잠언 27:21의 인용 해설

Rabbi Yosi says: Anyone who honors the Torah, etc.: And what is the honor of Torah? That he not place [holy] books on the floor and that he not sit on a chair or bench together with them on the same level; and that he honors it and its learners. As it is a known thing by force of the verses - and logic attest to it - that we can assume that someone who speaks well about the good and about the sages is righteous. And [regarding] any one who judges them unfavorably, takes [up] their actions to say that they are not thought out and does not see them to be a merit for them; and when evildoers are spoken about, he justifies their deeds - it is known that he has a trace of evil. And do not have a doubt that you can discern the hearts of men by this. And there is a whole verse about this that Shlomo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 27:21), "For silver, the crucible; for gold, the furnace; and a man, according to his praising" - meaning to say, according to what he praises. And even though it is written (I Samuel 16:7), "but the Lord sees to the heart," that is speaking concerning heresy. As a man does not have the ability to discern if his fellow is a heretic, since these are matters hidden in the hearts of the heretics. But the speech of the believers (the editor said, according to the [context], some words are missing here, and there are those that have the textual variant, "but they are like believers in their speech.")

This is the well [the academy] that was dug by the officers of God and the Torah. It was excavated by the philanthropists of God’s people, those who share in its reward;¹⁰Numbers 21:18, “A well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people excavated through a lawgiver. with their staves….” The Netziv in Harhev Davar, id. 21:20, explains that this verse refers to both the Sages of Israel and the philanthropists. The officers are those who wage the war of Torah by excavating the well with their deep analysis. Furrows are then dug by those who generously support the scholars, thereby drawing honor (water) for themselves from the Torah (the well). The philanthropists gain honor from the Torah by obtaining at times great insights into the depths of the Torah. those who dug the spring of Torah with their rods of deep analysis by bringing the battle of Torah to the gates [of the academy], and those who with their rods of a generous and pure heart [donated money]. I derived much from the multitude of rivers, the colleagues and students who studied the Torah intensely. They closely examined [my Torah thoughts] and their waters brought prosperity by influencing others to study even more intensely, [to carry out] sincere [and straightforward analysis]. Each contributed according to his particular task and was industrious, so as to fortify it [the academy], each according to his praise,¹¹Proverbs 27:21. [that is], among the illustrious of the scholars, the lion-like colleagues at the academy [of Volozhin]. Many drank from their waters [of Torah], and were satiated according to their ability, each according to his measure. [Drinking their waters of Torah] produced judges who are as life-sustaining as grain¹²Similar wording is found in Hosea 14:8. See Midrash Rabbah on Gen., chapter 66, on the Torah reading of Toldos, stating that the Hebrew word dagan, meaning grain, refers to the Talmud. [because of their knowledge] of the Talmud and [their application] of logic. I did not refrain from group discussion, whether the intricate insights of my colleagues or the pilpul of my students. There is a constant cycle of various students [with new and different talents] entering and leaving the [academy]¹³The Netziv is quoting words from Lamentations 3:23, which are translated literally as, “They are new every morning.” See Tractate Hagiga 14a, which explains this verse as describing how each day God creates a band of new angels, which utters a song before Him and then passes away. Perhaps this alludes to how the students involved in Talmudic discussion are like the angels uttering songs of praise to God. to acquire the teachings of the Talmud. It is through the power [of these group discussions] that I acquired [abilities] with which I gained great success¹⁴Similar to the words in Job 11:6. in receiving the Torah little by little, until I amassed much. My fine flour was the result of [undertaking] an arduous analytical path, one that I had taken many times, using the books of the earlier Geonim, for they brighten one’s eyes [with understanding]. Also, the merit of our master [the She’iltos] of blessed memory stood by me to strengthen my weak foundations. For, behold, I have published [brought to light] an explanation of his book, [the She’iltos], which God made available to those who study Torah without ceasing.¹⁵See Gen. 49:14, which Rashi translates as “resting between the cities.” The Tribe of Issachar is compared to a “strong-boned donkey resting between the cities,” since Issachar bears the Torah ceaselessly, pausing at long intervals to rest – that is, by sleeping in the study halls.