잠언 9:20의 Musar

and in the world to come he will attain the merited (share of its) bliss, which man realizes because of his serving the Lord with his substance in almsgiving. Thus it is said (Isa. liii. 12), "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great." Since liberality was a virtue of our father Abraham, peace be upon him, he became known thereby and it was ascribed to him. This quality is attributed to him in the Holy Scripture in several places, and thus is to be understood the explanation of (Ps. xlvii. 9), "The generous of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham." This is a commendable quality because it secures honor for him who exercises it. Thus it is said (Prov. xix. 6), "Many will entreat the favor of the generous, and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts."

And, especially, if one has a time set aside for Torah in the house of study, how much will the trait of guarding his tongue avail his learning that it not be disturbed! For failing that he runs the risk of losing learning every day, and his learning itself will be fragmented. And the greatness of the punishment for this is well known. As Chazal have said (Avodah Zarah 3b): "If one interrupts his Torah study to engage in talk, he is fed broom-coals, as it is written (Iyyov 30:4): 'Those who interrupt maluach [(homiletically) "words written on the tablets" (luchoth)] with [idle] talk, broom-coal roots are their bread.'" And this is measure for measure. For if one studies Torah, his soul endures forever by the light of the holy Torah, which does not consume the soul (G-d forbid), but, to the contrary, sustains it eternally, as bread sustains his body in his lifetime. For this reason, Torah is called "bread," as it is written (Mishlei 9:5): "Come, eat of My bread, etc." And if he stops in the middle of his learning, he indicates that he does not want that bread, wherefore, he is fed there — instead of the food of the soul, the light of Torah — the light [i.e., the fire] of broom-coal roots.

And not in vain has Torah been compared to bread, as it is written (Mishlei 9:5): "Come and eat of my bread" [i.e., Torah]. This is to teach us that just as bread feeds the heart, as it is written (Psalms 104:15): "And bread, the heart of man shall feed," and if one does not eat bread for one or two days his heart weakens; and, how much more so, if he does not eat bread for a week, his heart weakens greatly, and it is difficult for him to regain the strength that he lost by this — so is it exactly with Torah study, which feeds the holy soul of the Jew. If he does not learn for some days (how much more so, a full week), it is greatly weakened, wherefore he must take great care not to miss the set time for even a day. And, aside from the fact that this undermines the second and third day after this (for it is very likely that he will not learn on them either, as Chazal have said: "If you leave me [Torah] for a day, I will leave you for two days") and it is very difficult for him afterwards to overcome his yetzer anew and to set times for Torah — but even those days that he does learn, if the set time is not constant, the holy spirit does not repose to its full extent upon that learning. This, as opposed to a constant set time, in which a great and awesome holiness reposes upon each study session. Therefore, if because of some very pressing exigency he must cancel his set time, it shall rest upon him exactly as a debt, which he must make haste to repay in this twenty-four hour period, as we find in Eruvin 65b about R. Acha bar Yaakov, that he would "borrow" in the daytime [from his set time (for his livelihood)] and "repay" at night (see Rashi there).

The third section: One who always mocks things and actions, but he does not intend to disgrace those associated with them. Rather he pushes off things that should not be pushed off and pushes off the [possibility of] results from actions that have hope for results. And about this is it stated (Proverbs 13:13), “He who disdains a thing will be injured thereby.” And they said (Avot 4:3), “Do not disdain any man, and do not discriminate against anything; for there is no man that has not his hour, and there is no thing that has not its place.” And what brought this scoffer to this bad trait is his being wise in his [own] eyes. And sometimes this trait brings a person to heresy, to mock the commandments - like the matter that is stated (Psalms 119:51), “Though the arrogant have cruelly mocked me, I have not swerved from Your teaching.” And this third section is a group that does not accept reprimand, as it is stated (Proverbs 9:8), “Do not reprimand a scoffer, for he will hate you.” And it is [also] stated (Proverbs 9:7), “To rebuke a scoffer is to call down abuse on oneself.” And it is [further] stated (Proverbs 19:25), “Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever.” And that which causes this group not to listen to reproof is that the trait that leads to this [type of scoffing] is that a person is wise in his [own] eyes. And this trait controls him so much until he scorns the intellect of anyone besides himself. And it is a trait that has no hope, as it is stated (Proverbs 26:12), “If you see a man who thinks himself wise, there is more hope for a dullard than for him.”

The seventh section: One who sees the people of his place [being] a stiff-necked people, and says in his heart, “Perhaps they will not listen if I speak [words of] integrity with them and fill my mouth with reprimands.” Hence he saves his mouth [from speaking]. Yet he surely bears his sin, for he did not try to reprimand and warn [them] - (indeed) [maybe] if the city is pitied, they will awake from the slumber of their stupidity and their error will not [continue to] lay with them. And our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 55a) about that which is written (Ezekiel 9:4), “and set a mark (tav) upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry, etc.”: The attribute of justice said, “[Even though these are full-fledged righteous people and keep the Torah,] it was in their hands to protest, and they did not protest. [The Holy One, blessed be He,] said, “It is revealed and known before Me that had they protested, they would not have accepted [it] from them.” [The attribute of justice] said, “Master of the Universe, if it is revealed before You, [they did not know if the people would listen to their voice or ignore them].” So afterwards God, may He be blessed, commanded (Ezekiel 9:4), “and begin from My Temple (Mikdash)” - and that is the dedicated (mekudash) righteous ones. And it is stated (Leviticus 19:17), “you shall surely reprimand your countryman and not bear sin because of him.” But if the matter is revealed to all, known, tested and analyzed that the sinner hates rebuke and will not listen to the voice of his teachers and will not bend his ear to his instructors - about this is it stated (Proverbs 9:8), “Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you.” And they said (Yevamot 55b), “Just as it is a commandment to say something that will be heard, so is it a commandment to not say something that will not be heard.” And they said (Beitzah 30a), “It is better that they be inadvertent, and not be intentional.”

Rabbi Abba son of Kahane in Vayikra Rabbah 11,2 quotes Proverbs 9,1-3: "Wisdom has built her house, when she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered the meat, mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, she cries out." He explains these verses as referring to the Tabernacle. He understands the words חכמות בנתה ביתה, "wisdom built her house," as a reference to Betzalel, concerning whom the Torah (Exodus 31,3) says: ואמלא אותו רוח אלוקים בחכמה בתבונה, "I have filled him with the spirit of G–d, with wisdom, etc." Rabbi Abba understands the words חצבה עמודיה שבעה, "she has hewn her seven pillars," as referring to the seven days of מלואים, consecration, during which Moses performed the service and Aaron and his sons prepared themselves for their holy task. The words טבחה טבחה, are understood as referring to the animals which served as the sacrifices, the words מסכה יינה refer to the drink-offerings; the words: אף ערכה שלחנה, refer to the לחם הפנים, the show breads. The words: שלחה נערותיה תקרא are a reference to Moses. The first verse in our פרשה reports that Moses called on Aaron, etc. Thus far the words of Rabbi Abba.

And the wise man said to his son, "If it should occur to you to make friends or companions, then make friends with a wise person as it is written: 'He that walks with the wise shall be wise' (Prov. 13:20). And it is said: 'Give knowledge to a wise man and he will be yet wiser' (Prov. 9:9). And so if you wish to grow in wisdom be a companion to the wise, for if you do act wisely your wise friend will praise you and not question your wisdom, and then you will know that you can rely on your wisdom. If they honor him, he will honor you; if they praise him, he will praise you. If you need his help, he will help you, and in the things you say he will declare you to be in the right. If you grow angry he will have patience with you, and you will learn from his good deeds. And be a companion to every person from whom you can learn things that will bring you to the Service of God, Blessed may He be!" And the Sages said, "If you wish to become a friend of a man get him angry with you and if he will still admit and confess the truth of what you say even in his wrath then become his companion and friend. If not, leave him. But, when you choose a friend, choose one who knows his own worth, for if he does not know himself his wisdom is of no good. Acquire a friend who will rebuke you when you do something that is not proper and who will teach you to do the good, and who will help you with his might and money — and such a friend will be faithful. But a friend who flatters you and smooths over your mistakes and errors and comforts you when you have done evil things — separate yourself from such a one.

When Moses commenced to admonish the people, he spoke of their virtues and their accomplishments, that they were to present him with distinguished men who were to serve as judges, etc. (1,13). He did so because we know already from Solomon in Proverbs 9,8: אל תוכח לץ פן ישנאך, הוכח לחכם ויאהבך, "Do not rebuke the scoffer for he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." You need to impress the person whom you wish to rebuke with the fact that you esteem him highly; otherwise he will not accept your rebuke. You must convince such a person that it is shameful for a person of his niveau to act in a manner that ruins his image.

והוכיח אברהם את אבימלך . Rabbi Yossi in the name of Rabbi Chaninah says that admonition eventually produces a feeling of love for the one who admonishes. We know this from Proverbs 9,8: "Admonish the wise and he will love you." Rabbi Yossi firmly believed that any "peace" that does not include admonition is no true peace (Bereshit Rabbah 54,3).

The third type is the one who scoffs at things, although he has no intention to humiliate those who do them. Yet by his scoffing he hinders work that has hope of success and might be achieved. This type of scoffer is wise in his own eyes, and everything that he himself has not begun he considers folly and mocks it. This trait can even lead him to heresy, mocking the Commandments themselves, as it is written, "The proud have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not turned aside from Thy law" (Ps. 119:51). And this type of a scoffer does not accept rebuke, as it is said, "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee" (Prov. 9:8). And it is said, "He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame" (Prov. 9:7). And inasmuch as he is wise in his own eyes he mocks the work of another man, and this is a trait for which there is no hope, as it is said, "Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Prov. 26:12).

The third type is the one who scoffs at things, although he has no intention to humiliate those who do them. Yet by his scoffing he hinders work that has hope of success and might be achieved. This type of scoffer is wise in his own eyes, and everything that he himself has not begun he considers folly and mocks it. This trait can even lead him to heresy, mocking the Commandments themselves, as it is written, "The proud have had me greatly in derision; yet have I not turned aside from Thy law" (Ps. 119:51). And this type of a scoffer does not accept rebuke, as it is said, "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee" (Prov. 9:8). And it is said, "He that correcteth a scorner getteth to himself shame" (Prov. 9:7). And inasmuch as he is wise in his own eyes he mocks the work of another man, and this is a trait for which there is no hope, as it is said, "Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope of a fool than of him" (Prov. 26:12).

However, if it is a thing known to everybody and it has been searched out and tested and established that the sinner hates correction and will not listen to those who rebuke him, concerning this it is said, "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee" (Prov. 9:8).

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."

Another difficulty is that we are told by the Midrash in Song of Songs 2,4, that when G–d descended on Mount Sinai to give Israel the Torah He brought with Him 22,000 ministering angels. We know this from the verse in Psalms 68,18, רכב אלוקים רבותים, אלפי שנאן. "The chariots of G–d are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands." All these angels were made to appear with flags, or like flags. Israel developed a yearning for flags and wished also to have flags like these. This is why it says in Song of Songs, 2,4, "He has brought me to the house of wine," i.e. Sinai where the Torah was given, which in turn has been compared to wine." The verse in Proverbs 9,5,"Drink of the wine I have mixed," refers to Sinai. The words דגלו עלי אהבה, in Song of Songs 2,4, refer to Israel exclaiming "I wish G–d would display His love for me through the flags." G–d responded saying: "Since you yearn for flags, I am surely going to fulfil your request," to wit Psalms 20,6, ימלא השם כל משאלותיך, "may the Lord fulfil your every wish." G–d immediately informed Israel of His decision by instructing Moses to make flags for them, as is written: “איש על דגלו באותות.” So far the Midrash. This Midrash too requires an explanation. Again we need to know what the term "love" is all about! We further need to know how the wording in this Midrash adds anything to the previous Midrash on that subject?

The author brings a few more examples of the principle just mentioned. Among them he mentions that the use of the word חכמה in the plural, i.e. חכמות in Proverbs 9,1 alludes to the need to employ our physical as well as our mental faculties when building the "house," i.e. when Betzalel built the Tabernacle.

When the Torah urges הוכח תוכיח, it moderates it by adding: ולא תשא עליו חטא, "incur no guilt because of him." I understand this to mean that in the process of rebuking your fellow you are to stress your surprise that a good man such as he should become guilty of the misdemeanor you are rebuking him for. You are to rebuke only those people who are intelligent enough to realize that you have their interest at heart and who will love you for it. Solomon spoke about this distinction in Proverbs 9,8. The Alshich elaborates on this in his commentary on the Book of Proverbs, [see my translation of this commentary, pages 173-4. Ed.]

