Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Oseas 4:14

Solomon told us in this verse that a person cannot be considered as righteous until he has walked in integrity when serving the Lord. What is this “integrity” which Solomon talks about here? It means that one performs G-d’s commandments because of love and reverence for Him, not because one hopes to benefit by this in the eyes of one’s peers and by attaining honour in their eyes. It is appropriate for man to perform good and kind deeds to the best of his ability without bragging about them. In fact he should endeavour to refrain from even mentioning that he has perfomed such deeds. Anyone who does tell about this and claims credit for such good deeds is actually considered as a sinner. If one does claim credit for such good deeds this is liable to result in two kinds of negative fallout. 1) Firstly, he enhances his own standing compared to others in the eyes of those who believe him when he tells them about his deeds of piety. 2) He puts to shame and embarasses those who have been the recipients of his kindness. It is the mark of a righteous person who walks in integrity with his G-d that he does not boast about his virtues and the good deeds he has performed. Such a person is described as איש אמונים, “a man of true integrity.” Solomon connects the verse we have quoted with the one immediately prior to it in which he said רב אדם יקרא איש חסדו, , ואיש אמונים מי ימצא”he calls most people ‘true friend,” but who can find a loyal man?” In mentioning איש אמונים, “a loyal man,” Solomon took his cue from Proverbs 11,13 where such a “loyal” person is described as ונאמן רוח מכסה דבר, “a faithful spirit keeps his confidence.” In fact, Solomon discusses the same theme also in another context (Proverbs 10,8) where he said חכם לב יקח מצות, ואויל שפתים ילבט, “the wise in heart will accept the commandments, whereas the one who speaks foolishly will be afflicted.” What Solomon meant was that the person who is truly wise gets hold of G-d’s commandments with his hands and performs them without speaking about this with his lips. The foolish persion is the exact reverse of the wise man. Not only does he not endeavour to perform the commandments which he has a chance to perform, but even when he violates the commandments he makes a point of talking about this. This is why is referred to primarily as a ”fool.” So we are faced with two totally opposite behaviour patterns. The one type of person hides the fact that he actually does perform G-d’s commandments, whereas the other person makes a point of broadcasting the fact that he does not. Concerning the latter type of individual Solomon says ילבט, meaning he will become troubled by his words. The word ילבט is found in Hoseah 4,14 where it means “he will fail.” Yonathan ben Uziel translates the word as וסכלא בשפוושיה מתאחד “and the fool will become enmeshed by his own words.”
As to the second half of the verse in Proverbs 20,7 which we quoted in our introduction, אשרי בניו אחריו, “happy are the children who come after him,” Solomon refers to the ability of parents to confer merits on their children after them. This is analogous to G-d saying in Exodus 20,6 ועושה חסד לאלפים, that “He (G-d) will perform kindness to thousands of generations of descendants of the righteous.” This is applicable in the event that their ancestors performed the commandments from a sense of love for G-d, whereas a different statement in Deut 7,10 in which G-d is portrayed as extending such kindness to one thousand generations refers to ancestors who performed G-d’s commandments only out of a sense of awe and fear of the consequences if they would fail to do so. The basis for this interpretation is the fact that the word לאוהביו “to those who love Him,” is written next to the words לאלפים, “for thousands of generations,” whereas the word s לאלף דור “for one thousand generations” appears next to the words ומשלם לשונאיו “and He repays those who hate Him“ in Deut.7,10. Solomon has explained this in a similar fashion in Proverbs 14,26 where he said: ביראת ה' מבטח עז ולבניו יהיה מחסה, “through his reverence for G-d man has a fortress; his children will have a place of refuge.” In other words: “the accumulated merits of the fathers are a source of benefit for their children in the eyes of G-d.”
It is entirely possible that the opening verses in our portion are intended to praise Noach in three stages, each stage being superior to the preceding one. The Torah mentions last that Noach “walked with G-d.” This virtue of walking with G-d is a very great virtue indeed, a virtue which is superior to what is called תמימות, “perfection.” The virtue תמימות, on the other hand, is superior to the virtue described as צדיק; the Torah reports that Noach had attained these three levels of moral achievements progressively until he had qualified for the description את האלוקים התהלך נח, “Noach walked with G-d.”

