Musar su Salmi 103:78

The fifth - "He does not hold on to His fury forever" - this is a different trait: that even if a person holds on to his sin, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not hold on to His fury. And if He holds on to it, not forever. Rather, He nullifies His anger, even if the person does not repent. As we found in the days of Yerovam the son of Yoash, that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought back the boundary of Israel [from occupation] and they were [still] worshipping calves - He had mercy upon them, but they did not repent. If so, why did He have mercy? For the sake of this trait, that He does not hold on to his fury forever. Just the opposite, His fury weakens - even as the sin is still in existence, He does not punish, but rather He expects and has mercy that they may repent. And that is [the meaning of] "He will not contend forever, or begrudge for all time" (Psalms 103:9). Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, acts with softnesses and harshnesses, all for the good of Israel.

And behold we shall conclude this topic with an esteemed statement of the Sages of Israel, may there memory be blessed: Hillel, peace be upon him, used to say (Avot 1:14), "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if not now, when?" The explanation of the content is [that] if a person does not arouse his soul, what effect can reproof have? For even if they enter his heart on the day that he hears them, the impulse will forget them and drive them out of his heart, like the matter of that which was stated (Hosea 6:4) "when your goodness is like a morning cloud." And it is [also] stated (Proverbs 10:20), "The tongue of a righteous man is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little worth (kimeat)." Its explanation is that the reproof of a righteous man is pure without any dross, and his speech is chosen. But the heart of the evildoers that listen to his reproof is [only for] one instant. This is from the usage (Psalms 81:15), "then would I subdue their enemies instantly (kimeat)" - the meaning of which is, in an instant would I subdue their enemies. And [only] an understanding and refined heart is called a heart, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:32), "he who heeds reproof acquires heart"; and (Proverbs 17:16), "to purchase wisdom, when he has no heart?" Indeed, a man must arouse his heart when he hears reproof and place the things into his heart, to constantly think about them. And he should add teaching from his own heart and produce words. He should also meditate in the chambers of his spirit and repent, to turn the hand of the reproof upon himself and not just rely upon the rebuke of the rebuker. [Otherwise. that] rebuke will be like morning clouds, and for [fleeting] instants, until he takes the reproof upon himself and until he purifies himself. "But if I am for my own self [only], what am I?" Even when I am for myself and I reflect upon wisdom all the time, what am I? For the grasp of a man is short and weak. So [even] with the effort and the refinement, he will only attain a little of the virtues - see what I am and what my life is when I am not for myself, to make efforts to refine my soul. And the comparison here is to a field that is inferior. For with great toil and refinement, and with much work, it will bring out a small [amount of] seed. But if they do not toil in its refinement, it will not produce [anything] and no grass will grow in it besides thorns and brambles. However there is benefit in sowing a superior field - even if he does not toil in working it. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said about this matter (Avot D' Rabbi Natan 16), "That which it is written (Psalms 103:14), 'For He knows our formation' - there is a [relevant] metaphor of a king that gave a field to his servants and warned them to work it and guard it, and to bring him thirty kor from it each year. And they toiled on it and worked it well, but only bought five kor in front of the king. He said to them, 'What have you done?' They said to him, 'Our master, the king, the field that you gave us was inferior, and we worked it with all of our strength. But with all of the toil, it did not make more grain than this.'" "And if not now, when?" It is not appropriate for me to delay my efforts, a day or two, in refining my soul and fixing set times for Torah [study]. For if I say, "I shall hope for leisure time and until I have enough money in my hands for my needs" - behold the distractions of the world do not stop. As our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Avot 2:4), "Say not, 'When I shall have leisure I shall study,' lest you will not have leisure."

And he also merits through Torah a holy soul, as it is written in the introduction to the Zohar, Bereshith, the fifth pronouncement (Bereshith 1:20): "Let the waters swarm a swarming, a living soul." There are three mitzvoth here: one, to toil in Torah; and to occupy oneself with it; and to add to it every day, to perfect his soul and his spirit. For when a man occupies himself with Torah, he perfects another holy soul, etc. For when a man does not occupy himself with Torah, he has no holy soul. And the holy soul above does not repose upon him. And when he occupies himself with Torah, by the murmuring of his lips in it, he merits that living soul and becomes like the holy angels, as it is written (Psalms 103:20): 'Bless the L-rd, His angels' — these are those who occupy themselves with Torah, who are called 'His angels' on earth, etc. This, in this world. As to the world to come, we have learned that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to make for them, etc."

