Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 25:2

[Daniel 10:21] “No one is helping me against them except your prince, Michael” (וְאֵין אֶחָד מִתְחַזֵּק עִמִּי עַל־אֵלֶּה כִּי אִם־מִיכָאֵל שַׂרְכֶם - v'ein echad mit'chazek immi al-elleh ki im Mikha'el sarkhem): And the meaning is: If he [Michael] helped me now when I fought with the Prince of Persia, I also helped him [in the past] against the Prince of the Chaldeans, at the time when Darius the Mede reigned, as it is written: “And Darius the Mede received the kingdom” [Daniel 6:1]. And this refers to [what the angel says later]: “And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, stood up to confirm and strengthen Michael” [Daniel 11:1]. And the proof that these are the words of the angel [continuing from the previous chapter and into the next] is that afterwards it is written [starting Daniel 11:2]: “And now, truth...”. One might wonder about [the structure of] the verse [i.e., the apparent interruption]. If an objector argues, "Show me a similar instance where [Scripture] interrupts and then returns, using the word 'lo' [to him], referring back to the preceding section," I would show him: “And the LORD appeared to him (אֵלָיו - eilav) by the terebinths of Mamre...” [Genesis 18:1], [followed by description, then] “And Judah approached him (אֵלָיו - eilav)...” [Genesis 44:18]. And before I speak about the matter of Persia, I will speak about the matter of the angels, for there is no envy among them. And it is written: “He makes peace in His high places” [Job 25:2]. Behold, these are deep secrets (sodot amukkot) that only one in a thousand will understand. And I speak concerning the secret of generations/origins (ha-toladot), the nature of the human soul which is not corporeal, the wisdom of the celestial spheres and their motion, along with the matters of the ministers [planets] and the constellations (mazzalot). And now I will give you hints (remizot), for “it is the glory of God to conceal a matter” [Proverbs 25:2]. And you, apply your heart to understanding, and may God grant you wisdom.

In the Guide for the Perplexed (1:27), [Rambam] was amazed at the opinion of Onkelos, since [Onkelos] had exerted all his effort to remove any implication of God’s corporeality from all narratives in the Torah. Accordingly, in the case of any expression found in the Torah implying any mode of motion [referring to God], he ascribed the action to a certain glory that had been created [or a manifestation of the divine presence]. Thus he translated, And God came down (Genesis 11:5) as "And God manifested Himself"; I will go down now (Genesis 18:21) as "I will manifest Myself now." And if so, why did he translate [it literally] here, "I will go down"? But behold, you will find concerning the explanation in the Guide for the Perplexed for this and that which is similar to it, that Ramban writes at length here and contradicts [Rambam's] explanation and builds a great and awesome explanation [in its place]: As why does Onkelos shun expressions of movement, and also of hearing due to his fear that they might indicate corporeality, but he does not in any place shy away from saying, speaking or calling. For in all of them, he translates, "and God said"; "God spoke"; "and God called unto Moses" — as they likewise signify corporeality? So he should have translated, "and it was said from before God," or "and the glory of God said," or "and God willed," as is appropriate in each case. And he likewise wrote at length about the terms, His divine presence, the word, My word, and glory. But because it is the glory of God to conceal a matter [alluding to Proverbs 25:2], I did not want to copy all the words of the great Ramban. Still, it is commendable for those who beautify the commandments to beautify and look carefully there to what he said, and wisdom will rest upon their understanding hearts. And the end of his words are like this: However what [Onkelos] said here, "I will go down with you," [was because] he wanted to allude through it to that which [the rabbis] said, "They were exiled to Egypt, the divine presence was with them, as it is said, I will go down with you to Egypt. They were exiled to Elam, the divine presence was with them, as it is said, And I will set My throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38), see there." However, in the Gemara before us (Megillah 29a:4), it is found [as follows], "Come and see how beloved the Jewish people are before the Holy One, blessed be He. As every place they were exiled, the divine presence was with them. They were exiled to Egypt, the divine presence was with them, as it is stated, Did I reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt, etc. (I Samuel 2:27). They were exiled to Babylonia, the divine presence was with them, as it is stated, For your sake I have sent to Babylonia (Isaiah 43:14). So too, when, in the future, they will be redeemed, etc." However, I have not found the version [cited in] Ramban, even in the Yalkut [Shimoni]. And see Shabbat 89b, "You said, I will go down to Egypt with you, and he did not ask for mercy on our behalf."

näher durch ציד präzisiert, und hierdurch wird die Erscheinung eines גבור-Berufes so verhängnisvoll. Obgleich ציד gewöhnlich von der Tierjagd gebraucht wird, so kommt doch der Begriff צוד sehr häufig von der Menschenjagd vor; so חמד רשע מצוד רעים (Pro12,12) und sonst. מצורה, die Festung, dient ja ganz nur der Einhegung und Einschließung von Menschen. Verwandt sind die Wurzeln זוד, ist der versteckte Vorsatz zur Tat, nicht die Tat selbst, der Entschluss זוד .צוד ,סוד dazu, der bis zur Ausführung verborgen bleibt. Ist überhaupt nur erst der Vorsatz gefasst, der noch lange an sich gehalten werden, oder der in seinen Motiven nie offenbar werden soll, so wird סור, das Geheimnis, daraus. — סוד, das Geheimnis, ist eigentlich im Menschenkreise nichts Gehöriges. Nur Gottes סור ist gut. Muss beim Menschen etwas בסור gehalten werden, so ist entweder er, oder das zu Verheimlichende, oder seine Umgebung schlecht. Insbesondere das öffentliche Leben, das Walten der Regierenden — und wir stehen ja hier an der Wiege des Königtums — ehrt sich nimmer durch סור. Geheime Politik ist nach jüdischem Begriff schlechte Politik. כבוד מלכים, heißt es (Pro 25, 5), die Ehre der Könige ists הקור דבר, wenn jede ihrer Handlungen so klar und durchsichtig ist, daß jeder sie ergründen könne. Öffentlichkeit ist der Probierstein der Regentenhandlungen. Nur von Gott heißt es כבוד אלקי׳ הסתר דבר, das Unerforschliche seines Waltens ist dem Menschen gegenüber das Siegel seiner Größe. — צור ist nun ein זוד, das בזרון gefasst, בסוד gehalten, im rechten Augenblick mit Gewalt (צ) hervorbricht. Das ist auch מצודה, Burgen, ursprünglich Raub- und Fangnester, isolierte Räume, in welchen sich der Gewaltherr sicher einpferchte und zu gelegener Zeit hervorbrach, um seinen Raub zu vollbringen.