מוּסָ֣ר רָ֭ע לְעֹזֵ֣ב אֹ֑רַח שׂוֹנֵ֖א תוֹכַ֣חַת יָמֽוּת׃
Mabigat na parusa ang naghihintay sa tumatalikod sa daan; ang napopoot sa saway ay mamamatay.
Rabbeinu Bahya
...In this verse, King Solomon, of blessed memory, teaches the virtue of accepting reproof and criticism. Torah depends on one’s ability to accept reproof. The highest virtue is found in the one who accepts criticism and listens to the one who rebukes him. It is the basis for the fulfillment of the Torah. One who rejects reproof is marked by a repulsive virtue containing the worst evils. To reject criticism causes one to reject the yoke of the commandments. Regarding this, Solomon wrote: "Discipline is worse than the one who abandons God's way; he who hates rebuke will die." (Prov. 15:10) This means that one who rejects reproof is worse than the person who abandons the observance of Torah since such a person is guilty of denying the yoke of commandments. A person who abandons the path of Torah may face punishment but he is not condemned to death. One who rejects reproof is not pardoned through suffering but is sentenced to death. This is what King Solomon meant when he said, "He who hates rebuke will die." It is not enough for him to face painful suffering as a judgment…Conversely, Solomon explains that reproof is like a thing of beauty just as earrings are adornments to the body. When a wise person presents criticism to a person who is receptive to the criticism, the criticism is compared to an earring or an adornment which beautifies the soul of the individual. There are two types of people with regard to reproof: those whom we are obligated to criticize and those whom we should avoid criticizing. There are three types of people whom one is obligated to criticize: the wise, the simple and the youth. There are three types of people to whom one should avoid offering reproof: scoffers, fools and the wicked. Regarding scoffers, we are taught, "Do not rebuke the scoffer for he will hate you." (Prov. 9:8) … Regarding fools, it is written, "Do not speak to the fool for he will disdain your sensible words." (Prov. 23:9) The scoffer hates the person who criticizes him while the fool makes light of the words of reproof and mocks the person who is wiser than they are. Regarding the wicked, it is stated, "…to rebuke the wicked person for his blemish is to call down abuse on oneself." (Prov. 9:7) This means that when one criticizes the wicked and points out his blemish, the wicked responds by casting his own blemish back on the one who rebuked him. The people to whom one should offer reproof include the wise. It is written, "Reprove the wise person and he will love you." (Prov. 9:8) Sometimes a wise person needs to be criticized when he accidently sins or does so by chance. Regarding the simple, it is written, "Endow the simple with shrewdness." (Prov. 1:4) Regarding the young, Scripture states "(He endows) the young with knowledge and foresight." (ibid) The most important type of reproof is the criticism offered to the young since their intellect is not fully developed and they lived under the domination of the evil inclination for the thirteen years when their thoughts and understanding were completely focused on worldly pleasures of the body. While they are still adolescents and their nature is malleable, young people are in need of criticism to rein in their behavior and to help them come under the control of their good inclination. They gain this by listening to the person who reproves them and by paying attention to words of Torah which is entirely reproof. It is written, "The way to life is the rebuke that disciplines." (Prov. 6:23) If a person was allowed to follow his basic nature, whether good or bad, he would not be able to separate himself from his youthful behavior when he reached the full maturity, as it is written, "Train a lad in the way he ought to go; he will not swerve from it even in his old age." (Prov. 22:6) Thus, a person acquires great benefit and merit for himself (by accepting criticism when he is young.) Because of this Solomon advises us to offer reproof to a young person with 'the rod of discipline,' "if folly settles in the heart of a lad, the rod of discipline will remove it." (Prov. 22:15) This means that even if the folly has attached itself to his heart and he has become accustomed to acting in this fashion for many years, do not despair and say, 'There is no way to make him improve,' for as long as he is a lad and the rod of discipline is used, he can remove it. By disciplining him little by little, the reproof will eventually enter his heart. When the word of the disciplinarian is soft so and offered with constancy it will eventually make an impression on the one who is disciplined just as drops of water which are soft and pleasing eventually leave a hole in a rock (upon which the water drips). But if a person despairs and does not try to offer a young person reproof, it is as if he hates him, as it is stated: "He who spares the rod, hates his son; but he who loves him disciplines him early," (Prov. 14:23) The Midrash interprets this verse: "He who spares the rod, hates his son," refers to King David, while "He who loves him, disciplines him early," refers to Jacob, teaching that one who withholds discipline in the end will cause his children to follow evil company. We find this to be the case with Abraham who spoiled Ishmael and eventually he followed evil company…similarly Isaac spoiled Esau so that he left his father to follow evil company… David spoiled Adoniyah and Abshalom causing them to follow evil company… "He who loves him disciplines him early" refers to Abraham in the case of Isaac and Isaac in the case of Jacob. Similarly because Jacob disciplined his sons, there was no unworthy sons among them. Because he was a wise disciplinarian and the sons were attentive to him they became like refined gold made into earrings and they were truly the children of their father's legacy.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
He lets us know that reproof makes the one who accepts it alive, and it makes the one who does not accept it dead, as the verse says, “a healing tongue is a tree of life” [Proverbs, 15:4]. This means, the tongue that reproves the people makes life and makes death, as the verse says, “he who spurns reproof will die” [Proverbs, 15:10]. The one who does not want to hear reproof, will die. Whoever wants to reprove his friend, must tell him the truth, and should not flatter him. Concerning this the verse says, “Open reproof is better” [Proverbs, 27:5]. That is to say, it is better when someone reproves his friend openly with words and tells him the truth, even if he will hate him because of it. This is better than someone who refrains and does not want to tell his friend the sins that he committed. He does not want that his friend should hate him. This is the meaning of the verse “than concealed love” [Proverbs, 27:5]. It is known that there are many rabbis who reprove the people. They avenge themselves on the people and talk about their disgraces, but not for the sake of heaven. Therefore, the verse says here, “Open reproof is better than concealed love” [Proverbs, 27:5]. That is to say, the reproof is good when one tells the people, but only when it is with love from the scholar. This is the meaning of the verse “than concealed love” [Proverbs, 27:5]. Kimchi writes about the verse: the reproof is good when one expresses it, but in any event when he loves his friend, then he reproves him privately, alone, not to shame him, as the verse says, “Open reproof is better” [Proverbs, 27:5]. It is good that the reproof from the Holy One to Israel were public. They are called, love, since it is just to love Him. Since the reproof comes from the Holy One, it is good. Despite all the curses that were in the time of the first Temple, the second Temple, and the two exiles, yet Israel has continued to exist.1Bahya, Nizavim, Introduction.
Rabbeinu Bahya
In his Book of Proverbs Solomon taught us important principles about the nature of rebukes and how to administer them. He taught the people that life itself is closely linked to rebukes and the ability to accept same, whereas death is inextricably involved with people who resent being rebuked and are unwilling to accept rebukes. We know that life is closely linked to rebukes from Proverbs 6,23: “instructive rebukes are a way to life.” We also have a verse expressing similar sentiments in Proverbs 10,17: “he who accepts rebukes is on the way to the path of life.” Yet another verse from Scripture dwelling on the same subject is found in Proverbs 15,4: ”a healing tongue is a tree of life,” i.e. the way to heal a tongue (which has wagged) is to rebuke the owner. On the other hand, death attaches itself to people who hate being rebuked as we know from Proverbs 15,10: “Harsh discipline is needed for those who abandon the right path; he who hates rebuke will die.” He who departs from the right path (of Torah) only temporarily but does not hate being rebuked will be judged by harsh discipline in order to make him abandon the path of evil; the one who hates rebukes, however, cannot be brought back to the right path by afflictions. There is no hope for him. As a result, such a person will be sentenced to death (by the celestial court)
A love to accept rebukes is a strong indication that the person in question possesses fine qualities, generally. A negative attitude to rebukes indicates that such a person also suffers from other negative traits. This is the reason Solomon says (Proverbs 9,8) “do not rebuke a scoffer lest he will hate you, rather rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” When rebuking a fellow human being one must reveal sincerity and not engage in flattery. One should give him credit for whatever good points he has, and at the same time restrict oneself to point out such a person’s shortcomings, for the righteous and the wicked are two total opposites. When someone has escaped the path of wickedness he does not automatically qualify for the appellation of צדיק, a righteous person, until he has embraced the path of righteousness in his lifestyle. This is because the character of a wicked person is so totally different from that of a righteous person. When such a wicked person has abandoned his former path in life he has only reached the half-way mark separating him from the truly righteous person. This is why the rebuker has to be candid and explain to him the whole truth and not indulge in flattery, praising him for abandoning the path of evil, thereby lulling him into the belief that he has already completely rehabilitated himself. This is what prompted Solomon to say: “better open rebuke than concealed love.” He may appear to reveal hatred by rebuking so candidly; however, better to appear in that guise than to appear as loving the subject of the rebuke by suppressing further guidance and congratulating the subject as if he already had completed the path of rehabilitation.
R' David Kimchi, (Radak) quoting his father, takes a different view of the meaning of our introductory verse. He understands Solomon as saying that an open rebuke is good; however it is so only if the rebuker reveals underlying love for the rebuked by speaking to him privately, not exposing him to embarrassment.
A Midrashic approach mentioned in Devarim Rabbah (Lieberman edition item 8) states that the “open” rebukes are the ones addressed by Moses to his people, whereas the ones described as “from hidden love,” refer to the rebukes of Bileam who flattered Israel by pronouncing blessings, whereas in his heart he hated the very people upon whom he showered all his blessings. For instance, when he complimented the people on preserving each other’s privacy by saying: “how goodly are your tents O Yaakov,” etc., (Numbers 24,5) what he really wanted to say was: “how goodly are your tents O Moav, your dwellings, children of Ammon.” Had G’d not twisted his mouth this is what would have come out of it.
There is yet another way to understand this saying by Solomon. The words: “open rebuke,” refer to the rebukes we read in Leviticus chapter 26, whereas the ones in Deuteronomy, all of whom originate with the Lord Himself, though the wording may have been Moses’, were approved by G’d as we explained already. The words מאהבה מסוטרת, may mean: “from the One whose love is not manifest, i.e. G’d, the attribute Shechinah.”
This attribute is often referred to as אהבה, “love,” such as in Proverbs 15,17: “better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hate.” The “love” referred to in that verse is a reference to the Presence of the Shechinah. The basis for such exegesis is found in Song of Songs 2,7: אם תעירו ואם תעוררו את האהבה, “do not dare to arouse the love,” [a reference to premature attempts to secure the redemption, return to Israel of the Shechinah. Ed.] The word באהבה in Song of Songs 8,7 “that vast floods cannot quench love,” also refers to the Shechinah. Similarly, the word אהבה, love, is used in our liturgy when we say להודות לך וליחדך באהבה, “to give thanks to You and to declare Your unity in the form of the Shechinah,” (prior to reciting the Kriyat Shema). [The reason the word באהבה in that paragraph is not taken at face value, is presumably that the same word occurred immediately before the word להודות already, thus making it redundant unless it meant something different than usual. Ed.] Therefore, Solomon describes open rebuke as emanating from G’d’s attribute Shechinah. Wherein then is the goodness of which Solomon speaks manifest? Even though the Israelites had violated so many of the commandments that G’d had been forced to bring upon them all the various afflictions mentioned both in Leviticus chapter 26 and in Deuteronomy chapter 28 so that the people were progressively deprived of the first Temple and the second Temple, all this was for their own good. Moses explained this to the people already in Deut. 8,21 when he said that G’d starved the Jewish people “in order to afflict you, to subject you to trials in order to treat you well in your distant future.” All afflictions serve an educational purpose, to ensure that in the end you will become worthy of your lofty destiny. Although all the curses have been exhausted (fulfilled) i.e. Israel deserved the afflictions, the Jewish people have not ceased to exist. This is the meaning of Maleachi 3,7: “I the Lord have not changed, and you the Children of Yaakov have not perished.” Our sages in Tanchuma Nitzavim 1 comment on this verse that when the Gentile nations experience a single series of afflictions this results in their demise from history, whereas the Jewish people, in spite of having experienced one holocaust after another, are still around and flourishing. They cite Micah 7,8 as proof of this. We read there: “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy! though I have fallen, I rise again, though I sit in darkness the Lord is my light.” Deut. 32,23 proclaims the same message when the Torah writes: “My arrows I have used up against them, yet they have not perished.” The matter can be compared to a warrior who erects a beam shooting all his arrows at the beam. In the end, the warrior finds that he has exhausted his supply of arrows but that the beam is still standing. Although Israel has collapsed frequently under the afflictions G’d has disciplined it with, it always emerged from these afflictions and was rehabilitated. This is also the meaning of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3,12: “He has bent His bow and made me the target of His arrows.”
This is also what Moses said in his admonitions here in the following verse:
A love to accept rebukes is a strong indication that the person in question possesses fine qualities, generally. A negative attitude to rebukes indicates that such a person also suffers from other negative traits. This is the reason Solomon says (Proverbs 9,8) “do not rebuke a scoffer lest he will hate you, rather rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” When rebuking a fellow human being one must reveal sincerity and not engage in flattery. One should give him credit for whatever good points he has, and at the same time restrict oneself to point out such a person’s shortcomings, for the righteous and the wicked are two total opposites. When someone has escaped the path of wickedness he does not automatically qualify for the appellation of צדיק, a righteous person, until he has embraced the path of righteousness in his lifestyle. This is because the character of a wicked person is so totally different from that of a righteous person. When such a wicked person has abandoned his former path in life he has only reached the half-way mark separating him from the truly righteous person. This is why the rebuker has to be candid and explain to him the whole truth and not indulge in flattery, praising him for abandoning the path of evil, thereby lulling him into the belief that he has already completely rehabilitated himself. This is what prompted Solomon to say: “better open rebuke than concealed love.” He may appear to reveal hatred by rebuking so candidly; however, better to appear in that guise than to appear as loving the subject of the rebuke by suppressing further guidance and congratulating the subject as if he already had completed the path of rehabilitation.
