Musar su Proverbi 2:23

4) The verse (Mishlei 2:4): "If you seek it [Torah] as silver… then you will understand the fear of G-d" is well known. And in monetary matters it is well known that if a business opportunity presents itself to a man, by which he can earn five gold pieces, and another opportunity, by which he can earn double, he will certainly choose the second. In our case, too, is it not known that there is no comparison between a few who occupy themselves with a mitzvah and many who do so? As it is written (Vayikra 26:8): "And five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you, ten thousand" (see Rashi there). Therefore (as it concerns our subject) it is known that [in the synagogue] aside from the mitzvah of prayer, we fulfill other commandments of the Torah: a) the positive mitzvah of tefillin, b) the positive mitzvah of reciting the Shema, c) the positive mitzvah of remembering Egypt. If so, if one comes to the synagogue to pray with a minyan, and all fulfill all of these mitzvoth, each mitzvah rises [proportionately] in holiness, which is not the case with one who prays alone.

And moreover, arrogance leads to lust, for the heart of the arrogant person is open wide to every temptation and desires everything. And lust is the worst quality of all, for because of his pride, a person will lust to wear expensive garments and build big palaces and eat tasty food, for the proud person longs always for "big things" and if he finds he cannot attain them, legitimately, he comes to steal and rob. For the arrogant person lusts to fill his purse and grow wealthy. He is never satisfied with his destiny, for all that he has seems too little for him, especially with the many expenses which his lust costs him. And, moreover, pride causes him to be impatient with the disciplines of society. It is not necessary to dwell upon the unworthiness of the impatient, for this is known to all.

For is it not written (Mishlei 2:4-5): "If you seek for it as silver, if you search for it as hidden treasure — then you will understand the fear of the L-rd." And it is well known that everyone would prefer having a steady income even with less profit than a chance income with greater profit. How much more so with this ["income" of guarding one's tongue], which is a steady income with great profit. For with this mitzvah one can earn both when he is sitting in his house or when he is in the house of prayer or the house of study, and also when he goes to the market and sees people speaking what they should not be speaking (and distancing himself from them.) As Chazal have said (Kiddushin 39b): "If one sat and did not transgress, he is rewarded as the doer of a mitzvah." In sum: With this mitzvah one can "earn" from the time he rises from his sleep [in the morning] until the time he goes to sleep in the evening, effortlessly, and with great profit. For, for every moment of muzzling his mouth he merits the "secreted light," as Chazal have stated.

"When R. Zmira went to Kfar Ono, he saw pillars of flame rising in the clefts of the mountains of Ararat. Inclining his ear, he heard voices, and an Arab told him: 'Come with me and I will show you wonders hidden from men.' He went with him behind a rock and saw other clefts with flames rising on high and heard other voices, at which the Arab said to him: 'Incline your ear here, etc.' He did so and heard voices saying: 'Woe! Woe!' at which he said: 'This place is certainly one of the places of Gehinnom,' and the Arab left him. In the meantime, he bent down in a different place and saw a man screaming and being taken and placed into a different depth into which he disappeared and was seen no more. At this, he fell into a dream in which he saw that man and asked him: 'Who are you?' He answered: 'I am a sinning Jew, who has not left undone any sins in the world.' R. Zmira: 'What is your name?' The other: 'I do not know. Those sentenced to Gehinnom do not remember their names.' R. Zmira: 'Where do you come from?' The other: 'From upper Galilee. I was a butcher, and because of the many evils I did there, they sentenced "that man" [i.e., me] to three times [of punishment] in the daytime and three times at night.' R. Zmira rose from there and went to upper Galilee, where he heard a child's voice saying (Mishlei 2:40: 'If you seek it as silver, if you search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the L-rd.' He went to another house of study, where he heard the voice of a different child saying (Zephaniah 2:3): 'Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be concealed' [from His wrath]. He went and sought that wicked man, and questioned a child, who said to him: 'Rebbi, may this and this come upon that man, who did not leave undone any evils or sins in the world. May it be thus with that wicked man and to the nurse who gave suck to him.' R. Zmira: 'Did he have a son in the world?' The child: 'Yes, he left one son, and he is wicked like his father, and he is the child that goes to the slaughterhouse.' He [R. Zmira] sought him out and took him and occupied himself with him in Torah until he had taught him reading, prayer, and Shema, after which he taught him Mishnah, Talmud, halachoth and aggadoth, until he grew very wise — and he is R. Nachum Hapakuli. And why did they call him "Hapakuli"? As it is written (Isaiah 28:7): "paku pliliyah" — [homiletically,] "he released [his father from] the din [of that world]." And many sages of the generation descended from him, who were called "Pakuli." That man [the butcher] came to him in a dream and said to him: 'Rebbi, how much you have comforted me — so may the Holy One Blessed be He comfort you. For from the day that my son knew a single verse, He released me from my din. Once he recited the Shema, they manumitted my din both by day and by night, by one time. Once he read in school, they annulled my din altogether. On the day he grew so wise that they called him "Rabbi" they placed my seat among the tzaddikim in Gan Eden. And every day that a Torah novelty is cited in his name they crown me with the highest crown that the tzaddikim are crowned with. Because of you I have merited all this honor. Happy is the lot of him who leaves a son who toils in Torah in this world!'"

