Комментарий о цитате к Тегилим 34:13

The first announcement is, what is concluded in the Midrash Rabbati (Metzora 16:2): There was a story about one peddler who was going around towns near Tzippori and would announce and say, “Who wants to buy an elixir of life?” A crowd gathered around him. The author of Matnot Kehunah explains that they looked after him, similar to And they looked after Moses (Exodus 33:8). Rabbi Yannai was sitting and teaching in his reception hall. He said to the peddler, “Come up here and sell to me.” The peddler replied, “You don’t need it, nor do people like you.” Rabbi Yannai pressed him, so he went up to him. The peddler took out a wrapped book of Psalms and showed him this verse: Who is the man who desires life… Guard your tongue from evil (Psalms 34:13–14). Rabbi Yannai said, “Even Solomon announces: He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles (Proverbs 21:23) — guards his soul from leprosy.” Rabbi Yannai said, “All my days I had been reading this verse but did not know how its simple meaning was understood until this peddler came and informed me.” Therefore, Moses warns Israel: This shall be the law of the metzora [leper] — the one who brings forth evil [playing on the word metzora as motzi ra — one who speaks evil]. End of quote.

The first announcement is, what is concluded in the Midrash Rabbati (Metzora 16:2): There was a story about one peddler who was going around towns near Tzippori and would announce and say, “Who wants to buy an elixir of life?” A crowd gathered around him. The author of Matnot Kehunah explains that they looked after him, similar to And they looked after Moses (Exodus 33:8). Rabbi Yannai was sitting and teaching in his reception hall. He said to the peddler, “Come up here and sell to me.” The peddler replied, “You don’t need it, nor do people like you.” Rabbi Yannai pressed him, so he went up to him. The peddler took out a wrapped book of Psalms and showed him this verse: Who is the man who desires life… Guard your tongue from evil (Psalms 34:13–14). Rabbi Yannai said, “Even Solomon announces: He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles (Proverbs 21:23) — guards his soul from leprosy.” Rabbi Yannai said, “All my days I had been reading this verse but did not know how its simple meaning was understood until this peddler came and informed me.” Therefore, Moses warns Israel: This shall be the law of the metzora [leper] — the one who brings forth evil [playing on the word metzora as motzi ra — one who speaks evil]. End of quote.

The second proclamation we find in tractate Avodah Zarah (19b): Rabbi Alexandri proclaimed, “Who wants life? Who wants life?” Everyone gathered around him and came to him. They said to him, “Give us life!” He said to them, Who is the man who desires life? Guard your tongue from evil (Psalms 34:13-14). Lest a person say, “Since I have guarded my tongue from evil, I will go and indulge in sleep,” the verse teaches, Turn away from evil and do good (Psalms 34:15). And good refers to nothing other than Torah, as it is said, For I give you good doctrine (Proverbs 4:2).