Pemikiran Yahudi Ulangan 17:17: Akeidat Yitzchak, Duties & Yesod Mora VeSod HaTorah

Logic has long stipulated that any prime cause producing certain effects, embodies the essence of the effect in itself. If honey cake is sweet, then the honey contributing to the sweetness of the cake must itself be sweet.

Striving for large possessions and accumulation of money, of which it is said, "Labor not to be rich, cease from your own wisdom" (Mishlei 23:4). Concerning the king, it is said, "Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold" (Devarim 17:17). All these superfluous things we mentioned which are for the improvement and enjoyment of the body transform in the end to evil because they mislead one to that which the Creator warned us against, and forbade (as written: "But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked: you are grown fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook G-d who made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation" (Devarim 32:15).

The second division applies to cases where one crosses the border of the sufficient to the domain of the superfluous which one has no need for, such as excess in food and drink, against which the sage warned us when he said, "Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of meat" (Mishlei 23:20). So, too, extravagance in personal adornment, dress, luxurious homes, and superfluity in speech, in regard to which there is no assurance that one will not stumble because of them, as the wise man said, "In the multitude of words there lacks not sin" (Mishlei 10:19). Furthermore, excess in sexual relations, concerning which the sage said, ". . .He that keeps company with harlots destroys his substance" (Mishlei 29:3), and "do not give your strength to women" (Mishlei 31:3). It is also said concerning kings, "Neither shall he multiply wives unto himself" (Devarim 17:17).