Psalmów 34:13 Kabała: Sha'arei Kedusha & Reshit Chokhmah

The spies and the generation of the desert were only punished because of false testimony. Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,⁵⁸³Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 92a (See Rashi) “Whoever speaks deceitfully, it is as though he worships idolatry.” It is written,⁵⁸⁴Proverbs 6:16-19 “HaShem-יהו״ה hates these six, but the seventh is the abomination of His soul. Haughty eyes, a false tongue and hands that spill innocent blood. A heart that plots iniquitous thoughts, feet that run to do evil, a false witness who spouts lies, and one who stirs up strife among brothers.” The verse states,⁵⁸⁵Jeremiah 9:4-8 “They do not speak truth… Shall I not punish them for these things?” It also is written,⁵⁸⁶Psalms 34:13 “Who is the man who desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from speaking evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Also one who is a person that loves peace and chases peace merits the attribute of ‘Tzadik’, as is known that the attribute of ‘Tzadik’ is called ‘Shalom’ (peace), and just like he separated peace he should ask for peace between a man and his wife and between a man and his friend. This is also explained by the verses of King David, “Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:13-15). The aspect of “loves length of days that he may see good” is the correction of the attribute of ‘Tzadik’, and corresponding to it it says “depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it”, which is one who emits semen in vain, and “do good” is to correct the attribute of goodness by virtue of the Tzedakah, as is explained above. Also to adjoin ‘redemption’ with ‘prayer’ (not to have any break between ‘Ga’al Yisrael’ and the Amidah Prayer), as it says “and I have done that which is good in Your eyes” (Isaiah 38:3), that he adjoined ‘redemption’ with ‘prayer’. The meaning of “do good” is to correct the attribute of goodness that is called ‘Tzadik’ in the secret of unification, and therefore one needs to also seek after peace, as we explained, and this is the aspect of ‘doing’. The aspect of departing from evil that relates to the damage of the ‘Tzadik’ is guarding the tongue from anything that damages it, as we explained above regarding “guard your tongue from evil” (Psalms 34:14) that they defile those who damage their tongue, and there is no need to expand on this.