When adulterers multiplied, the ceremony of the bitter waters ceased and it was Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai who discontinued it, as it is said, “I will not punish their daughters for fornicating, nor their daughters-in-law for committing adultery, for they themselves [turn aside with whores and sacrifice with prostitutes]” (Hosea 4:14). The word “adulterers” here refers to men (in Hebrew each word has a gender). In a time when many men were committing adultery, the water-drinking ceremony was discontinued. This is based on a midrash found elsewhere on Numbers 5:31, “The man shall be clear of guilt; but that woman shall suffer for her guilt.” The midrash on this verse says that the waters are effective in testing the woman, only if the husband is free of guilt. If he is also engaged in illicit sex with other women, he cannot use the sotah ritual to test his own wife. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, who lived through the destruction of the Temple, discontinued the practice. The mishnah also brings a verse from Hosea according to which God will not punish the daughters and daughters-in-law at a time when their fathers are also committing grave sins. In both of these sections we can see that these two mysterious rituals which deal with the most serious of crimes, murder and adultery, are only effective in cleansing Israel of guilt at a time when Israel is in general acting in a righteous and lawful manner. The ceremonies deal with the few deviants in society who do not observe society’s most basic laws. They cannot deal with an entire community gone awry.

BUT IF THOU HAST GONE ASIDE. This is connected with [the expression in the following verse], the Eternal make thee,⁹⁵Verse 21. the verses stating: “But if thou hast gone aside to uncleanness, being under thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee besides thy husband — the Eternal make thee a curse, and an oath among thy people. ”⁹⁵Verse 21. But due to the length of the conditions [mentioned in Verses 19-20] Scripture restates [in the following Verse 21] and the priest shall cause the woman to swear [although that has already been said at the beginning of Verse 19; and accordingly the phrase before us in Verse 20, but if thou hast gone aside etc. is connected with the expression the Eternal make thee in Verse 21], in order to explain that [the Eternal make thee a curse etc.] constitutes the oath of cursing.⁹⁵Verse 21. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that the first expression of swearing [and the priest shall cause her to swear, in Verse 19] means [that she must swear] by G-d’s Name, and the second one [in Verse 21] implies by means of the curse, as is clearly explained there [in Verse 21: and the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing]. But it is not correct, for the priest would not have caused her to swear by the Name of G-d using an expression of “if” [as in Verse 19: and the priest shall cause her to swear, and shall say unto the woman: ‘If’ no man have lain with thee etc.].⁹⁶For if she is innocent of the charge, then she will have invoked the name of G-d in vain.
Now there is nothing amongst all the ordinances of the Torah which depends upon a miracle, except for this matter, which is a permanent wonder and miracle that will happen in Israel, when the majority of the people live in accordance with the Will of G-d; for He was pleased for His righteousness’ sake⁹⁷Isaiah 42:21; Ezekiel 23:48. to teach the women that they do not do after the lewdness⁹⁷Isaiah 42:21; Ezekiel 23:48. of the other nations, and to purify Israel from adulterous offspring, so that they are worthy that the Divine Presence dwell among them. Therefore this matter [i.e., the effect of the water on the sotah] stopped from the time that the people became debauched with [sexual] sins, as the Rabbis have said:⁹⁸Sotah 47 a-b. “When adulterers became frequent, the water of sotah⁴³A sotah is a woman suspected of adultery, and is subject to the laws explained further on in Verses 11-31. The law concerning her meal-offering is found in Verse 15, where it is called a meal-offering of jealousy. ceased, for it is said, I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves consort with lewd women, and they sacrifice with harlots, and the people that is without understanding is distraught.⁹⁹Hosea 4:14. Now this verse does not mean to say that adulterous women will be free from [punishment for their] sin, because their husbands [likewise] commit adultery; it [is only saying] that this great miracle will not be done for them, for it occurs as a sign of honor for them because of their being a holy people,¹⁰⁰See Deuteronomy 26:19. but they do not understand this goodness, nor do they desire it. Therefore the verse states, and the people that is without understanding is ‘yilaveit’ (distraught),⁹⁹Hosea 4:14. that is to say, trapped by its foolishness. Similarly, but a prating fool ‘yilaveit, ’¹⁰¹Proverbs 10:8. which the Jerusalem Targum¹⁰²Reference here is to the Targum Yonathan ben Uziel. translated: “but the fool is caught by his lips.” This is the reason for what the Sages have said:⁹⁸Sotah 47 a-b. “And the man shall be clear from iniquity.¹⁰³Further, Verse 31. When the man is clear of iniquity, the water [of the sotah] tests his wife; but if the man is himself not free from iniquity, the water does not put his wife to the proof.” Now the “freedom from iniquity” of the husband means [in this context] that he had no sexual relations with her after he had warned her and she [nevertheless] had secret contact [with the suspected adulterer]. And there are scholars¹⁰⁴Mentioned in Rashi, Sotah 47b, and in Rambam, Hilchoth Sotah 2:8. who explain that if the husband had ever in his lifetime had a forbidden sexual intercourse, the water [of the sotah] no longer tests his wife. And according to the final decision of the law, even if his sons or daughters committed adultery and he did not rebuke them the water did not put his wife to the test [even though he himself is clear from iniquity]. In short, this procedure was miraculous, as [a sign of] honor for Israel.