וַאֲנִ֗י כִּ֭מְעַט נטוי [נָטָ֣יוּ] רַגְלָ֑י כְּ֝אַ֗יִן שפכה [שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ] אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
A ja, omal nie potknęły się nogi moje; ledwie nie poślizgły się kroki moje.
Vayikra Rabbah
“When you will come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving to you as a possession, and I will place a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession” (Leviticus 14:34).
“When you will come to the land of Canaan…and I will place a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession.” That is what is written: “Indeed, God is good to Israel, to those pure of heart” (Psalms 73:1). One might [think God is good] to all; the verse states: “For those pure of heart,” those whose hearts are pure in the performance of mitzvot. “Happy is the person whose strength is in You” (Psalms 84:7). One might [think this applies] to all; the verse states: “Paths in their heart” (Psalms 84:7) – it is for those for whom the paths of Torah are paved in their heart. “Be good, Lord, to those who are good” (Psalms 125:4). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To the upright of heart” (Psalms 125:4). “The Lord is good; He is a stronghold on the day of trouble” (Nahum 1:7). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “and He knows who takes refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7). “The Lord is good to those who hope for Him” (Lamentations 3:25). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To the soul that seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25). “The Lord is close to all who call Him” (Psalms 145:18). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To all who call Him in truth” (Psalms 145:18).
“[A psalm of Asaf…] But I, my feet came close to veering” (Psalms 73:1–2). Rav and Levi, one said it was Asaf son of Koraḥ, and one said it was a different Asaf. The one who said it was Asaf son of Koraḥ [interprets the verse to mean]: I would have already been dwelling with my father in Gehenna. The one who said it was a different Asaf: I would have already been dwelling with the wicked in Gehenna. Why? “For I was jealous of the revelers [baholelim]” (Psalms 73:3). In the West,1The Land of Israel. they say: Those whose hearts are filled with wicked thoughts [holelot]. Rabbi Levi would call them: Arrogant cynics, who bring woe [alelai] to the world.
“I saw the peace of the wicked” (Psalms 73:3). It is written: “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21), and you say: “Peace of [shelom] the wicked”? Rather, I saw the retribution [shilumim] of the wicked.
“For there are no chains toward their death; indeed, they are healthy” (Psalms 73:4). I did not cause them to contemplate with illnesses,2I did not bring upon them difficult illnesses that might cause them to contemplate the cause of their suffering. Some commentaries cite alternate versions of the text (see Rabbi David Luria; Etz Yosef). and I did not bind them in chains. But rather, “they are healthy [bari ulam]” – I rendered them as healthy [beriim] as the Hall [ulam], as we learned: The entrance to the Hall was forty cubits high and twenty cubits wide and there were five oak cornices above it.3Mishna Midot 3:7. These oak cornices were very sturdy and demonstrated the architectural strength of the Hall. The reference here is to the Hall in the Temple, which was situated between the Courtyard and the Sancturay.
Rabbi Dostai ben Rabbi Yanai in the name of Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis, Rabbi Dostai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: This woman spins one maa of coarse thread and one maa of fine thread. These thin ones are for threads and those are for cords.4This is in explanation of the phrase “For there are no chains toward their death, indeed, they are healthy.” Rabbi Dostai explains that although when a woman spins thread some threads come out thick and some thin, in the case of the wicked, they may go through life with no hardship at all. The Rabbis say: They have no string of punishments from which they will die, but rather, they are healthy until judgment day. That is what is written: “He made the Hall of [veulam] the throne where he would judge, the Hall of [ulam] judgment” (I Kings 7:7).
“They are excluded from human toil” (Psalms 73:5). Not to plow, not to sow, and not to reap. “No plagues of man afflict them” (Psalms 73:5), Rav Hamnuna said: Not even the plagues that afflict those in whose regard it is written: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men” (Ezekiel 34:31). Therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “When you will come to the land of Canaan.”5Although the evildoers of the nations of the world do not suffer in this world and are punished in the World to Come, Moses warns Israel that they will suffer for their sins in this world in order that they may be rewarded in the World to Come.
“When you will come to the land of Canaan…and I will place a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession.” That is what is written: “Indeed, God is good to Israel, to those pure of heart” (Psalms 73:1). One might [think God is good] to all; the verse states: “For those pure of heart,” those whose hearts are pure in the performance of mitzvot. “Happy is the person whose strength is in You” (Psalms 84:7). One might [think this applies] to all; the verse states: “Paths in their heart” (Psalms 84:7) – it is for those for whom the paths of Torah are paved in their heart. “Be good, Lord, to those who are good” (Psalms 125:4). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To the upright of heart” (Psalms 125:4). “The Lord is good; He is a stronghold on the day of trouble” (Nahum 1:7). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “and He knows who takes refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7). “The Lord is good to those who hope for Him” (Lamentations 3:25). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To the soul that seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25). “The Lord is close to all who call Him” (Psalms 145:18). One might [think it applies] to all; the verse states: “To all who call Him in truth” (Psalms 145:18).
“[A psalm of Asaf…] But I, my feet came close to veering” (Psalms 73:1–2). Rav and Levi, one said it was Asaf son of Koraḥ, and one said it was a different Asaf. The one who said it was Asaf son of Koraḥ [interprets the verse to mean]: I would have already been dwelling with my father in Gehenna. The one who said it was a different Asaf: I would have already been dwelling with the wicked in Gehenna. Why? “For I was jealous of the revelers [baholelim]” (Psalms 73:3). In the West,1The Land of Israel. they say: Those whose hearts are filled with wicked thoughts [holelot]. Rabbi Levi would call them: Arrogant cynics, who bring woe [alelai] to the world.
“I saw the peace of the wicked” (Psalms 73:3). It is written: “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21), and you say: “Peace of [shelom] the wicked”? Rather, I saw the retribution [shilumim] of the wicked.
“For there are no chains toward their death; indeed, they are healthy” (Psalms 73:4). I did not cause them to contemplate with illnesses,2I did not bring upon them difficult illnesses that might cause them to contemplate the cause of their suffering. Some commentaries cite alternate versions of the text (see Rabbi David Luria; Etz Yosef). and I did not bind them in chains. But rather, “they are healthy [bari ulam]” – I rendered them as healthy [beriim] as the Hall [ulam], as we learned: The entrance to the Hall was forty cubits high and twenty cubits wide and there were five oak cornices above it.3Mishna Midot 3:7. These oak cornices were very sturdy and demonstrated the architectural strength of the Hall. The reference here is to the Hall in the Temple, which was situated between the Courtyard and the Sancturay.
Rabbi Dostai ben Rabbi Yanai in the name of Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis, Rabbi Dostai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: This woman spins one maa of coarse thread and one maa of fine thread. These thin ones are for threads and those are for cords.4This is in explanation of the phrase “For there are no chains toward their death, indeed, they are healthy.” Rabbi Dostai explains that although when a woman spins thread some threads come out thick and some thin, in the case of the wicked, they may go through life with no hardship at all. The Rabbis say: They have no string of punishments from which they will die, but rather, they are healthy until judgment day. That is what is written: “He made the Hall of [veulam] the throne where he would judge, the Hall of [ulam] judgment” (I Kings 7:7).
“They are excluded from human toil” (Psalms 73:5). Not to plow, not to sow, and not to reap. “No plagues of man afflict them” (Psalms 73:5), Rav Hamnuna said: Not even the plagues that afflict those in whose regard it is written: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men” (Ezekiel 34:31). Therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “When you will come to the land of Canaan.”5Although the evildoers of the nations of the world do not suffer in this world and are punished in the World to Come, Moses warns Israel that they will suffer for their sins in this world in order that they may be rewarded in the World to Come.
Midrash Tehillim
Psalm of Asaph, but good for Israel is God, to the pure of heart. As it is written (Psalms 37:1), "Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity." And likewise it says (Proverbs 24:20), "For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "If you see the candle of the wicked burning, do not envy them, for it is extinguished in the world to come," as it says (Proverbs 24:20), "The lamp of the wicked will be put out." And what should one envy? The fear of the Lord all day long, in something that has a good end and does not cease forever, as it says (Psalms 23:6), "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Asaph said, "I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end" (Psalms 73:3,17). And for whom is it good? To the pure of heart, as it says (Psalms 24:3-4), "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart." Asaph said, "I did not know that they were for their own good, and I was envious, and my feet almost stumbled" (Psalms 73:2). And why do the wicked have peace? It is because there are no constraints on their death, and they are healthy. "This woman spins wool from both picked and combed wool, and the spinning is not equal in both." But the wicked are not like that, for there are no constraints on their death, and they are healthy. Therefore, they have peace. "What are constraints? The Holy One, blessed be He, does not delay the glory of the wicked; whatever they ask for, they are given." Why is this similar to a sick person whom the doctor visited and took his spoon away, saying, "Give him whatever he wants to eat, for he is dying"? So Moses said to his enemies (Deuteronomy 32:41), "I will render vengeance to My enemies." Be aware that there are no constraints on their death, for they are healthy, and suffering does not touch them.