Comentários de Citação sobre Provérbios 23:20

SPEAK UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Our Rabbis have already said¹Torath Kohanim at beginning of Seder Kedoshim. Quoted also in Rashi. that this section was addressed to the full assembly [of all Israel] because most of the fundamental principles of the Torah are dependent on it,²Mizrachi on Rashi offers two explanations of this text: (a) Since the laws of this chapter are so fundamental, it was necessary for all the congregation to be present, so that if a doubt arises in anyone’s mind as to precisely what Moses said, the other people can easily clarify it to him, which would not have been the case if the laws of this section were not declared to the full assembly. (b) Since these laws are so fundamental, men, women, and children were all present when Moses addressed them, whereas in the other sections of the Torah only the elders and the men were present. this being the reason for the expression, speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel. This section, however, was mentioned here in [the book of] Torath Kohanim³Literally: “the Law of the Priests,” which is another name for the Book of Vayikra, or Leviticus. In other words, since the laws of this section are so fundamental to the entire congregation of Israel, why were they placed in the book which is essentially devoted to the laws of the priests and the offerings? The answer follows in the text. because it contains laws concerning the thanks-offering,⁴The Tur, quoting the language of Ramban, writes: “peace-offerings.” That is correct, since the following verses [5-8] refer only to the peace-offerings, and not the thanks-offering. There are important differences between them. A thanks-offering may be eaten only on the same day that it was slaughtered until midnight, whilst a peace-offering could be eaten for two days and the intervening night. Therefore Verses 6 and 7, speaking of permission to eat the offering for two days, could not possibly refer to the thanks-offering. and also because it states the punishments⁵Further, Chapter 20. He commanded us to execute on those who do the abominable deeds mentioned [in the preceding sections], as well as [those for] the forbidden sexual relationships. These subjects have been included in this book [of Torath Kohanim] for the reason that we have written at the beginning of this book.⁶See Ramban’s introduction to this book where he writes: “As a result of mentioning these laws, He warned afterwards about forbidden sexual relationships etc.”

YE SHALL BE HOLY. “Abstain from the forbidden sexual relationships [mentioned in the preceding section] and from [other] sin,⁷So explained in Gur Aryeh on Rashi. because wherever you find [in the Torah] a warning to guard against immorality, you find the mention of ‘holiness.’” This is Rashi’s language. But in the Torath Kohanim I have seen it mentioned without any qualification [i.e., without any particular reference to immorality, as Rashi expressed it], saying:⁸Torath Kohanim, at beginning of Seder Kedoshim. “Be self-restraining.” Similarly, the Rabbis taught there:⁹Ibid., Shemini 12:4. “And ye shall sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy, for I am Holy.¹⁰Above, 11:44. Just as I am Holy, so be you holy. Just as I am Pure, so be you pure.” And in my opinion, this abstinence does not refer only to restraint from acts of immorality, as the Rabbi [Rashi] wrote, but it is rather the self-control mentioned throughout the Talmud, which confers upon those who practice it the name of P’rushim (Pharisees), [literally: “those who are separated” from self-indulgence, as will be explained, or those who practice self-restraint]. The meaning thereof is as follows: The Torah has admonished us against immorality and forbidden foods, but permitted sexual intercourse between man and his wife, and the eating of [certain] meat and wine. If so, a man of desire could consider this to be a permission to be passionately addicted to sexual intercourse with his wife or many wives, and be among winebibbers, among gluttonous eaters of flesh,¹¹Proverbs 23:20 and speak freely all profanities, since this prohibition has not been [expressly] mentioned in the Torah, and thus he will become a sordid person within the permissible realm of the Torah! Therefore, after having listed the matters which He prohibited altogether, Scripture followed them up by a general command that we practice moderation even in matters which are permitted, [such as in the following]: One should minimize sexual intercourse, similar to that which the Rabbis have said,¹²Berachoth 22 a. “So that the disciples of the Sages should not be found together with their wives as often as the hens,” and he should not engage in it except as required in fulfillment of the commandment thereof. He should also sanctify himself [to self-restraint] by using wine in small amounts, just as Scripture calls a Nazirite “holy” [for abstaining from wine and strong drink],¹³Numbers 6:8. and he should remember the evils which the Torah mentioned as following from [drinking wine] in the cases of Noah¹⁴Genesis 9:21. and Lot.¹⁵Ibid., 19:33. Similarly, he should keep himself away from impurity [in his ordinary daily activity], even though we have not been admonished against it in the Torah, similar to that which the Rabbis have said:¹⁶Chagigah 18 b. “For the P’rushim (Pharisees), the clothes of the unlearned are considered as if trodden upon by a zav” [or zavah — a man or woman having suffered a flux], and just as the Nazirite is called “holy” because of guarding himself from the impurity of the dead.¹⁷Numbers 6:6-7. Likewise he should guard his mouth and tongue from being defiled by excessive food and by lewd talk, similar to what Scripture states, and every mouth speaketh wantonness,¹⁸Isaiah 9:16. and he should purify himself in this respect until he reaches the degree known as [complete] “self-restraint,” as the Rabbis said concerning Rabbi Chiya,¹⁹See my Hebrew commentary p. 116, for different personalities to whom this character trait has been ascribed in Rabbinic sources. I have not found a clear source for Ramban’s version here. that never in his life did he engage in unnecessary talk. It is with reference to these and similar matters that this general commandment [Ye shall be holy] is concerned, after He had enumerated all individual deeds which are strictly forbidden, so that cleanliness of hands and body, are also included in this precept, just like the Rabbis have said:²⁰Berachoth 53 b. “And ye shall sanctify yourselves.¹⁰Above, 11:44. This refers to the washing of hands before meals. And be ye holy.¹⁰Above, 11:44. This refers to the washing of hands after meals [before the reciting of grace]. For I am holy — this alludes to the spiced oil” [with which they used to rub their hands after a meal]. For although these [washings and perfuming of the hands] are commandments of Rabbinic origin, yet Scripture’s main intention is to warn us of such matters, that we should be [physically] clean and [ritually] pure, and separated from the common people who soil themselves with luxuries and unseemly things. And such is the way of the Torah, that after it lists certain specific prohibitions, it includes them all in a general precept. Thus after warning with detailed laws regarding all business dealings between people, such as not to steal or rob or to wrong²¹Further, 25:17. one another, and other similar prohibitions, He said in general, And thou shalt do that which is right and good,²²Deuteronomy 6:18. thus including under a positive commandment the duty of doing that which is right and of agreeing to a compromise [when not to do so would be inequitable]; as well as all requirements to act “beyond” the line of justice [i.e., to be generous in not insisting upon one’s rights as defined by the strict letter of the law, but to agree to act “beyond” that line of the strict law] for the sake of pleasing one’s fellowman, as I will explain when I reach there [that verse], with the will of the Holy One, blessed be He. Similarly in the case of the Sabbath, He prohibited doing certain classes of work by means of a negative commandment,²³Exodus 20:10. and painstaking labors [not categorized as “work,” such as transferring heavy loads in one’s yard from one place to another, etc.] He included under a general positive commandment, as it is said, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest.²⁴Ibid., 23:12. I will yet explain this²⁵See further, 23:24. with the help of G-d.

