“Vanity and falsehood, keep them away from me.” (Mishlei, 30:8) “Vanity” is something useless that has no roots. It is of no use to man at all. “Falsehood” could be something that man needs, like a livelihood, yet it comes from a place that is not God’s will. This is the meaning of the term used for falsehood, c’zav in Hebrew, as in the verse (Yeshayahu, 58:11), “like a spring of water which does not fail [lo yic’zavu].”
“Three [matters] were too wondrous for me, and four I did not know. The way of the eagle in the heavens, the way of the snake by the rock, the way of the ship in the heart of the sea, the way of man with a young woman.” (Mishlei, 30:18–19) “The eagle” teaches of impurity, because the eagle does not even have one sign of pure birds (Chullin, 61a; see Mei HaShiloach, “the outward signs of pure birds”) and it has all four signs of impurity. “Heavens” teaches of purity and clarity. This teaches that in everything that is pure, there is impurity that must be refined. “The way of the snake by the rock,” “rock” means tekifut (brazen strength, not holding back), in that man’s mind is vigorously resolved to go after the good way. “Snake” represents error, in that he could err. “The way of the ship in the heart of the sea” means that in proceeding with haste he shall exercise restraint. “The sea” represents being hasty in one’s desires, and thus in every panic he shall find calmness of mind. “The way of man with a young woman” “woman,” means concealment.13This is because, among other reasons, the word used for young woman, alma, uses the same letters as the word for concealment, he’lem. “Man” means clear, apparent. This is to show how all concealment contains clarity. When Shlomo haMelech said (Kohollet, 1:13), “E-lohim gave a bad matter [inyan] to man,” he was referring to these four matters. Also the word for matter, Inyan, is an acronym for the names of these four matters in Hebrew. Inyan is spelled ayin, nun, yud, nun. Ayin—Alma [young woman].” “Nun—Nesher [eagle].” “Yud—Yam [sea].” “Nun—Nachash [snake].”*King Shlomo calls them “bad” because they are given from Above to man beneath in a mixed state that requires birur (clarification). [Hagahot Peretz]
“The spider holds on with its hands, and it is in the chambers of the king.” (Mishlei, 30:28) “Spider” (shmamit) teaches of anger and destruction (shomema). “Holds on with its hands” shows that the emergence of deficiency exists even with great people, for “the sages are the real kings.” And the sages, the leaders of thousands of Israel, have emerged from this to complete themselves, so as not to find this rooted in their hearts. So it was with Uziyah (see Divrei haYamim 2, Ch. 26), who went to burn incense in the innermost chamber of the Temple (but was prevented from this), for he wanted to perfect himself in this. All the while he knew that he was not complete in this aspect, he knew that he was not complete his whole being. This incense brings joy to the heart of man, as it is written (Mishlei, 27:9), “oil and incense gladden the heart.” This is as it is written (Divrei haYamim 2, 26:19), “when he became angry with the Cohanim, leprosy sprouted on his forehead.”14He then had to be cast out of the Temple, and remained a leper the rest of his life. He realized that he was not clean in this aspect (joy), and in order to fix the matter, and judging himself to be in mortal danger, permitted himself to offer the incense in order to complete his soul. This was possible, because nothing should prevent the saving of a life. And truly, it succeeded, because after this he achieved completion, as it said, “leprosy sprouted on his forehead,” where the word for sprouted, zarcha, also means “to shine.” In this sense, it was only on the surface that his action was improper, but at the depths he achieved completion from this, as it is said (Melachim 2, 15:5), “[as a leper] he dwelled in the house of liberation.” That is, he was set free because he was then complete. However, since he was among the Cohanim, and the profundity of his intention was hidden from them, it seemed as if he was desecrating God. Thus in their eyes he was a leper. This is as it is said of his son Yotam (Divrei haYamim 2, 27:2), “and he did that which was proper in the eyes of God, just as his father Uziya had done, yet he did not enter the chamber of God.” This is a limitation, just as all the mentions of “yet” and “only” are in the Torah, in that he did not arrive at this level. And if Uziya had only offered the incense, he would have immediately entered the world to come.
שָׁוְא וּדְבַר כָּזָב הַרְחֵק מִמֶּנִּי. "שָׁוְא" הוּא דָּבָר בָּטֵל שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ שֹׁרֶשׁ, וְהוּא, שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִצְרָךְ לָאָדָם כְּלָל, "וּדְבַר כָּזָב" הַיְינוּ אַף בְּדָבָר הַנִּצְרָךְ כְּגוֹן פַּרְנָסָה, אַךְ שֶׁבָּא מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהוּא בִּלְתִּי רְצוֹן הַש"י וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן כָּזָב כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיה נ"ח,י"א) "וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו".