The author of these two parables dealt with a difficult question which I have already raised, namely that the angels possess one sanctity while Israel possesses two sanctities; this is derived from Psalms 103,20: ברכו ה' מלאכי, גבורי כח עשי דברי לשמוע בקול דברו, "Bless the Lord, O His angels, mighty creatures who do His bidding, ever obedient to His bidding." Based on this verse the angels are perceived as possessing one level of sanctity whereas Israel is perceived of possessing two levels of sanctity. Israel's first level of sanctity is acquired by "being obedient and doing G–d's bidding," whereas the second level is achieved through observing Rabbinic "fences" erected around basic Sinaitic laws to make it more difficult for the individual Jew to transgress such Biblical injunctions (cf. Avot 1,1). The reason for all this is alluded to in the parable about the wine cellar. We know about the יין המשומר, the wine preserved in its grapes since the time of גן עדן. There is some wine which does not contain any sediment apt to cause the wine to go sour under certain conditions. The wine, i.e. grapes of the tree of knowledge which Eve squeezed out and drank and gave Adam to drink, had not been guarded by a fence around the prohibition not to eat from the tree of knowledge. It thus was able to form sediments, which clouded its appearance, thereby preventing the detection of the pollutant emanating from the original serpent which was concealed therein. When Rabbi Avin speaks about guarding the wine cellar, he refers to the unpolluted remnant of the wine from גן עדן. Another word for such sediment or dross is סיג, and this is why the "fence" around Biblical laws is called סייג. This is also the deeper meaning of 18,30: ושמרתם את משמרתי, which is interpreted in Moed Katan 5 as עשו משמרת למשמרת, "construct a strainer for the strainer!" The Torah suggests that extra precautions should be taken to ensure against violations of its commandments. The function of the second strainer is similar to what is discussed in Shabbat 137 where the question is debated whether it is permissible to suspend such a strainer above the cup on a festival.

The angels were praised for possessing this good trait as written: "[Bless the L-rd, His angels,] those mighty in strength, who perform His word, hearkening to the voice of His word" (Tehilim 103:20); and "the Chayot dash to and fro like the appearance of a flash of lightning" (Yechezkel 1:14). Behold, a man is a man and not an angel, hence it is impossible for him to attain the might of an angel, but he should certainly strive to do all he can to come as close to that level as possible. King David would praise (G-d) for his portion saying: "I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments" (Tehilim 119:60).

Therefore, the sages of blessed memory exhorted us: "And you shall watch over the Matzot" - if a Mitzva comes to your hand, do not delay its performance (lit. allow it to become Chametz)' (Mechilta Shemot 12:17).

Chazal have said further (Yalkut Tehillim): "Chesed stands up for a man until the end of all the generations, as it is written (Psalms 103.:17): 'And the chesed of the L-rd is from world unto world to those who fear Him, etc.'" And this trait is one of the three goodly traits implanted in Israel — shamefacedness, mercy, and lovingkindness, as Chazal have stated (Yevamoth 79a).

And in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 11:9) on the verse (Tehilim 48:15) "He shall lead us in youth" - [filled] with zeal as young maidens, as it is said: "in the midst of maidens playing the timbrels" (Tehilim 68:26) ["in youth" and "young maidens" are related words in Hebrew].

And then he prospers in all his ways and in clarity of perception and the Holy One Blessed be He sends a spirit of Holiness within him and his heart rejoices and is filled with love of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and his soul is united with joy and reveals secrets and new intepretations from above, and all this because he reveres God, Blessed is He and is upright. And reason enters him. And this is what Solomon said : "My soul failed me when he spoke" (Eccl. 5:16). "Yea my body will rejoice when my lips speak right things" (Prov. 23:16). And thus said David : "Bless the Lord, O my soul" (Ps. 104:1). Because the soul which comes from above and strives upward knowing its own secret loves her Creator and eagerly assimilates His Commands, and when this soul reaches the veil (partition) and the degree which is suitable to it then she causes him (the owner) to rejoice with her hidden charms and brings him delight in her hidden chambers and at every moment his love longs for his soul and remembers it in the night as he lies upon his couch. Then God, Blessed is He, sends into her the longing for joy and the heart burns passionately from the great desire of love as it is said "I will rejoice in the Lord, my soul will be joyful in my God" (Is. 61:10). And happy is the soul that merits and experiences such joy.

But one must be especially careful about washing one’s hands before prayer, as it is written, “I will wash my hands in cleanliness, etc.” (Tehillim 26:6). And it is also written (Tehillim 103:1): “My soul shall bless Hashem and all my inwards His Holy Name” (that is, one must be sure that one’s intestines are clean as well).

We have now learned that the three parts of the Tabernacle correspond to the three parts of the universe concerning which King David said in Psalms 103,20: "Bless the Lord, O, His angels, mighty creatures who do His bidding, ever obedient to His bidding. Bless the Lord all His hosts, His servants who do His will; bless the Lord all His works, through the length and breadth of His realm." David's son Solomon also adopted his father's outlook when he alluded to this in three consecutive verses in Song of Songs 5,13-15. Three different parts of the human body form the subject of those verses, each one representing a different aspect of the universe and how man's composition reflects this division of the universe into three constituent parts. I (Rabbenu Bachyah) have explained this in detail when I discussed Jacob's dream of the ladder." Thus far the quotation from Rabbenu Bachyah.

