잠언 21:1의 인용 해설

In the course of the entire Book of Proverbs Solomon is at pains to demonstrate to us the superiority of intellect, wisdom, spirituality, etc. over the influence of man’s body.” He points out the ineffectiveness of the body demonstrating that it is lazy and inert by definition. Allowing it to dominate man would result in his having neither food, shelter nor clothing. Seeing that the acquisition of these things is necessary for man’s survival, unless he followed the dictates of his intellect he would perish as nature had not provided him with these necessities at birth. It is clear that the intellect should play a dominating role in man. The body does not know that clothing protects against cold, for instance. In order to know this one needs a brain, intelligence. It is because of such considerations that Solomon said: (Proverbs 12,27) “the lazy man does not roast his game; diligence is man’s precious possession.” The meaning of the verse is that a lazy man will not hold on to his wealth. Seeing that it is the custom of the hunter to burn the wings (feathers) of the birds to prevent them from escaping, Solomon says that that he who steals and expects to hang on to his stolen game will not get to roast it. The only wealth a person can expect to hang on to is that which was earned by diligent effort. If man were to rely on nature, he would become an opportunist or worse, a criminal. His intellect teaches him which activities are worthwhile and which even if successful in the short run will ultimately result in his being shamed. In Proverbs 20,17 Solomon elaborates further by writing “bread gained by deceit may taste sweet; but later his mouth will be filled with gravel.” Whereas “nature,” i.e. the body desires instant gratification, partying, sexual activity, etc., man’s intelligence warns him of the tenuous nature of all such joys. The reason that sexual activity is a physically gratifying experience is because G’d wants to encourage people to procreate and to ensure the continuity of the human species. [In order to show man that such joy may turn into the reverse, Solomon describes the temptress as dripping honey from her lips which eventually turns bitter as wormwood (Proverbs 5,3-4). [The author continues, illustrating his view of the parables employed by Solomon in his book of Proverbs. I have only quoted a brief selection of a long list of examples. Ed.]

AND I WILL HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART. The Rabbis said in Midrash Rabbah:⁹⁴Shemoth Rabbah 5:6. “G-d revealed to Moses that He was destined to harden Pharaoh’s heart in order to bring judgment upon him for he caused them to work in cruel bondage.” It is also stated there [in Midrash Rabbah]:⁹⁵Ibid., 13:4. “For I have hardened his heart.⁹⁶Further, 10:1. Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘This provides a pretext for the heretics to say that G-d did not allow Pharaoh to repent.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, ‘The mouths of the heretics be closed! Only, if it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them.⁹⁷Proverbs 3:34. When He warns one on three occasions and he does not turn from his ways, He closes the door of repentance on him in order to punish him for his sin. Such was the case with wicked Pharaoh. After the Holy One, blessed be He, sent him five times⁹⁸“In the case of the first five plagues, it is not stated, ‘The Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s heart,’ but ‘Pharaoh’s heart was hardened’” (Rashi). That is, it was hardened by his own stubborness. [the request to let His people go] and he paid no attention to His words, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have stiffened your neck and hardened your heart; I will double your defilement.’”⁹⁹Literally: “I will add defilement to your defilement.”
The Rabbis [in the above Midrash] have thus discussed the question which all ask:¹⁰⁰See Ibn Ezra here, and Rambam in his Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8, and in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Teshubah 6:3, where this problem is discussed. “If G-d hardened his heart, what then was Pharaoh’s sin?” For this there are two explanations, and both of them are true. One is that Pharaoh in his wickedness had unjustifiably perpetrated such great evils against Israel that justice required that the ways of repentance be withheld from him, as is so indicated in many places in the Torah and in the Writings.¹⁰¹See Rambam in Mishneh Torah, ibid., where he quotes from the Prophets and Writings to substantiate this point. He was judged according to his wickedness which he had originally committed of his own will. The second explanation is that half of the plagues came upon him because of his transgressions, for in connection with them it is only said: And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened;¹⁰²Further, Verses 13 and 22, and 8:15. And Pharaoh hardened his heart.¹⁰³Ibid., 8:28 and 9:7. Thus Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go for the glory of G-d. But when the plagues began bearing down upon him and he became weary to suffer them, his heart softened and he bethought himself to send them out on account of the onslaught of the plagues, not in order to do the will of his Creator. Then G-d hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate,¹⁰⁴Deuteronomy 2:30. so that His name may be declared [throughout all the earth].¹⁰⁵Further, 9:16. Similar in meaning is the verse, Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Eternal.¹⁰⁶Ezekiel 38:23. And that which He said before the plagues, And I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go,¹⁰⁷Above, 4:21. was merely His warning to Moses of that which He was destined to do to Pharaoh in the last [five] plagues, it being similar to that which He said, And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go.¹⁰⁸Ibid., 3:19. This then is the meaning of the verse [before us], And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs. That is to say, “I will harden his heart so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt,”¹⁰⁹Further, 11:9. since in the last five plagues, as well as at the drowning in the sea, it is said, And the Eternal hardened the heart of Pharaoh,¹¹⁰Ibid., 14:8. for the king’s heart is in the hand of the Eternal; He turneth it whithersoever He will.¹¹¹Proverbs 21:1.

They seem like good friends in good times, but they don't stay for him in time of his trouble: [They are friendly] when they have a shortage of money, but when desperate they don't have mercy upon the poor person until they bring him down from his assets, and they forget the earlier [relations] since it is all past [and] gone. And such is the simple understanding of this mishnah. But if the matter is so, it speaks about the defect of kings. But forbid it, forbid it - that such should be the matter and that it should arise. As through them the whole world is sustained and they create law and justice in the world. And there is no man that can be as truthful as they, as they do not need to flatter creatures since they are not afraid; and [so] there is nothing that prevents them from walking the straight path. And hence it appears [that it can] be said that the kings - be it their friendship or be it their enmity - are not in their [own] hands. And [so] when the king needs a person and brings him close and shows him friendship at the time that he benefits from him, it is from God that the matter went out, and not from the king. And God arranged that this person be of benefit to the king. And when a man sins to God and he is guilty and He wants to press him, who can stand for him? And even if the king wants to do him honor, it is only in his hand to surely take the vengeance of God and to 'afflict the one that the Lord would love to chastise.' And this is what it states (Proverbs 21:1), "Like channeled water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand." He wants to say, just like a person can direct a channel to any side that he wants, so [too] is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord to direct it to do good 'to the person whose honor He desires' and 'to pay back His enemies in his face to destroy him.' And he stated, "the heart of the king" and he was not speaking about other people; but so is it that all hearts are 'in the hand of the Lord.' As even though, [a person] thinks thoughts and it appears to the eyes that he has the ability in his hand to act; in truth he does not have the power in his hand to do bad or to do good, but rather [to do] the word of the living God.