There is another joy whose effect is as bitter as wormwood — for instance the joy of those who pursue immorality and robbery and all other sins and rejoice when they attain their evil lusts. Concerning these it is said: "Who rejoice to do evil and delight in the forwardness of evil" (Prov. 2:14). Their guilt is great and brings them to the lowest pit.

For sin dulls a man's heart, causing to depart from him true knowledge and the spirit of wisdom which the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows to the pious, as written "for G-d grants wisdom" (Mishlei 2:6). Thus he is left animal-like and material, sunk in the coarseness of this world.

And just as much pain and anguish and troubles are the sickness of the body so are most of the evil traits the sickness of the soul. And just as the sickness of the body tastes the bitter as sweet and the sweet as bitter and there is, among those who are ill, one that longs for food that is not good for him and hates good food, and all of this depends upon the extent of his sickness, so do people whose souls are sick, long for and love evil traits and they hate the good path or are too lazy to walk on it, and it is very hard for them according to the extent of their sickness. And thus Isaiah says concerning these men, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that change darkness into light, and light into darkness; that change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter" (Is. 5:20). And concerning them it is said, "Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness" (Prov. 2:13).

And we shall explain our words in more detail with the help of the Blessed L-rd. As to the contention of the yetzer that the thing [i.e., guarding one's tongue] will not last more than a day or two, let him answer: Even if it were as you say, should one be lax in this? Don't you know that if someone walked on the seashore (be he who he may, even a very rich man; how much more so, a poor one,) and he saw the sea cast up precious stones and pearls, would he be lax in picking them up because he could do so for only a few hours, or, at most, for a single day? This might be so for cheap, worthless things, but not for precious stones and pearls, where each moment that he picks them is worth more than a hundred days of picking paltry things! So, in our case. Do we not know what the GRA has adduced in the name of the Midrash? That for every moment that a man muzzles his mouth [against speaking lashon hara], he merits the secreted light, which no angel or [heavenly] creature can visualize. Observe that the Midrash does not speak of a month or a week or a day or an hour — but a moment! And this is the intent of (Mishlei 2:4): "If you seek it as silver; if you search for it as hidden treasure, etc." A man must conduct himself in seeking the eternal reward as he would in seeking silver and searching for hidden treasure. And this is the intent of the tanna: "Do not distance yourself from a trait that has no end." That is, a man should reckon as a merit and as a "find" for his soul anything that he finds of it [i.e., of the hidden treasure].

These things can only be evaluated by one of understanding heart and sound intellect since it is impossible to clarify all their endless details, and "G-d gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6).

However, that which can protect a person and save him from these detriments is trust in G-d. Namely, that a person casts his burden entirely upon G-d, knowing that it is certainly impossible for a man to lack what was designated for him, as our sages taught: "all of a person's sustenance [for the year] is fixed for him from Rosh Hashana [to Yom Kippur]" (Beitzah 16a). Likewise, they said: "no man can touch what was prepared for his fellow even to the extent of a hair's breadth" (Yomah 38b).

