Halakhah su Geremia 10:15

“Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, And maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven” (Job 35:11). “Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,” (tells) a man to teach his son to be more faithful than a dog that is faithful to its master.¹Horayoth 13a. “And maketh us wiser than the fowls of the heaven,” (this verse) tells a man to learn from the hoopoe, the hen of the prairie. Because, in the time of Solomon, it (hoopoe) did not fulfill its faithfulness to the ruler of the sea involving the “shamir” put in its charge, it choked itself.²Louis Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews (7 Vols.; Philadelphia: Jewish Publications Society, 1909-1938), VIL 299, note 85. Therefore let the remainder of Israel apply to itself the syllogism and take a lesson from the hoopoe which does not receive reward for guarding its faithfulness, or punishment for not safeguarding it. You, however, who are punished when you lie, is it not a matter of course, that you should not commit wrongdoing, speak lies, or let deceit be found in your mouth, one thing in your mouth another in your heart, but rather only truth, which is the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He.³Shabbath 55a. And so did the sages say, “a just hin” (Lev. 19:36), your “yes” should be yes, and your “no” no. ⁴Baba Metzia 49a. The gestures of a person and the hintings should be just, also the movements of the head. When he bends his head and says “No” he moves his head to the sides, also let all his limbs be true.⁵Shebuoth 31a. (And so is it written) “Sincerely do they love thee” (Cant. 1:4). Rav Tavid said, “If they were to give me the vaulting of the world I should not change my words.” ⁶Baba Metzia 49a. Anyone who varies from his word is regarded as if he worships idolatry,⁷Sanhedrin 92a. for it is said, “And I shall seem to him as a mocker” (Gen. 27:12), and it is written, “They are vanity a work of delusion” (Jer. 10:15). And so is the punishment of liars, even when he speaks truth they do not listen to him.⁸Ibid., 89b. But each one who speaks truth and does not speak or even think falsehood, his words are fulfilled, he decrees below and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills it from above. Concerning this it is said, “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee” (Job 22:28).⁹Ketuboth 77b.