Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Ezekiel 28:15

In the third, he passes all his deeds under the rod of scrutiny (Leviticus 27:32) and brings evidence to prove that no iniquity shall be found in him; no sin (Hosea 12:9), in any of his deeds or acts. For he was blameless in all his ways (Ezekiel 28:15) and righteous in all his deeds (Psalms 145:17), and he is now stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted (Isaiah 53:4), though he is totally innocent (Job 16:17) and has said nothing wrong.

Convinced of his own innocence and that has neither sinned nor transgressed, he deems these visitations to be both unjustified and unwarranted. Notwithstanding, he continues, and with integrity, (Job 2:9) to believe in true faith (Isaiah 25:1), that no injustice, lack of knowledge, power or will can be attributed to God, Blessed be He, whose Perfection is absolute. He is thus driven to conclude that this evil could not have ensued from God's Providence; that He does not oversee the deeds of individual persons, nor does He mete out their reward or punishment, their benefaction or their hurt. For He has delegated this task to the universal governance ordained during the six days of Creation—the governance of the Cosmos.⁵הנהגת המערכת - governance of the Cosmos. As Malbim uses the term, it encompasses both Natural Astrology, which determines the movement of celestial bodies, and Judicial Astrology which determines how these movements affect sublunar (terrestrial) life. Thus, God remains just and true (Deuteronomy 32:4) and no guilt is to be found in Him (Psalms 92:16; Ezekiel 28:15). For since a person's deeds, whether righteous or evil, are all determined and apportioned by the governance of the Cosmos, he has no freedom of action and deserves neither reward nor punishment for his acts of volition, just as mill-stones, turned by flowing water, are neither rewarded if they grind the corn nor punished if they crush the head of someone who comes too close. And so, Job sets forth to campaign, and stringing his arrows, he lets fly (Psalms 11:2), and employing powerful philosophical arguments, founded on pillars of inquiry and study, he attacks belief in Providence, in Divine reward and punishment, physical or spiritual, and in the existence of free-will.

HE WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN AND WHOLE-HEARTED. Scripture mentions that he was guiltless and perfect in his righteousness in order to inform us that he was worthy to be saved from the flood without any punishment whatever since he was whole-hearted in righteousness. For a tzadik (a righteous person) is one who is found guiltless in judgment as opposed to the wicked person, as Scripture says, And they come unto judgment, and the judges judge them, by justifying the righteous, and condemning the wicked;⁸Deuteronomy 25:1. and also, For Thou art just in all that has come upon us, for Thou hast dealt truly;⁹Nehemiah 9:33. similarly, In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.¹⁰Leviticus 19:15. But in the case of Abraham, concerning whom it says, that he will command his children to do ‘tz’dakah’ and ‘mishpat,’¹¹Genesis 18:19. Scripture praises him for righteousness which is synonymous with judgment, and for mercy which is synonymous with tz’dakah.¹²Ramban is thus saying that where Scripture uses tzedek alone it means “guiltless in judgment,” but in the case of Abraham where in addition to tzedek (or tz’dakah) Scripture also mentions mishpat, (judgment) mishpat of necessity means “guiltless in judgment,” while tz’dakah in this case means “mercifulness.”
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said, “Righteous in deeds; whole-hearted in his heart.” However, it is written, Thou art whole-hearted in thy ways;¹³Ezekiel 28:15. [the term “whole-hearted” is thus used in connection with “ways” and not with matters of the heart].
Now after Scripture said that Noah was a righteous man, meaning that he was neither a man of violence nor one who perverted his ways as did the guilty ones of his generation, it further said that he walked with the glorious Name,¹⁴See Deuteronomy 28:58. fearing Him alone. He was not enticed by the astrologers, enchanters and soothsayers, and surely not by idolatry, and he paid no heed to them at all; to G-d alone he did always cleave, and he walked in the way G-d chose or taught him for he was a prophet. This is analogous in meaning to the verse, After the Eternal your G-d shall ye walk, and Him shall ye fear,¹⁵Ibid., 13:5. which is stated in connection with the removal of him who prophesies to encourage the worship of idols and gives a sign or wonder to verify his words, as I will explain. I will again mention this in connection with the verse, Walk before Me, and be thou whole-hearted,¹⁶Genesis 17:1. if He Who is perfect in knowledge¹⁷See Job 36:4. will be with me.
Now since Noah was a righteous man and undeserving of punishment, it was fitting that his sons and his household be saved by his merit for if his sons were to perish, it would have been a punishment upon him. Or it may be said that he was a perfectly righteous man, and his sons and household were also righteous since he taught them; this is analogous to that which is written concerning Abraham: For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household.¹¹Genesis 18:19.