This is like a tax imposed on the human race which one cannot escape from paying. Therefore, our sages, of blessed memory, said (Sifri 15:18): "I might think one can sit idle, but scripture says (Devarim 28:20): 'in all that you set your hand to do' ".

If we truly examined the matter, we would discover the truth of this thereby benefiting ourselves and teaching it to others to benefit them also. This is what Shlomo said: "If you will seek it as silver and search for it as buried treasure, then you will understand the fear of G-d" (Mishlei 2:4-5).

If we truly examined the matter, we would discover the truth of this thereby benefiting ourselves and teaching it to others to benefit them also. This is what Shlomo said: "If you will seek it as silver and search for it as buried treasure, then you will understand the fear of G-d" (Mishlei 2:4-5).

It is written in Mishlei (9:10): "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the L-rd." This indicates that the beginning of wisdom for the man who seeks to be wise is to acquire fear of the L-rd. Yet, another verse in Mishlei states (4:7): "The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom." This would seem to indicate that the beginning of all for him who desires to acquire wisdom is to reflect upon wisdom [that is, the wisdom of the Torah]! But, in truth, there is no contradiction. Solomon, may peace be upon him, desired to teach us that both are necessary, that one without the other is not worth anything [(as per the Tanna in Avoth (3:17): "If there is no fear, there is no wisdom; if there is no wisdom, there is no fear")]. That is, if one would seek to place all his toil and reflection upon acquiring fear of the L-rd and think to acquire wisdom afterwards, King Solomon, may peace be upon him, advises us that it is not right to do so. For to acquire fear as befits a Jew, he must seek it as silver, as Scripture states (Mishlei 2:9): "If you seek it as silver, …then you will understand fear of the L-rd." And the seeking of silver is not for one day or one week or one month; but silver is always on his mind. So, the man who wants to acquire fear of the L-rd. He must always reflect upon His greatness and upon the goodness which He confers upon him each day and increase fear of the L-rd in his soul. And if he waits to reflect upon the wisdom of Torah until he becomes a fearer of the L-rd in truth, this will take a long time, so that all of that time that his heart is void of wisdom, his fear is worth nothing. For if there is no wisdom there is no fear, and (Avoth 2:5): "A boor does not fear sin."

It is written in Mishlei (9:10): "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the L-rd." This indicates that the beginning of wisdom for the man who seeks to be wise is to acquire fear of the L-rd. Yet, another verse in Mishlei states (4:7): "The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom." This would seem to indicate that the beginning of all for him who desires to acquire wisdom is to reflect upon wisdom [that is, the wisdom of the Torah]! But, in truth, there is no contradiction. Solomon, may peace be upon him, desired to teach us that both are necessary, that one without the other is not worth anything [(as per the Tanna in Avoth (3:17): "If there is no fear, there is no wisdom; if there is no wisdom, there is no fear")]. That is, if one would seek to place all his toil and reflection upon acquiring fear of the L-rd and think to acquire wisdom afterwards, King Solomon, may peace be upon him, advises us that it is not right to do so. For to acquire fear as befits a Jew, he must seek it as silver, as Scripture states (Mishlei 2:9): "If you seek it as silver, …then you will understand fear of the L-rd." And the seeking of silver is not for one day or one week or one month; but silver is always on his mind. So, the man who wants to acquire fear of the L-rd. He must always reflect upon His greatness and upon the goodness which He confers upon him each day and increase fear of the L-rd in his soul. And if he waits to reflect upon the wisdom of Torah until he becomes a fearer of the L-rd in truth, this will take a long time, so that all of that time that his heart is void of wisdom, his fear is worth nothing. For if there is no wisdom there is no fear, and (Avoth 2:5): "A boor does not fear sin."

But I spoke a bit on each of the particulars of the Beraitha which I based this book on. This may serve as a start and beginning to expand study in these matters. For their ways have been revealed and their paths opened to our eyes so that we may walk in them on the straight path. On such matters it is written: "Let the wise man hear and increase learning. The understanding man shall acquire wise counsels" (Mishlei 1:5), and "if one comes to purify himself, he is helped" (Shabbat 104a), and "for the L-rd gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Mishlei 2:6), so that every man may straighten his ways before his Creator.

