Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 3:15

ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש, “and you are to be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The plain meaning of these words is that “you will be My share.” G’d calls the Jewish people “kings, priests, and holy nation,” at the time they received the Torah in order to make clear that he who wears the כתר תורה, the crown of Torah, also has attained the stature of the other two crowns i.e. priesthood and Royalty. This is the meaning of the statement by the sages in Horiot 13 that the meaning of Proverbs 3,15: “she (wisdom, read Torah) is more precious than rubies.” Seeing that the “crown” of Torah includes the two other crowns it is more precious than rubies. Although the High Priest (crown of priesthood) may enter the Holy of Holies, a great distinction, the crown of Torah is superior even to that distinction.

ממזר תלמיד חכם קודם לכהן גדול עם הארץ – as it is written (Proverbs 3:15): “She is more precious than rubies; [All your goods cannot equal her.]” She is more precious than a High Priest who enters into the innermost place.

That a mamzer does not enter Jerusalem. Even though it says at the end of Tractate Horayot (Horayot 3:8) that a learned mamzer precedes an ignoramus high priest. As it says (Proverbs 3:15) "She [wisdom] is more precious than rubies", from a high priest who enters within and beyond. Nonetheless, the holiness of Jerusalem is unable to bear him, since its holiness is very great -- one who does not have proper lineage, such as a mamzer, would not be able to have settlement in Jerusalem. And so it is written "And a mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod, etc." (Zechariah 9:6). Commentated.