We have now learned that the three parts of the Tabernacle correspond to the three parts of the universe concerning which King David said in Psalms 103,20: "Bless the Lord, O, His angels, mighty creatures who do His bidding, ever obedient to His bidding. Bless the Lord all His hosts, His servants who do His will; bless the Lord all His works, through the length and breadth of His realm." David's son Solomon also adopted his father's outlook when he alluded to this in three consecutive verses in Song of Songs 5,13-15. Three different parts of the human body form the subject of those verses, each one representing a different aspect of the universe and how man's composition reflects this division of the universe into three constituent parts. I (Rabbenu Bachyah) have explained this in detail when I discussed Jacob's dream of the ladder." Thus far the quotation from Rabbenu Bachyah.

And now consider the case of a man who must walk a distance during the day of ten parasangs ^** Ancient Persian measure of length about 3-1/4 miles. and more, and his path is filled with stumbling blocks, mud and stones, and there are plunderers and murderers along that way and he must go in spite of all of this, for so has the king commanded him and he is not able to avoid it, how must this man first prepare in the morning and gird his loins with alertness and walk speedily? Therefore, how important it is to rise early and to begin early the service of the Creator, may He be exalted. And even though he does all that is in his power, he will attain only a little of the needed qualities. As our Sages expounded (Aboth de R. Nathan, chap. 16) on the verse, "For he knoweth our frame" (Ps. 103:14). They told a parable of a king who gave a field to his servants and he told them to till it and guard it and to extract from it thirty kur (of produce) every year, and they busied themselves in this matter and tilled it well, but they brought before the king only five kur. He said to them, "What is this that you have done?" They said to him, "Our lord, the king, the field you gave to us has poor soil, and though we worked it with all our might it did not produce more than this amount. Thus, man, even though he works with all his strength, his accomplishment is little and if he says, "I will wait until I have time or until I earn enough for my needs," know that the troubles and responsibilities of this world never cease. As our Sages said, "And say not, 'When I have leisure I will study'; perhaps you will never have leisure" (Aboth 2:5).

And therefore David said (see Lev. Rabbah 4:8), just as the soul fills the body and carries the body and outlives the body and is unique in the body and does not eat things of the body, sees and is not seen, and is pure within the body and does not sleep, so does the Holy One, Blessed be He, fill His world, as it is said, "Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord" (Jer. 23:24). And He bears His world, as it is said, "I have made, and I will bear; Yea, I will carry and will deliver" (Is. 46:4). And He outlasts His world as it is said, "They shall perish, but thou shalt endure" (Ps. 102:27). And He is alone and unique in His world, as it is said, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deut. 6:5). And eating does not apply to Him, as it is said, "Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" (Ps. 50:13). And He sees and is not seen, as it is said, "Which are the eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro through the whole earth" (Zech. 4:10). And He is pure in His world, as it is said, "Thou that art of eyes too pure to behold evil" (Hab. 1:13). And He does not sleep as it is said, "Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber, nor sleep" (Ps. 121:4). Therefore the soul which has within it all these qualities should come and praise the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who has within Himself all these qualities.

The Torah commands us, “Your camp shall be holy” (Devarim 23:15). This means that a person must maintain his body and limbs in a state of holiness, for they are the camp of the Shechinah. This is the meaning of the verse, “And I will be sanctified within the children of Israel” (Vayikra 22:32) and the verse, “And I will dwell within them” (Shemos 25:8). But if he adopts bad ways, Heaven forbid, giving himself over to the pursuit of worldly pleasures, then his body becomes the abode of the Satan and Lilis, Heaven spare us. Therefore one should be in the habit of praying: “Master of the Universe! Enable me to remain pure and to become a throne for the Shechinah. ‘Let my soul bless Hashem and all my innards His holy Name’ (Tehillim 103:1).”

It seems to me that this is why Scripture says, “As a father has mercy upon his children” (Tehillim 103:13). Why is it not stated, “As a mother has mercy upon her children”? The answer is that it is the nature of a father who loves his children to discipline them, as it is stated, “One who spares the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him every morning” (Mishlei 13:24). Every man who disciplines his son demonstrates thereby that he loves him, as is elaborated on in Midrash Rabbah, Parashas Shemos (1:1). A woman, on the other hand, is soft-hearted and does not wish for the father or teacher to strike the child. Moreover, while he is yet small the mother fulfills his every wish, granting him all his heart’s desires. Then when he becomes a youth he seeks out what he is accustomed to and eventually turns to evil ways. And all of this is caused by the woman.