“Vanity and falsehood, keep them away from me.” (Mishlei, 30:8)
“Vanity” is something useless that has no roots. It is of no use to man at all. “Falsehood” could be something that man needs, like a livelihood, yet it comes from a place that is not God’s will. This is the meaning of the term used for falsehood, c’zav in Hebrew, as in the verse (Yeshayahu, 58:11), “like a spring of water which does not fail [lo yic’zavu].”
דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם דֶּרֶךְ נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי צוּר דֶּרֶךְ אֳנִיָּה בְלֶב יָם וְדֶרֶךְ גֶּבֶר בְּעַלְמָה. נֶשֶׁר מוֹרֶה עַל טוּמְאָה כִּי הַנֶּשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ אַף סִימָן אֶחָד שֶׁל טָהֳרָה (חולין ס"א.) וְכָל אַרְבַּע סִימָנֵי טוּמְאָה נִמְצְאוּ בוֹ, וְשָׁמַיִם מוֹרֶה עַל טָהֳרָה וּבְהִירוּת הַיְינוּ בְּכָל טָהֳרָה נִמְצָא טוּמְאָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהִתְבָּרֵר. "דֶּרֶךְ נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי צוּר", צוּר הַיְינוּ תַּקּוּפוּת שֶׁהָאָדָם תַּקִּיף בְּדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹב וְנָחָשׁ מוֹרֶה עַל טָעוּת, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִטְעוֹת. "דֶּרֶךְ אֳנִיָּה בְלֶב יָם" הַיְינוּ בְּכָל מְהִירוּת יִמָּצֵא מְתִינוּת, כִּי יָם מוֹרֶה עַל מְהִירוּת בִּרְצוֹנוֹת וְהוּא כִּי בְּכָל בֶּהָלָה יִמָּצֵא יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת, "דֶּרֶךְ גֶּבֶר בְּעַלְמָה", עַלְמָה הַיְינוּ הַהֶעְלֵם וְגֶבֶר הוּא בֵּירוּר, וְהוּא כִּי בְּכָל הֶעְלֵם נִמְצָא בֵּירוּר, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם בְּקֹהֶלֶת [א',י"ג] "עִנְיָן רָע נָתַן אֱלֹקִים לִבְנֵי אָדָם" כוּ' הוּא עַל הָעִנְיָנִים הָאֵלּוּ, וְגַם עִנְיָן הוּא רָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת עַלְמָה נֶשֶׁר יָם נָחָשׁ.
“Three [matters] were too wondrous for me, and four I did not know. The way of the eagle in the heavens, the way of the snake by the rock, the way of the ship in the heart of the sea, the way of man with a young woman.” (Mishlei, 30:18–19)
“The eagle” teaches of impurity, because the eagle does not even have one sign of pure birds (Chullin, 61a; see Mei HaShiloach, “the outward signs of pure birds”) and it has all four signs of impurity. “Heavens” teaches of purity and clarity. This teaches that in everything that is pure, there is impurity that must be refined. “The way of the snake by the rock,” “rock” means tekifut (brazen strength, not holding back), in that man’s mind is vigorously resolved to go after the good way. “Snake” represents error, in that he could err. “The way of the ship in the heart of the sea” means that in proceeding with haste he shall exercise restraint. “The sea” represents being hasty in one’s desires, and thus in every panic he shall find calmness of mind. “The way of man with a young woman” “woman,” means concealment.13This is because, among other reasons, the word used for young woman, alma, uses the same letters as the word for concealment, he’lem. “Man” means clear, apparent. This is to show how all concealment contains clarity. When Shlomo haMelech said (Kohollet, 1:13), “E-lohim gave a bad matter [inyan] to man,” he was referring to these four matters. Also the word for matter, Inyan, is an acronym for the names of these four matters in Hebrew. Inyan is spelled ayin, nun, yud, nun. Ayin—Alma [young woman].” “Nun—Nesher [eagle].” “Yud—Yam [sea].” “Nun—Nachash [snake].”*King Shlomo calls them “bad” because they are given from Above to man beneath in a mixed state that requires birur (clarification). [Hagahot Peretz]
שְׂמָמִית בְּיָדַיִם תְּתַפֵּשׂ וְהִיא בְּהֵיכְלֵי מֶלֶךְ. שְׂמָמִית מוֹרָה עַל זַעַף וְעַצְבוּת מִלְּשׁוֹן שְׁמָמָה, וּ"בְיָדַיִם תְּתַפֵּשׂ" הַיְינוּ שֶׁצְּמִיחַת הַחֶסְרוֹן נִמְצָא אַף בַּאֲנָשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים מְאֹד, כִּי מַאן מַלְכֵי רַבָּנָן, וַחֲכָמִים רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִלְאוּ מִזֶּה לְהַשְׁלִים עַצְמָם שֶׁלֹּא יִמָּצֵא מִזֶּה שֹׁרֶשׁ בְּלִבָּם, וְזֶה הָיָה הָעִנְיָן בְּעֻזִּיָּה שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְהַקְטִיר קְטוֹרֶת לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים לַאֲשֶׁר רָצָה לְהַשְׁלִים עַצְמוֹ בָּזֶה, וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיָּדַע בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁלַם בָּזֶה, הֵבִין כִּי עוֹד לֹא נִשְׁלַם בַּכֹּל, וּקְטוֹרֶת הוּא מְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת לֵב