The next section of ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื changes the metaphor. The previous section was a parent lecturing their child, ืฉืืข ืื ื ืืืกืจ ืืืื; ืืื ืชืืฉ ืชืืจืช ืืื. This section portrays ืืืื standing in the street, haranguing passersby.
ื ืืืืืช ืืืืฅ ืชืจื ื; ืืจืืืืช ืชืชื ืงืืืื ืื ืืจืืฉ ืืืืืช ืชืงืจื; ืืคืชืื ืฉืขืจืื ืืขืืจ ืืืจืื ืชืืืจื
And wisdom hear is called ืืืึฐืืึนืช, in the plural. The Alshich says that this refers to the ืืืกืจ ืืืื ืืชืืจืช ืืื of the previous section; there are two sides of wisdom. We called ืืืื in ืืฉืื, โphronesisโ, the practical wisdom to distinguish right from wrong. And there are two ways to learn that, the Divine ืชืืจื ืฉืืืชื and the human aspect of ืชืืจื ืฉืืขื ืคื.
ืืืกืจ ืืืื ืืชืืจืช ืืื: ืชืืจื ืฉืืืชื ืืขื ืคืโฆ
ืืืืืช: ืฉืื ืชืืจื ืฉืืืชื ืืฉืืขืดืค ืืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืฉืืืชื ืืืจืื ืงืื ืืืืืจ ืืืืืจ โืขื ืืชื ืคืชืืโฆืชืฉืืื ืืืืณโ. ืืืฆื ืืืฉืื ืืืื ืืืืจ ืื ืืณ ืืชืืจืืช ืืณ ืื ื ืืืชืืืืืช ืืืืฉืืจ ืืืื.
And the four places where wisdom is declaiming represent levels of understanding ืจืฆืื ืืณ. Itโs always possible to delve deeper and learn more.
ืืืืืจ ืืืชืื, ื ืฉืื ืื ืื ืืืจื โืืืืฅโ ืโืืจืืืืืชโ ืโืจืืฉื ืืืืืืชโ ืโืคืชืื ืฉืขืจืื ืืขืืจโโฆ
ืืื ื ืฉืืขืจ ืืืืืง ืืืืจ ืืืณ ืืืงืื. ืืืื ืื ืืฉ ืื ืืืคื ืจืง ืืืืฆืื ืืืช ืืคืฉืืืช ืืชืืจื ืืื ืืืืชื ืืขืืืง ืืืจืืื ืืขืงืจื ืืคื ืืืืืชื ืืืฉ ืืจืืื ืืืชืจ ืืคืฉืืืช ืขืฆืื ืื ืฉืื ืืชืืื ืืืืืช ืื ืืขืฆื ืืืฉ ืืชืืื ืืืืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืขืื ืืื ืื ืื ืก ืืคื ืืืืืชื ืืขืืืงื.
And at every level, she is complaining that no one listens to her.
ืขื ืืชื ืคืชืื ืชืืืื ืคืชื; ืืืฆืื ืืฆืื ืืืื ืืื; ืืืกืืืื ืืฉื ืื ืืขืชื
Weโve talked about the ืคืชื in Middle of the Road. They are the naรฏve who accept everything at face value:
ืคืชื ืืืืื ืืื ืืืจ; ืืขืจืื ืืืื ืืืฉืจืื
And part of the introduction to the ืกืคืจ was the goal of teaching the ืคืชื some sophistication:
ืืชืช ืืคืชืืื ืขืจืื; ืื ืขืจ ืืขืช ืืืืืื
We noted that that ืคืชื isnโt a bad thing; we all need some simple faith. But if they embrace naรฏvetรฉ, then they will never learn ืืืื.
The opposite of the ืคืชื is the ืืฅ, the cynic, who believes nothing. That isnโt all bad either. ืืืื is saying, donโt be wedded to either extreme.
The ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื talks about the destructiveness of ืืืฆื ืืช, cynicism:
ืืืืฆื ืืช ืืื ืืืฉืืืง ืงืื ืืคืื ืืืื ืืขืืื ืจืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืชืขืืจืจืืช ืืืืชืคืขืืืช ืื ืฉืืื ืืชืขืืจืจ ืืืชืคืขื ืืขืฆืื ืืื ืจืืืชื ืื ืฉืืืขื ืขื ืื ืื ืฉืืขืืจืืื ืื ืืืฉืืื ืืืคืฉืคืืฉ ืืืขืฉืื.