We have another even more astounding example of how this principle is applied to men of outstanding caliber. In Baba Metzia 83a, we are told about workers who had broken [apparently deliberately, Ed.] a cask of wine they were transporting on behalf of Rabbi bar Chanah. The Rabbi took some of their clothing as compensation. When the workers turned to Rav complaining, the latter ordered Rabbi bar Chanah to return it. To Rabbi bar Chanah's query whether this ruling was in accordance with the law, Rav replied in the affirmative. He quoted Proverbs 2,22: למען תלך בדרך טובים, "so that you may walk in the way of the good ones" as his source. When the carriers complained to Rav that in view of their poverty they could not afford to forego their wages for the transport of the caskets of wine, Rav ordered Rabbi bar Chanah to pay these workers full wages. When Rabbi bar Chanah again questioned whether his ruling was legal, Rav quoted the second half of Proverbs 2,20 וארחות צדיקים תשמור "keep to the paths of the righteous" as the source for his ruling. It is interesting that Rav did not justify his ruling by citing the need to apply more stringent yardsticks to oneself than the law requires of one, but he made it plain that as far as Rabbi bar Chanah was concerned his ruling was the requirement of the law itself. Tosaphot in Baba Kama 99 deal with the difference between Rav's ruling against Rabbi bar Chanah and that of the incident involving his nephew Rabbi Chiyah in the case of the woman's coin. Tosaphot's answer that the concept of לפנים משורת הדין does not apply when the damage one has sustained has been caused willfully by the other litigant, is very forced. If we adopt my approach that Torah law applies to different people according to their spiritual level, Rav's ruling is simple. He viewed Rabbi bar Chanah as on an exceptionally high spiritual level; therefore he explained the law to Rabbi bar Chanah as it applied to him. Once the principle of לפנים משורת הדין has been derived from a verse in scripture, the way we adapt the slogan קדש עצמך במותר לך, "sanctify yourself through foregoing what is permissible to you" is applied on a very individual basis.

We have another even more astounding example of how this principle is applied to men of outstanding caliber. In Baba Metzia 83a, we are told about workers who had broken [apparently deliberately, Ed.] a cask of wine they were transporting on behalf of Rabbi bar Chanah. The Rabbi took some of their clothing as compensation. When the workers turned to Rav complaining, the latter ordered Rabbi bar Chanah to return it. To Rabbi bar Chanah's query whether this ruling was in accordance with the law, Rav replied in the affirmative. He quoted Proverbs 2,22: למען תלך בדרך טובים, "so that you may walk in the way of the good ones" as his source. When the carriers complained to Rav that in view of their poverty they could not afford to forego their wages for the transport of the caskets of wine, Rav ordered Rabbi bar Chanah to pay these workers full wages. When Rabbi bar Chanah again questioned whether his ruling was legal, Rav quoted the second half of Proverbs 2,20 וארחות צדיקים תשמור "keep to the paths of the righteous" as the source for his ruling. It is interesting that Rav did not justify his ruling by citing the need to apply more stringent yardsticks to oneself than the law requires of one, but he made it plain that as far as Rabbi bar Chanah was concerned his ruling was the requirement of the law itself. Tosaphot in Baba Kama 99 deal with the difference between Rav's ruling against Rabbi bar Chanah and that of the incident involving his nephew Rabbi Chiyah in the case of the woman's coin. Tosaphot's answer that the concept of לפנים משורת הדין does not apply when the damage one has sustained has been caused willfully by the other litigant, is very forced. If we adopt my approach that Torah law applies to different people according to their spiritual level, Rav's ruling is simple. He viewed Rabbi bar Chanah as on an exceptionally high spiritual level; therefore he explained the law to Rabbi bar Chanah as it applied to him. Once the principle of לפנים משורת הדין has been derived from a verse in scripture, the way we adapt the slogan קדש עצמך במותר לך, "sanctify yourself through foregoing what is permissible to you" is applied on a very individual basis.

One must stay far away from the study of philosophy, for it is an alien fire. Concerning this was it written, “Her house inclines towards death…None that go to her return” (Mishlei 2:18-19). One should even avoid natural science, as the illustrious Rabbi Moshe Landau, z”l, has already warned.