R. Eleazar here discoursed on the text: Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil the iniquity of my heels that compasseth me about? (Ps. 49, 6). ‘There are’, he said, ‘three classes who fear, and know not what they fear, as we have laid down elsewhere. One kind is the man who has committed sins without realizing that they were sins, and he is therefore afraid of “days of evil”, to wit, days that are under the jurisdiction of the evil one, that is, the evil prompter, who on certain days is given authorization to lead astray all those who pollute their ways.
For whoever enters the path of defilement is carried further along it. Those days, then, are called “days of evil”, being assigned for the punishment of little sins which a man treads under his heels,1i e. Iittle peccadilloes which people are apt to overlook. An allusion to the term ‘aqebai’=,”footsteps”, or lit. “heels”. as it were. Whoever, then, is habituated to those sins which men tread underfoot, as it were, is unaware of them and is constantly in fear.
King David, however, was ever on his guard against these sins, and whenever he set out for battle he would closely examine himself to see that he was free from such sins, and he therefore was not afraid to go to war.
Observe now the difference in the behaviour of four kings in going to war. David said: “Let me pursue mine enemies, and overtake them; neither let me turn back till they are consumed” (Ps. 18, 38). He dared to make this request because he guarded himself against those sins, and thus allowed no opening to his enemies to prevail against him. He therefore prayed only that he might pursue them continually, and had no fear that they might pursue him, or that his sins might cause him to fall into their hands.
Asa was in greater fear, for though he also minutely examined himself for any sins, yet it was not with such care as David. His request, therefore, was that he might merely pursue his enemies, not overtake them himself, and that God should slay them for him. And so it came about, as we read: “So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him, etc.” (II Chr. XIV, II-12). Whereas in regard to David it is written: “And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day” (I Sam. 30, 17).
Jehoshaphat, again, in praying for help, said: “I am not able to pursue nor to slay them; but let me chant thy praises and do thou slay them.” This was because he did not examine himself even to the same degree as Asa. And God did what he requested, as it is written: “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (II Chr. 20, 22).
Finally, Hezekiah felt himself able neither to sing praises, nor to pursue, nor to engage in war, the reason being that he feared the above-mentioned sins. It is thus written: “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19, 35). That is, Hezekiah sat in his house, and lay in his bed, whilst God slew them.
Now, if those righteous men were in so much fear on account of these sins, how much greater should be the fear of other men? Hence it behoves a man to be on his guard against those sins and to examine himself closely regarding them so as not to allow those “days of evil” which are without mercy to obtain dominion over him.
AND JOSEPH KNEW HIS BRETHREN. When they fell into his hands he had compassion on them, since he was completely virtuous. BUT THEY KNEW HIM NOT : these were Simeon and Levi, who came from the side of severity, and hence had no pity on him, inasmuch as all those imbued with severity take no pity on men when they fall into their hands.
Hence David said, “Wherefore should I fear?” indicating that naturally he ought to fear1Al. that he had no reason to fear. those “days of evil”, as previously stated. David continues: “The iniquity of my heels that compasseth me about.” The word “heels” here, as in the passage, “and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel” (Gen. 25, 26) indicates those evil powers (forming as it were the heel of the Body) that are forever on the look out for the sins which a man constantly treads under his heels.
These little sins are like “cords of vanity” (Is. 5, 18), scarcely discernible, but which in time become as strong as “cart ropes”, and thus cause a man to lose this world and the world to come.
Happy are the righteous who know how to guard themselves against their sins and continually examine their deeds so that no accuser may rise up against them either in this world or in the world to come, the Torah being their guide and preparing the way before them. Of these it is written: “Her ways are ways of graciousness, and all her paths are peace.”
וַיַּכֶּר יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּירוּהוּ. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (תהילים מ״ט:ו׳) לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע עֲוֹן עֲקֵבַי יְסֻבֵּנִי. תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּלַת אִינוּן דְּדָחֲלִין וְלָא יָדְעִין מִמַּה דָּחֲלִין, וְאוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל אִית מַאן דְּדָחִיל, וְלָא יָדַע מִמַּה אִיהוּ דָּחִיל, בְּגִין אִינוּן חֶטְאֵי. דְּלָא יָדַע דְּאִינוּן חֲטָאִין, וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּהוּ, וְאִיהוּ דָּחִיל מִימֵי רָע.
R. Eleazar here discoursed on the text: Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil the iniquity of my heels that compasseth me about? (Ps. 49, 6). ‘There are’, he said, ‘three classes who fear, and know not what they fear, as we have laid down elsewhere. One kind is the man who has committed sins without realizing that they were sins, and he is therefore afraid of “days of evil”, to wit, days that are under the jurisdiction of the evil one, that is, the evil prompter, who on certain days is given authorization to lead astray all those who pollute their ways.
מַאן אִינוּן יְמֵי רָע, אִלֵּין אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּאִינוּן אִזְדַּמְּנָן בְּהַהוּא רָע. וּמַאן אִינוּן, (ד"א איהו) דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ אִקְרֵי רָע. וְאִית לֵיהּ יוֹמִין יְדִיעָן, דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ בְּעַלְמָא, לְאַסְטָאָה לְכָל אִינוּן דִּמְסָאֲבֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ. דְּמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, מְסָאֲבֵי לֵיהּ. וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן אִקְרוּן יְמֵי רָע, וְאִלֵּין מְמַנָּן עַל אִינוּן חוֹבִין דְּדָשִׁין בְּהוּ בְּנִי נָשָׁא בַּעֲקֵבַיְיהוּ.
For whoever enters the path of defilement is carried further along it. Those days, then, are called “days of evil”, being assigned for the punishment of little sins which a man treads under his heels,1i e. Iittle peccadilloes which people are apt to overlook. An allusion to the term ‘aqebai’=,”footsteps”, or lit. “heels”. as it were. Whoever, then, is habituated to those sins which men tread underfoot, as it were, is unaware of them and is constantly in fear.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינוּן דִּמְסָאֲבֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ, כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדַּמְּנָן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וּמְסָאֲבֵי לְהוּ. בְּאָרְחָא דְבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַךְ, בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא מְדַבְּרִין לֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ. אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה, כַּמָּה אִינוּן דִּמְסַיְיעִין לֵיהּ.
הָא תָּנִינָן, דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ קָם בְּצַפְרָא, בָּעֵי לְאַסְחָאָה יְדוֹי, מִגּוֹ (לעיל נג א) נַטְלָא דְמַיָא, דְּאִיהוּ מָאנָא לִיטּוֹל מִנֵּיהּ מַיָא. מִגּוֹ מַאן דְּאַסְחֵי יְדוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין נַטְלָא דָא, אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה.
וְתוּ, דְּבָעְיָא לֵיהּ לְבַר נָּשׁ, לְנַטְלָא יְדָא יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא. בְּגִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא, וְיִסְתְּחֵי יְמִינָא מִן שְׂמָאלָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִיהוּ נְטִילָא. וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּנָטִיל יְדוֹי, יִטּוֹל יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, לְאַשְׁלָטָא יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא. בְּגִין דְּלָא יָהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לְיֵצֶר הָרָע לְשַׁלְּטָאָה כְּלַל, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְדִינָא בִּישָׁא שָׁלְטָא, לָא אָתִיב יְדֵיהּ מִלְאַבְאָשָׁא. וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דִּימִינָא שָׁלְטָא עַל עַמִין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת לְתַבְרָא לוֹן, חָיִיס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא שָׁצֵי לוֹן.
וּבְּגִין כָּךְ, כָּל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ חָטֵי, בְּאִינוּן חֶטְאִין דְּדָשׁ בְּהוּ בְּרַגְלוֹי, לָא יָדַע בְּהוּ, וְדָחִיל תְּדִירָא. דָּוִד מַלְכָּא הֲוָה אִסְתַּמַר תָּדִיר מֵחוֹבִין אִלֵּין, וְכַד הֲוָה נָפִיק לִקְרָבָא, הֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ לוֹן. וְעַל דָּא לָא דָחִיל לַאֲגָחָא עִמְּהוֹן קְרָבָא.
