Musar untuk Amsal 24:27

and be as one who fancies that he will be killed before the expiration of the appointed time, as was said exaggeratedly of the slothful coward by the poet, who spake thus: "If a little bird merely raises its voice, the heart of the coward is consumed (leaps with terror). But his teeth are sharp as iron, at meal times." But in a case where escape is impossible, it is permissible for the quality of cowardice to come into play as in the case of him, concerning whom it is said: "The king dispatched him to a dangerous place. He refused to go. The king reviled him, whereupon he said, 'It is better that thou revile me when living than bless me when dead.'" It has been said that this quality has been made use of by those who prefer repose in this world to all other qualities, not knowing that repose can be enjoyed to the full, only after zealous care in the regulating of affairs and the attainment of whatsoever be needed. Thus it is said (Prov. xxiv. 27), "Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field." Repose in and of itself signifies slothfulness and cowardice.

And we find in Midrash Rabbah, Shir Hashirim 6:11: "I went down to a nut garden": "R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: 'Israel is compared to a nut. Just as a nut is cut and replaced, and is cut for its good — Why so? For it replaces itself like hair and nails — so, all that Israel "cut" from their labors and give to those who labor in Torah in this world, is for their own good. They cut, and it [(what they cut)] is replaced for them and adds to their wealth in this world and [gives them] goodly reward in the world to come.'" And, what is more, he [(his beneficiary)] is called "his friend," who learns in his name, and he shares in the reward for his Torah, as we learn in Sotah 21a, in respect to Shimon the brother of Azaryah, and as is known from [the partnership between] the tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Kedoshim 25a: "R. Huna and R. Yirmiyah said in the name of R. Chiyya b. Abba: 'The Holy One Blessed be He is destined to make shade and canopies for the men of mitzvoth [i.e., the upholders of Torah] next to the Torah scholars in Gan Eden. And there are three verses to this effect: one, (Koheleth 7:12): "For in the shade of wisdom [Torah], the shade of money"; (Isaiah 56:2): "Happy is the man that does this [Torah] and the son of man, who upholds it"; (Mishlei 3:15): "It [Torah] is a tree of life to those who uphold it." "Shimon, the brother of Azaryah, said in his name, etc." (Zevachim I, Mishnah 2): "Now was Shimon not greater than Azaryah? But because Azaryah did business and supported Shimon, therefore, the halachah was written in his [Azaryah's] name." Similarly, (Devarim 33:18): "Rejoice, Zevulun in your going out, and Yissachar, in your tent [of Torah]." Now was Yissachar not greater than Zevulun? But because Zevulun left the settlement to engage in business and returned and supported Yissachar and was given reward for his toil, the verse is written in his [Zevulun's] name, viz. "Rejoice Zevulun in your going out." And even in this world he [Zevulun] loses nothing by this [(supporting Yissachar)], as we find in Midrash Rabbah, Parshath Tetzaveh (Shemoth 36) on Mishlei 6:23: "'For a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light.' What is the intent of 'For a mitzvah is a lamp'? Anyone who does a mitzvah is like one who lights a lamp before the Holy One Blessed be He, and he vivifies his soul, which is called 'a lamp,' viz., (Mishlei 24:27): 'The lamp of the L-rd is the soul of a man.' And what is the intent of 'and the Torah is light'? Often, one thinks of doing a mitzvah and the yetzer hara within him says: 'Why do a mitzvah and losr your possessions? Before giving to others, give to your sons.' And the yetzer tov says: 'Give for the mitzvah. See what is written: 'For a mitzvah is a lamp.' Just as a lamp, when it is burning, even if thousands upon thousands light from it, its light remains in its place, so, all who give for a mitzvah do not lose their possessions, wherefore it is written: 'For a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.'" And, similarly, in the holy Zohar, Parshath Vayechi: