Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 7:14

A peace-offering (זבח). A peace-offering is called a זבח (feast), on the other hand, a burntoffering, a sin-offering, or a guilt-offering are never associated with the word זבח. This is because the owner eats the peace-offerings meat in the company of his family, friends, and acquaintances, and he praises God and thanks Him for His Kindness. Additionally, more people are needed so that the meat will not become left-over. Therefore it is called a זבח שלמים, because זבח connotes a festive meal. The other offerings, however, which are not eaten by the owners, are not called זבח.

Therefore, the correct interpretation [of la’asoso”] is [“to create it,”] which refers to the deep [analysis] of the halachah that is incumbent upon you to infer, [even though] it is distant from you. As explained in the above-mentioned reference,⁴⁵The verses in Deut. 30:11–14 are elaborated further in Eruvin 54b–55a: “R. Eliezer said: [The verse] ‘You shall call understanding modah [a relative]’ [Prov. 7:14] teaches one to make signs for the Torah. Rava said: ‘[This teaches one] to set moadim [times] for Torah study.’ And this is what was stated by Avdimi bar Homa bar Dosa, What is the meaning of what Scripture states: ‘It is not in the heavens… nor is it across the sea’? [The words], ‘It is not in the heavens’] implies that if it were in the heavens, you would be required to go up in pursuit of it; and if it were across the sea, you would have to cross the sea in pursuit of it.” The She’iltos explains that Avdimi bar Homa bar Dosa is saying that if a Talmud scholar has a teacher who lives overseas, he is required to travel overseas in order to study from him. The Netziv writes that the She’iltos understands that we infer from the verse in Proverbs that since one achieves understanding mainly by studying daily with a rabbi, it is important to set times for Torah study – that is, to organize classes. Since the Talmud connects the inference from Proverbs to Deuteronomy, the She’iltos understands Avdimi bar Homa bar Dosa to be stating that Deuteronomy is exhorting one to study from his rabbi even if it means that he must travel to his rabbi who lives overseas. The Netziv explains that the verses in Deuteronomy state further that if “it is in the heavens” – if the Torah seems to be too holy and difficult to grasp – we must discuss it aloud with others and apply deep analysis. As stated in Proverbs according to R. Eliezer: “Make signs for the Torah” – in other words, devise and pursue whatever strategy is necessary to understand and grasp the Torah. you may think that it is in the heavens or overseas. In other words, it may appear to you [to be impossible] to produce laws from deep analysis [by yourselves], and thus it is as if [these laws] were in the heavens. Or [you may think] that you will have to travel overseas [to find] a rabbi who has already learned these laws. Therefore, Scripture states that this is not so. Rather, it is within the ability of your mouth and heart to produce these matters of halachah. The interpretation of la’asos is similar to the way we previously explained [in chapter 8], “good understanding to all oseihem (who perform them),’⁴⁶Psalms 111:10. where [oseihem should be translated as “make them”], i.e., to produce the halachah.⁴⁷Therefore, the verse is to be translated as, “It is with your mouth and your heart to produce it.” Thus, one can explain that the words “and your heart” is tied to “and your mouth”; the speech [of Torah study] should be with the toil of the flesh, influencing the heart [understanding], and this is how one brings the halachah to light. This is the interpretation of the Midrash which infers [from: “For by the mouth of these words’⁴⁸Ex. 34:27. Usually translated as, “for according to these words.”] that one must toil [in the Torah with one’s mouth].