King David, however, was ever on his guard against these sins, and whenever he set out for battle he would closely examine himself to see that he was free from such sins, and he therefore was not afraid to go to war.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אַרְבַּע מַלְכִין הֲווּ, מַאן דְּשָׁאִיל דָּא לָא שָׁאִיל דָּא. דָּוִד אָמַר, (תהילים י״ח:ל״ח) אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה אִסְתַּמַּר מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין, וְלָא יָהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לְשַׂנְאוֹי לְשַׁלְּטָאָה. וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר, וְלָא יִרְדְּפוּן אִינוּן אֲבַתְרֵיהּ לְמִתְבַּע חוֹבוֹי, וְיִפּוֹל בִּידַיְיהוּ.
Observe now the difference in the behaviour of four kings in going to war. David said: “Let me pursue mine enemies, and overtake them; neither let me turn back till they are consumed” (Ps. 18, 38). He dared to make this request because he guarded himself against those sins, and thus allowed no opening to his enemies to prevail against him. He therefore prayed only that he might pursue them continually, and had no fear that they might pursue him, or that his sins might cause him to fall into their hands.
אָסָא הֲוָה דָּחִיל יַתִּיר, אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹי, וְלָא כְדָוִד מַלְכָּא. אִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יַגִּיחַ לוֹן, וְיִקְטוֹל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכָךְ הֲוָה. דִּכְתִיב, (דברי הימים ב י״ד:י״ב) וַיִּרְדְּפֵם אָסָא וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ וְגו', וּכְתִיב וַיִּגּוֹף יְיָ אֶת הַכּוּשִׁים לִפְנֵי אָסָא וְלִפְנִי יְהוּדָה וַיָּנוּסוּ הַכּוּשִׁים. (וכן) דָּוִד מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, (שמואל א ל׳:י״ז) וַיַּכֵּם דָּוִד מֵהַנֶּשֶׁף וְעַד הָעֶרֶב לְמָחֳרָתָם. אֲבָל אָסָא אִיהוּ רָדִיף וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָחֵי.
Asa was in greater fear, for though he also minutely examined himself for any sins, yet it was not with such care as David. His request, therefore, was that he might merely pursue his enemies, not overtake them himself, and that God should slay them for him. And so it came about, as we read: “So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him, etc.” (II Chr. XIV, II-12). Whereas in regard to David it is written: “And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day” (I Sam. 30, 17).
יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי הֲוָה שָׁאִיל. וְאֲמַר, לָא יָכִילְנָא לְמִרְדַּף וְלָא לְקָטְלָא. אֶלָּא אֲנָא אֲזַמֵּר, וְאַתְּ קְטֵיל לוֹן. בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ כָּל כָּךְ כְּאָסָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד לֵיהּ הָכִי. דִּכְתִיב, (דברי הימים ב כ׳:כ״ב) וּבְעֵת הֵחֵלּוּ בְרִנָה וּתְהִלָּה נָתַן יְיָ מְאָרְבִים עַל בְּנִי עַמּוֹן מוֹאָב וְהַר שֵׂעִיר הַבָּאִים לִיהוּדָה וַיִּנָּגֵפוּ.
Jehoshaphat, again, in praying for help, said: “I am not able to pursue nor to slay them; but let me chant thy praises and do thou slay them.” This was because he did not examine himself even to the same degree as Asa. And God did what he requested, as it is written: “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (II Chr. 20, 22).
חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי אָמַר. אֲנָא לָא יָכִילְנָא, לָא לְזַמָּרָא, וְלָא לְמִרְדַּף, וְלָא לַאֲגָחָא קְרָבָא. בְּגִין דְּדָחִיל מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין דְּקָאֲמָרָן. מַה כְּתִיב, (מלכים ב י״ט:ל״ה) וַיְהִי בַלַיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנִה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה כֻלָּם פְּגָרִים מֵתִים. וְחִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה יָתִיב בְּבֵיתֵיהּ וְשָׁכִיב בְּעַרְסֵיהּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָטִיל לוֹן.
