잠언 16:18의 인용 해설

We know the effect of humility on G’d from King Achav (Kings I 21,27-29) who humbled himself but once when admitting that he had sinned in allowing his wife to have Navot framed and executed. G’d used Achav’s repentance and humility to demonstrate to Elijah how much He valued such sentiments. He suspended the decree of death against him.

Mishlei 16:18 teaches, Lifnei Shever Ga’on, arrogance precedes a fall. Great arrogance, in turn, precipitates a great fall.

ויקם משה וילך אל דתן ואבירם, Moses rose up and went to Datan and Aviram, etc." Why did the Torah have to write ויקם that Moses rose up? If the Torah only wanted us to know that Moses had been sitting down before, why is this piece of information important to us 3000 years later? We may have to understand this in light of Proverbs 16,18 לפני שבר גאון, that "pride goes before ruin," and Proverbs 16,33 ולפני כבוד ענוה, "whereas humility precedes honour." Our sages in Shemot Rabbah 45,5 explain what David meant in Psalms 113,5 המגביהי לשבת. "When others deride me, G'd elevates me, whereas when I elevate myself G'd puts me in my place." Similarly in our verse. As soon as Moses had decided to waive his dignity and to go and appeal to Datan and Abiram, "he arose," i.e. he was elevated in the eyes of G'd. This is also the meaning of the verses we have quoted from Proverbs.