ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף משלי 14:12

The observation about G-d having hardened the spirit of Sichon King of the Emorites, which was referred to earlier, is to be understood in a similar vein. Sichon, who had observed that Israel seemed to have avoided battling the Moabites or the Edomites and had detoured around their respective countries, concluded that Israel's motive had been fear. Thus he felt encouraged to assume a militant posture. This resulted in his defeat and the conquest of his lands by the Israelites. But there had been no interference with his freedom of choice.

But, if he who is morally sick be not aware of his illness, imagining that he is well, or, being aware of it, does not seek a remedy, his end will be similar to that of one, who, suffering from bodily ailment, yet continuing to indulge himself, neglects to be cured, and who in consequence surely meets an untimely death. Those who know that they are in a diseased state, but nevertheless yield to their inordinate passions, are described in the truthful Law which quotes their own words, “Though I walk in the stubborness of my heart, in order that the indulgence of the passions may appease the thirst for them.”⁵Dt. XXIX, 18. This means that, intending to quench the thirst, it is, on the contrary, intensifed. He who is ignorant of his illness is spoken of in many places by Solomon, who says, “The way of the fool is straight in his own eyes, but he who hearkeneth unto counsel is wise”.⁶Prov. XII, 15. This means that he who listens to the counsel of the sage is wise, for the sage teaches him the way that is actually right, and not the one that he (the morally ill) erroneously considers to be such. Solomon also says, “There is many a way which seemeth even before a man; but its ends are ways unto death”.⁷Ibid., XIV, 12. Again, in regard to these who are morally ill, in that they do not know what is injurious from that which is beneficial, he says, “The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know against what they stumble.”⁸Ibid., IV, 19. Cf. H. Deot, II, 1, “What is the remedy for those whose souls are diseased? Let them consult the sages who are the physicians of the soul, who will cure their disease by teaching them those characteristics by which they may return to the moral path, and recognize their evil traits. Concerning those who do not seek the sages in order to be cured, Solomon says, ‘wisdom and instruction fools despise’ (Prov. I, 7)”. The conception of a spiritual healing originated neither with Aristotle nor with M. There are many biblical passages based on such a comparison with the healing art, as Jer. III, 22: ארפה משובותיכם; Hos. XIV, 5: ארפא משובתם Ps. XLI, 5: ארפאה נפשי כי חטאתי לך, etc. Rosin, Ethik, p. 78, n. 4, refers to similar passages in Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic literature. The art of healing the diseases of the soul will, however, form the subject-matter of the fourth chapter.