Finally, Hezekiah felt himself able neither to sing praises, nor to pursue, nor to engage in war, the reason being that he feared the above-mentioned sins. It is thus written: “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19, 35). That is, Hezekiah sat in his house, and lay in his bed, whilst God slew them.
וּמַה צַּדִּיקִים אִלֵּין הֲווּ דָּחֲלִין מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין, שְׁאָר בְּנִי עַלְמָא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. בְּגִין כָּךְ אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין, וּלְפַשְׁפְּשָׁא בְּהוֹן כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן עֲלוֹי אִינוּן יְמֵי רָע, דְּלָא מְרַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ.
Now, if those righteous men were in so much fear on account of these sins, how much greater should be the fear of other men? Hence it behoves a man to be on his guard against those sins and to examine himself closely regarding them so as not to allow those “days of evil” which are without mercy to obtain dominion over him.
תָּא חֲזֵי, וַיַּכֶּר יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו. בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָפְלוּ בְּיָדֵיהּ, אִיהוּ רָחִים עֲלַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִים. וְהֵם לא הִכִּירוּהוּ, דְּאִינוּן שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי, אָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְעַל דָּא לָא רְחִימוּ עֲלֵיהּ. דְּהָא כָּל אִינוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, לָא מְרַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ דִבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָפְלֵי בִּידַיְיהוּ.
AND JOSEPH KNEW HIS BRETHREN. When they fell into his hands he had compassion on them, since he was completely virtuous. BUT THEY KNEW HIM NOT : these were Simeon and Levi, who came from the side of severity, and hence had no pity on him, inasmuch as all those imbued with severity take no pity on men when they fall into their hands.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר דָּוִד, (תהילים מ״ט:ו׳) לָמָּה אִירָא. יָרֵאתִי לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא אִירָא, (אלא) דְּאִית (נ"א דלית) לִי לְמִדְחַל מֵאִינוּן יְמֵי רָע, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. עֲוֹן עֲקֵבַי יְסֻבֵּנִי, מַאן עֲקֵבַי. אִלֵּין אִינוּן בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ו) וְיָדוֹ אוֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו, דָּא הוּא עֲקֵיבָא. וְאִינוּן עֲקֵיבִין דְּמִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּהוּ תָּדִיר בְּהַהוּא חוֹבָא דְּדָשׁ בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ תָּדִיר בַּעֲקֵבוֹי.
Hence David said, “Wherefore should I fear?” indicating that naturally he ought to fear1Al. that he had no reason to fear. those “days of evil”, as previously stated. David continues: “The iniquity of my heels that compasseth me about.” The word “heels” here, as in the passage, “and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel” (Gen. 25, 26) indicates those evil powers (forming as it were the heel of the Body) that are forever on the look out for the sins which a man constantly treads under his heels.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ה׳:י״ח) הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא וְכַעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה חַטָּאָה. בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא, דְּדָשׁ בֵּיהּ בַּעֲקֵבָא וְלָא חַיִּישׁ עֲלֵיהּ. וּלְבָתַר אִתְתַּקַּף וְאִתְעֲבִיד (בחבלי השוא) כַּעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה, וְאִתְתַּקַּף הַהוּא חֶטְאָה. וְאַסְטֵי לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי.
These little sins are like “cords of vanity” (Is. 5, 18), scarcely discernible, but which in time become as strong as “cart ropes”, and thus cause a man to lose this world and the world to come.
זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָיא, דְּיָדְעִין לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבֵיהוֹן, וְאִינוּן מְפַשְׁפְּשִׁין תָּדִיר בְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ. בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכַּח עֲלַיְיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, וְלָא יִסְטוּן עֲלַיְיהוּ לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מְתַקְנָא לְהוּ אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין לְמֵיהַךְ בְּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב, (משלי ג׳:י״ז) דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם:
Happy are the righteous who know how to guard themselves against their sins and continually examine their deeds so that no accuser may rise up against them either in this world or in the world to come, the Torah being their guide and preparing the way before them. Of these it is written: “Her ways are ways of graciousness, and all her paths are peace.”