הָאָדָם כַּכָּתוּב (משלי כ"ז,ט') "שֶׁמֶן וּקְטוֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב", וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב' כ"ו,י"ט) "בְּזַעְפּוֹ עִם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַצָּרַעַת זָרְחָה בְמִצְחוֹ", לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה מַכִּיר שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקִי בָּזֶה, לָכֵן דָּן עַצְמוֹ לְסַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת וְהִתִּיר עַצְמוֹ לְהַקְטִיר קְטוֹרֶת לָבוֹא לְהַשְׁלָמַת נַפְשׁוֹ, כִּי אֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּפְנֵי פִּקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ, וְהָאָמְנָם כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כֵּן עָלְתָה בְּיָדוֹ כִּי אַחַר זֶה הִשִּׂיג הַשְׁלָמָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו "וְצָרַעַת זָרְחָה" לְשׁוֹן זְרִיחָה, הַיְינוּ שֶׁרַק עַל הַגָּוֶון הָיָה נִרְאֶה שֶׁעָשָׂה מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁלֹּא כָּרָאוּי אֲבָל בָּעוֹמֶק הִשִּׂיג הַשְׁלָמָה מִזֶּה וְנֶאֱמַר עָלָיו (מלכים ב' ט"ו,ה') "וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּבֵית הַחָפְשִׁית", הַיְינוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה חָפְשִׁי כִּי הָיָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת, אַךְ לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה בֵּין הַכֹּהֲנִים וּמֵהֶם נֶעֱלַם עוֹמֶק כַּוָּנָתוֹ, וְהָיָה נִרְאֶה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כִּמְחַלֵּל אֶת ה' וְכֵן לְפִי תְּפִיסָתָם הָיָה כִּמְצֹרָע, וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּיוֹתָם בְּנוֹ (דברי הימים ב' כ"ז,ב') "וַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי ה' כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עֻזִּיָּה אָבִיו רַק לֹא בָא אֶל הֵיכַל ה'", וְהִיא מִיעוּט כְּכָל אַכִין וְרַקִּין שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁלַּמַּדְרֵגָה הַזֹּאת לֹא בָּא, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה עֻזִּיָּה מַקְטִיר הַקְּטוֹרֶת הָיָה בָּא לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא מִיָּד.
“The spider holds on with its hands, and it is in the chambers of the king.” (Mishlei, 30:28)
“Spider” (shmamit) teaches of anger and destruction (shomema). “Holds on with its hands” shows that the emergence of deficiency exists even with great people, for “the sages are the real kings.” And the sages, the leaders of thousands of Israel, have emerged from this to complete themselves, so as not to find this rooted in their hearts. So it was with Uziyah (see Divrei haYamim 2, Ch. 26), who went to burn incense in the innermost chamber of the Temple (but was prevented from this), for he wanted to perfect himself in this. All the while he knew that he was not complete in this aspect, he knew that he was not complete his whole being. This incense brings joy to the heart of man, as it is written (Mishlei, 27:9), “oil and incense gladden the heart.” This is as it is written (Divrei haYamim 2, 26:19), “when he became angry with the Cohanim, leprosy sprouted on his forehead.”14He then had to be cast out of the Temple, and remained a leper the rest of his life. He realized that he was not clean in this aspect (joy), and in order to fix the matter, and judging himself to be in mortal danger, permitted himself to offer the incense in order to complete his soul. This was possible, because nothing should prevent the saving of a life. And truly, it succeeded, because after this he achieved completion, as it said, “leprosy sprouted on his forehead,” where the word for sprouted, zarcha, also means “to shine.” In this sense, it was only on the surface that his action was improper, but at the depths he achieved completion from this, as it is said (Melachim 2, 15:5), “[as a leper] he dwelled in the house of liberation.” That is, he was set free because he was then complete. However, since he was among the Cohanim, and the profundity of his intention was hidden from them, it seemed as if he was desecrating God. Thus in their eyes he was a leper. This is as it is said of his son Yotam (Divrei haYamim 2, 27:2), “and he did that which was proper in the eyes of God, just as his father Uziya had done, yet he did not enter the chamber of God.” This is a limitation, just as all the mentions of “yet” and “only” are in the Torah, in that he did not arrive at this level. And if Uziya had only offered the incense, he would have immediately entered the world to come.