Comentários de Citação sobre Provérbios 31:3

at the end of the days Heb. לְקֵץ הַיָמִין, like בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָמִים. We cannot interpret הַיָמִין as an expression of the right hand, because it is mentioned in the Large Masorah among the six words that are unusual because they have a final “nun” at the end of the word, which serves instead of a “mem,” and there is none like them, e.g. (Job 31:10): “and may others (אֲחֵרִין) kneel upon her;” (ibid. 24:22): “and he is not sure of life (בַּחַיִין)” (Ezek. 4:9): “take yourself wheat (חִטִין)”; (ibid. 26: 18): “Now the isles (הָאִיִן) will tremble;” (Prov. 31:3): “to the pleasures of kings;” (here): “to the end of the days (הַיָמִין).”

lust (desire): It is the beginning of all activities and actions and is even before thought. As when he wants something from his desire for it, he thinks about doing it. And there is much bad in all desires. There is no need to say the desire of the impulse to sins, but even the desire for much permissible laying with women is very bad. And about this Sholmo, peace be upon him, stated (Proverbs 31:3), "Do not give your strength to women." And, so too, much desire for permissible food and drink - this too is bad. And it is like the wise men of science said, that even light and good foods are harmful to the one who eats much of them. And this is what they said in Tractate Pesachim 114a, "Do not accustom yourself to eat geese, as your heart will stalk you." And there are three bad ways of desire, [just] like with envy: The first is one who desires that there should not be wealth and honor to any [other] person, and that he should have them. And that is a transgression that he [commits]. And the second one desires for wealth and wisdom, but if others [also] have it, the thing is good in his eyes - except that he should have more than them, to be greater than them. There is also much bad in this. And in the third there is a little good. [It is the one] who when he sees that his fellows have wisdom and wealth, he desires that he should also be like them. And it is very good in his eyes that they be like him and 'God should add to them from Him a thousandfold and bless him and them.' And this trait is not completely good, in that his desire is from the angle that others are wise and understanding and wealthy. As the fitting desire is to desire for wisdom from the angle that it is the foundation and root of service to the Creator, may He be blessed; and to do with the wealth that which is straight in the eyes of the Lord - and not because of [any] other thing. And this is what King David, peace be upon him, stated (Psalms 38:10), "Lord, all my desire is in front of You." He wanted to say that all of his desire is from the angle of Heaven and from envy of men. And so [too] do we find with our holy Rabbi, peace be upon him (Ketuvot 104a) that at the time of his departure (death), he raised his fingers and said, "It is revealed and known in front of You, Master of the worlds, that I have not enjoyed even [the worth of] a small finger." And even though our rabbis said about him (Bava Metzia 85a) that he was very wealthy, such that his key carrier [had] like the wealth of Shavur Malka (the king of Persia), nonetheless [Rabbi] only enjoyed for the sake of Heaven - as he did not desire the vanities of the world.