Musar do Psalmów 91:10

The Zohar indeed emphasizes the severity of this grave sin in Parshat Vayechi (1:219b). The verse in Isaiah 3:11 states, "Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, for what his hands have done shall be done to him." This is its language. Why does it say "what his hands have done"? Rabbi Yitzchak said that this includes anyone who causes harm to himself or damages his own offspring. He is called "wicked," and not "angry at My Divine Presence" (Shechina), as You are not a God Who desires wickedness (Psalms 5:5). Additionally, it is written, "And there was wickedness in Judah's firstborn" (Genesis 38:7). Here too, it says, "Woe to the wicked." Woe to that person who commits evil and brings harm upon himself. For what his hands have done shall be done to him, including anyone who harms himself or damages his own offspring. These troubles are more severe than any others. Look, for it is written, "Woe to the wicked." Why "wicked"? Rather, as we say, he brings harm upon himself. Yet it is written, "No evil shall befall you" (Psalms 91:10). All these [troubles] are eliminated, but this one is not. If you say it is due to other guilty parties who killed the sons of nobles, look, all of them are eliminated, yet this one is not. What is the reason? They killed the sons of nobles, whereas he killed his very own son, and their blood is greater. Look, regarding other guilty parties, it is not written, "He did evil in the eyes of the Lord," but here it is written, "He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, which he committed." What is the reason? Because it is written, "And He destroyed His land" (Genesis 38:9). We learn that Rabbi Yehuda said, "You have no debt in the world for which there is no repentance except for this one. And you have no sin for which the Divine Presence does not become angry except for this one, as it is written, 'No evil shall befall you.'" Rabbi Yitzchak said, "The righteous in this world and the World to Come are called 'your people,' as it is written, 'And your people, all of them righteous, shall inherit the land forever' (Isaiah 60:21)." This is the extent of its language. See how the Zohar emphasizes the severity of this sin more than any other sin in the entire Torah, and one who fails in this sin will weep and mourn, for he has been cast away from the Supernal Abode. He is like a broken earthenware vessel without repair or purification. Woe to him for being created in such a state.

While they were still walking they saw a snake dancing before them. Rabbi Shimon said, “This snake is surely going to perform some miracle. The snake ran on ahead and entangled itself with a certain viper. The nature of the viper is such that if it gazes at a human being or a human being gazes at it, the person immediately dies from the poison of its gaze, Heaven spare us. After the snake entangled itself with the viper they began striking each another until they both died. When they arrive at that spot and saw the two of them lying dead upon the road Rabbi Shimon recited the verse, “No evil shall befall you, and no plague shall come near your tent” (Tehillim 91:10). He continued, “The Holy One Blessed is He has created every creature to perform an errand. Thus we must not disparage anything that He has made, for it was created for the sake of its mission. Concerning this was it written, ‘Hashem is good to all and His mercies are upon all His works’ (Tehillim 145:9).”

The category of destructive agents mentioned above are called “Evil.” Concerning them it states, “No Evil shall befall you” (Tehillim 91:10). Their victim resembles a sick person who has before him every delicacy in the world, yet he is unable to enjoy any of it because of his sickness. Thus the miser derives no benefit from his deeds in this world or the next, other than the shrouds in which he is buried. This is the meaning of the verse in Koheles (6:2), “As for the man upon whom God bestows wealth, property and honor, but God does not give him dominion over it, this too is a sickly evil.” Therefore let a man be sure to do what is upright in the eyes of God and men. For, “a good name is better than fine oil” (Koheles 7:1). Then all will be well with him while he is here, he will pass from the world with a good name and he will also enjoy good fortune in the World to Come.