If he ate it in a company [celebrating] a religious act; or at a gathering for the purpose of intercalating the month; if he ate the second tithe in Jerusalem; if he ate the carrion or terefoth (meat that was not slaughtered in a kosher, abominable and creeping things, or untithed produce, or the first tithe from which terumah had not been separated, or unredeemed second tithe, or unredeemed sacred food; if his eating involved a religious act or a transgression; if he ate any food but did not eat meat or drank any drink but did not drink wine, he does not become a ‘stubborn and rebellious son, unless he eats meat and drinks wine, for it is written, “This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice;] he is a glutton and a drunkard” (Deut. 21:20). Although there is no clear proof for this, there is at least a hint, as it is says, “Do not be among wine drinkers, among gluttonous meat eaters of flesh (Proverbs 23:20). This section lists all sorts of circumstances of eating and drinking that would not cause him to be a wayward and rebellious son. These circumstances can be divided into two types: 1) religious celebrations; 2) consumption of forbidden food. If he ate at a religious celebration he cannot be punished since it is praiseworthy to eat much wine and meat at such affairs. These types of affairs are listed in the first three clauses of the section. Second tithe, mentioned in section b, is consumed only in Jerusalem, and therefore by eating it there he is fulfilling a religious duty. Clauses c and d list several foods that are forbidden to be consumed, whether they are agricultural products who have not had the agricultural offerings separated from them (untithed produce, etc.), meat that was not slaughtered properly (carrion or terefoth) or animals that are forbidden to eat (abominable and creeping things). The Talmud explains that eating or drinking these things do not make one a wayward and rebellious son because the parents state, “He does not listen to our voice”, whereas one who eats these things doesn’t listen even to God’s voice. A wayward and rebellious son is only defiant to his parents but not to his entire religious obligation. Finally the mishnah reminds us that he must have eaten meat and drunk wine in order to become a wayward and rebellious son. Eating other food gluttonously and getting drunk off other beverages will not make a child liable to be punished as a wayward and rebellious son.

ויסרו אתו AND THEY SHALL CHASTISE HIM — admonish him in the presence of three people, and if he still remains refractory they cause him to be lashed through the court (Sanhedrin 71a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 218:11). The refractory and rebellious son is not liable to the death penalty until he proves to be a thief and eats at one meal a “tartemar” (a weight of half a Maneh) flesh and drinks half a Log wine, for it is said of him, (v. 20) זולל וסבא, and in another passage (Proverbs 23:20) it says: “Do not be among wine-guzzlers (בְסֹבְאֵי-יָיִן), among gluttonous eaters of meat” (Sanhedrin 70a; cf. Sifrei Devarim 219:4). — The refractory and rebellious son is put to death on account of the final course his life must necessarily take (not because his present offence is deserving death); — the Torah has fathomed his ultimate disposition: in the end he will squander his fathers property and seeking in vain for the pleasures to which he has been accustomed, he will take his stand on the crossroads and rob people, and in some way or other make, himself liable to the death penalty. Says the Torah, “Let him die innocent of such crimes, and let him not die guilty of them” (Sifrei Devarim 220:3; Sanhedrin 72a).