R' David Kimchi, (Radak) quoting his father, takes a different view of the meaning of our introductory verse. He understands Solomon as saying that an open rebuke is good; however it is so only if the rebuker reveals underlying love for the rebuked by speaking to him privately, not exposing him to embarrassment.
A Midrashic approach mentioned in Devarim Rabbah (Lieberman edition item 8) states that the “open” rebukes are the ones addressed by Moses to his people, whereas the ones described as “from hidden love,” refer to the rebukes of Bileam who flattered Israel by pronouncing blessings, whereas in his heart he hated the very people upon whom he showered all his blessings. For instance, when he complimented the people on preserving each other’s privacy by saying: “how goodly are your tents O Yaakov,” etc., (Numbers 24,5) what he really wanted to say was: “how goodly are your tents O Moav, your dwellings, children of Ammon.” Had G’d not twisted his mouth this is what would have come out of it.
There is yet another way to understand this saying by Solomon. The words: “open rebuke,” refer to the rebukes we read in Leviticus chapter 26, whereas the ones in Deuteronomy, all of whom originate with the Lord Himself, though the wording may have been Moses’, were approved by G’d as we explained already. The words מאהבה מסוטרת, may mean: “from the One whose love is not manifest, i.e. G’d, the attribute Shechinah.”
This attribute is often referred to as אהבה, “love,” such as in Proverbs 15,17: “better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hate.” The “love” referred to in that verse is a reference to the Presence of the Shechinah. The basis for such exegesis is found in Song of Songs 2,7: אם תעירו ואם תעוררו את האהבה, “do not dare to arouse the love,” [a reference to premature attempts to secure the redemption, return to Israel of the Shechinah. Ed.] The word באהבה in Song of Songs 8,7 “that vast floods cannot quench love,” also refers to the Shechinah. Similarly, the word אהבה, love, is used in our liturgy when we say להודות לך וליחדך באהבה, “to give thanks to You and to declare Your unity in the form of the Shechinah,” (prior to reciting the Kriyat Shema). [The reason the word באהבה in that paragraph is not taken at face value, is presumably that the same word occurred immediately before the word להודות already, thus making it redundant unless it meant something different than usual. Ed.] Therefore, Solomon describes open rebuke as emanating from G’d’s attribute Shechinah. Wherein then is the goodness of which Solomon speaks manifest? Even though the Israelites had violated so many of the commandments that G’d had been forced to bring upon them all the various afflictions mentioned both in Leviticus chapter 26 and in Deuteronomy chapter 28 so that the people were progressively deprived of the first Temple and the second Temple, all this was for their own good. Moses explained this to the people already in Deut. 8,21 when he said that G’d starved the Jewish people “in order to afflict you, to subject you to trials in order to treat you well in your distant future.” All afflictions serve an educational purpose, to ensure that in the end you will become worthy of your lofty destiny. Although all the curses have been exhausted (fulfilled) i.e. Israel deserved the afflictions, the Jewish people have not ceased to exist. This is the meaning of Maleachi 3,7: “I the Lord have not changed, and you the Children of Yaakov have not perished.” Our sages in Tanchuma Nitzavim 1 comment on this verse that when the Gentile nations experience a single series of afflictions this results in their demise from history, whereas the Jewish people, in spite of having experienced one holocaust after another, are still around and flourishing. They cite Micah 7,8 as proof of this. We read there: “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy! though I have fallen, I rise again, though I sit in darkness the Lord is my light.” Deut. 32,23 proclaims the same message when the Torah writes: “My arrows I have used up against them, yet they have not perished.” The matter can be compared to a warrior who erects a beam shooting all his arrows at the beam. In the end, the warrior finds that he has exhausted his supply of arrows but that the beam is still standing. Although Israel has collapsed frequently under the afflictions G’d has disciplined it with, it always emerged from these afflictions and was rehabilitated. This is also the meaning of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3,12: “He has bent His bow and made me the target of His arrows.”
This is also what Moses said in his admonitions here in the following verse: