Musar su Geremia 9:23

The pride in the attainment of wisdom is praiseworthy, as it is said: "But let him that boasts boast of this — that he understands and knows Me" (Jer. 9:23). Such a one will increase his thanks to the Creator, Blessed be He, and will also increase prayers for wisdom, of which this is an example: "I thank Thee that Thou hast assigned my lot among those who sit in the House of Study and not in the market place," or "Happy are we and how goodly is our portion and how pleasant is our lot!" And on this subject it is said, "And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord" (II Chron. 17:6). For the man who prizes Wisdom will be of high spiritual worth and lofty of heart concerning all matters pertaining to the world to come, and he will not be contented with what comes to him by chance and he will not be satisfied with what knowledge or wisdom he himself acquires, but he will minimize in his own eyes all his deeds and his soul will strive higher continually, and he will find fault with his soul as though it offers too little in the Service of God, Blessed be He. This type of pride does not harm modesty, but, on the contrary, helps him to rejoice in all good qualities and to be glad when his companions are honored and to concern himself with their honor.

These four qualities are lacking if wisdom is lacking, for they cannot join together unless there be knowledge and wisdom. If a man does not have knowledge and wisdom, he will not recognize his God and serve Him, as it is said (Jeremiah 9:23), “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me.” The Prophet means that everyone who possesses wisdom will understand and know “Me” immediately. For it is through knowledge that a man recognizes his Creator and then serves Him. In this manner, is it explained in many places. Concerning reason, it is said (Deuteronomy 29:8), “In order that you may do everything with intelligence”, and concerning knowledge, it is said (ibid., 4:35), “Unto thee it was shown, that thou mightest know.”

Let us praise our God and bless our Maker Who created us and summoned us to do that which will improve our souls. Before we came into existence, His kindness to us was great. From nothing He produced us, and He brought us forth from that which was not to that which is. He enlightened us with laws, statutes and righteous judgments. Through His servants, the Prophets, He informed us which path was luminous so that our darkness might be transformed into light, so as to convert the darkness of our eyes to light so that we may walk in the path of His goodly Torah which is a tree of life to them that take hold of it. Into our nostrils He breathed a soul, i.e., the rational soul to give wisdom to the simple, so that we might know the good and cleave to it and set a distance from evil and turn away from its path. He cautioned us through His pleasant statutes and judgment, by means of two witnesses by reason first and by the Prophets afterwards. As He says concerning understanding (Jeremiah 9:23), “But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth Me.” And it is said by the Prophet (Hosea 12:11), “I have also spoken unto the Prophets and I have multiplied visions.” (He did this) in order that our awe of Him might show forth and His Torah be set between our eyes so that both constitute the cause for attaining the will of God and the ladder upon which to ascend to the uttermost chariot and a key to the gates of the improvement of the soul.