An alternative explanation would be that the Psalmist speaks of both body and food as symbols of matter, the latter sustaining the former. When both achieve a degree of sanctity they express their joy to G–d. The word לבי is also an acronym for לחם-בשר-יין. The Midrash quoted which examined Proverbs 9,1-3 in detail saw in these three kinds of food something very important. In other words, the verse speaks about two worlds, the נגלה, as well as the נסתר, the visible and invisible world.

We have explained on several occasion that the שר העולם, the angel to whom G–d has entrusted the proper allocation of the food- supply in our world, is called Mattatron, or נער. Moses' function too, was to provide for the needs of his people. He is already referred to as נער when the daughter of Pharaoh found him, although normally he should only have been referred to as ילד (Exodus 2,6). Our commentators have said that Moses' voice was like that of a נער. The very name משה is also an acronym for מטטרון שר הפנים. On Exodus 24,1: ואל משה אמר עלה אל ה' our sages comment that Moses' name was Mattatron, just like the name of his teacher. When the Torah commenced the Book of Leviticus with the words ויקרא, this is a choice expression for all those who are מושפעים, direct recipients of G–d's favor. This is another dimension of Proverbs 9,1-3 which we discussed on page 739, i.e. נערותיה תקרא, that Moses called out to Aaron and his sons, etc. The latter were also comparable to angels, as pointed out by Malachi 2,7 that the priest is an angel of the Lord. Every time the Torah refers to a girl as נערה, the word is spelled without the feminine ending, i.e. it is written נער, although we read it as נערה. The description of Moses as נער then is an allusion to his function being similar to that of Mattatron.

The Torah reports here that Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. The Talmud Eruvin 54b describes the procedure of Moses explaining the Oral Tradition in the words: "How did Moses teach? Aaron entered and Moses expounded the Torah to him. Afterwards Aaron's sons entered and the procedure was repeated. After this the elders entered and the procedure was again repeated. Finally the whole of Israel approached to be taught the Torah." Here Moses called on the three choicest categories, ignoring the rest of the people for the time being. This was because the paragraph commences with the words ויהי, which – as we have stated – introduces an episode marred by tragedy. Moses knew that the Sanctuary was going to be sanctified through one of the outstanding personalities of Israel. He thought that it might be either himself or his brother Aaron (Torat Kohanim on 10,3). The kind of death experienced by Nadav and Avihu is an excellent death because it testifies to the high degree of sanctity they had achieved. Moses invited the choicest of the people to be taught the Torah first so as to signify that when the need arises to sanctify the name of G–d, i.e. to die for the glorification of His Name, it will be the spiritual leaders of the people who will be chosen for this distinction (sacrifice). When G–d announced the instruction to build the Tabernacle, He said that when all would be completed ושכנתי בתוכם (Exodus 25,8). The building of the house that we read about in Proverbs 9,1-3 refers to the גן עדן of the future when this "house" will have an enduring existence. It refers to the residence of humans at that time.

Yalkut Shimoni on Parshat Shoftim understands the repeated reference טבחה, טבחה in Proverbs 9,2, as an allusion to Leviathan and the שור הבר, the "wild ox," auroch, whose meat will be served by G–d to the righteous in the Hereafter (Baba Batra 74b). According to the Aggadah, G–d slaughtered the female Leviathan and salted away its meat in order to serve it in the future at a festive meal for the righteous.

When Solomon continues in the same verse of Proverbs to speak about אף ערכה שלחנה, he refers to the angels who grind the manna for the righteous in this World of the Future. The reason he uses the term אף, "also," is because once before, when the Jewish people were in the desert manna had descended for them from Celestial Regions. This is a hint of what would be in store for them in an idyllic future. The words: נערותיה תקרא, in Proverbs 9,3 are an allusion to the expression in Esther 2,9 where Esther is described as entitled to and receiving the services of seven maid-attendants. The number seven –according to Kabbalists – ensured that her soul would acquire a level of holiness every day of the week. May we all soon merit such a level of sanctity in our own lives, Amen.

The obligation to give rebuke falls in particular upon the rabbis, scholars and judges of every town. If there is no rabbi, Torah authority or permanent judge, then the obligation falls upon each individual Jew to rebuke his neighbor. Through this he causes himself to be beloved both On High and down below, in fulfillment of the verse, “Rebuke the wise and he will love you” (Mishlei 9:8). He also merits entering the Gate of Love, Amein.