdom, no prudence, and no counsel can prevail against Hashem” (Mishlei 21:30). We are held accountable for all evil actions, even the ones which we delude ourselves into thinking that we can hide from everyone.