잠언 8:6의 인용 해설

And even though this heavenly echo is not heard, it is nevertheless sensed, and it makes an impression on the world to those that do not occupy themselves with the Torah. And 'even though he did not hear it, his constellation heard it.' So his constellation impels him to the Torah. And hence he said, "A heavenly echo goes out from Mount Chorev." For once the Torah was given on Mount Sinai, 'it was a drug of life for those who are right-handed with it and a drug of death for those who are left-handed with it.' And it is as we say in Tractate Shabbat (88b) in the chapter [entitled] Rebbe Akiva: Rav Chanina said to Rav Pappa, "[Regarding] that which is written (Proverbs 8:6), 'Listen, for I will speak royal ones.' Why are words of Torah likened to a royal one? Just as this royal one is able to kill and to grant life; so too, words of Torah are able to kill and to grant life." This is as Rava said, "It is a drug of life for those who are right-handed with it and a drug of death for those who are left-handed with it." To here [is the Gemara]. Its explanation is that the Torah has this thing: That just like the royal one - the one who draws close to him and does his will, the royal one will raise him and exalt him; and the opposite - in accordance with the greatness of the royal one - if a person transgresses his will, the royal one denigrates him and brings him down. So too, the words of Torah - in accordance with their stature and their level - if one does not act with them according to that which is appropriate, there is punishment and lowliness upon him. And because Mount Sinai was apt that the words of Torah would descend from it to the world, and apt that this decree should go out to the world - that is the heavenly echo that says, "Woe to the creatures for disparaging the Torah." For 'it is a drug of death for those who are left-handed with it.' And that is what they also said there (Shabbat 89b) - "It is called, 'Mount Desolation,' as destruction came from it to the nations of the world." And that is because the nations are distanced from the Torah; and that is the trait of the Torah for those who are left-handed with it - it is a drug of death. And this is the heavenly echo that goes out from Mount Chorev and says that anyone who does not occupy himself with Torah is called, "rebuked." The explanation is that he is distanced from God, may He be blessed - just like any rebuke is a distancing. So too, one who does not occupy himself with Torah is rebuked for the Omnipresent.

Another meaning of this verse is connected to Proverbs 8,6: "I speak of lofty things," a reference to Torah's rule. The words: "when the heads of the people assemble," mean that when the people request that a king be appointed such a king may be appointed in addition to the Torah. This is precisely what happened during the lifetime of the prophet Samuel. We read in Samuel I 8,5 that all the elders of the people assembled, approached Samuel and said to him: "seeing that you have aged and your sons do not follow in your footsteps, please appoint over us a king to judge us like all the other nations." Unless such a situation exists the Torah is supposed to be the only authority ruling over Israel. This is part of what Samuel replied (Samuel I 8,12) "and the Lord your G'd is your king." The king he referred to was the Torah.

I have a further question based on what is stated in Tractate Shabbos 88b: R. Hananel ben Papa said: “What is meant by, ‘Hear, for I will speak princely things;’⁶Prov. 8:6. why are the words of the Torah compared to a prince? [It is] to tell you that just as a prince has the power of life and death, so do the words of the Torah have [the potentialities] of life and death.” Thus Rava said: “To those who go to the right hand [of the Torah], it is a medicine of life; to those who go to the left hand thereof, it is a deadly poison.”⁷The meaning of “right” and “left” is explained in the next two paragraphs.