ืืื ืืืืฆื ืืช ืืคืื ืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืื ืืขืฉื ืื ืจืืฉื ืืื. ืืื ืืคื ื ืืืืฉืช ืืขื ืื ืื ืืื ืืคื ื ืืกืจืื ืืื ืช ืืื, ืืื ืืคื ื ืื ืืืฆืื ืืืืจืก ืื ืขื ืื ื ืืืืกืจ ืืืืจืื.
Rabbi Frand offers a ืืฉื (I would read this only as a ืืฉื; I donโt know if Honda actually destroyed the emu industry):
Recently [writes Rabbi Frand in 1997] entrepreneurs in Texas have begun raising emus in the hope they would replace beef in the American dietโฆEmu meat is low in cholesterol, high in proteinโฆThis was such a promising industry that a pair of breeding emus sold for $45,000.
โฆHonda Motors was producing a commercial to promote its Accord automobile. In the commercialโฆa young man was faced with many career choicesโฆBut when it came to choosing an automobile, there really were no choices other than the Honda Accord.
To catch the attention of the public, the commercial mockingly portrayed one loser profession after anotherโฆ[including] emu farming. Imagine, some people think emu meat will replace beef. Only hicks from Texas, the commercial implied, could have such a ridiculous idea.
The commercial was, of course, not intended as an attack on the fledgling emu-farming industryโฆBut believe it or not, this commercial destroyed the emu-farming industry. Within a short time, a pair of breeding emus was selling for $500โฆ
One line of bittul, as a put-down is called in Hebrew, can wipe out years of effort.
The truth is, Jews love sarcasm. It goes way back:
ืืืืืจื ืื ืืฉื ืืืืื ืืื ืงืืจืื ืืืฆืจืื ืืงืืชื ื ืืืืช ืืืืืจ; ืื ืืืช ืขืฉืืช ืื ื ืืืืฆืืื ื ืืืฆืจืืื
And Iโm as guilty as anyone. Iโd like to think my sarcasm is self-deprecating humor and Iโm not putting anyone else down, but my kids will give me ืืืกืจ when Iโve gone too far. Sarcasm is so ingrained into Jewish culture that itโs impossible to root it out; even our greatest ื ืืืืื get sarcastic:
ืืืื ืืฆืืจืื ืืืืชื ืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืจ ืงืจืื ืืงืื ืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืื ืืื ืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืจื ืื; ืืืื ืืฉื ืืื ืืืงืฅื
The reason that it is so pernicious is that itโs not always bad:
ืืืจ ืจื ื ืืื: ืื ืืืฆื ืืชื ืืกืืจื ืืืฅ ืืืืฆื ืืชื ืืขืืืืช ืืืืืื ืืฉืจืื, ืืืชืื (ืืฉืขืืื ืื:ื-ื) ืึผึธืจึทืข ืึผึตื ืงึนืจึตืก ื ึฐืืึนโฆืงึธืจึฐืกืึผ ืึธืจึฐืขืึผ ืึทืึฐืึผึธื ืึนื ืึธืึฐืืึผ ืึทืึผึตื ืึทืฉึผืึธื.
We can lock lashon hara away in the forbidden zone, because we are never allowed to speak lashon hara. We can lock dishonesty away in a forbidden zone, because we are never allowed to lie. We can lock sycophantic flattery away in a forbidden zone, because it is always forbidden. But we cannot do the same for cynicism. We cannot say, โNever be a cynicโ. It is simply not true. From time to time, you have to be a cynic. Once youโve let the genie out of the bottle, though, itโs hard to push him back in.
ื ืืืื ืืจืืจ ืืื ืืืชืืจ ืื ืฉื ืืืฆื ืืช ืืืืจ ืืื ืืื ืคืจืืื ืฉื ืฆื ืืจืข, ืืืืื ืืืชืจ ืืืชืืืฆืฅ ืืื ืืฉืื ืฉื ืจืข, ืืื ืืืื ืช ืขืืโฆ
ื ืื ื ืืชืืืจ ืื ื, ืื ืืืืจื ืฉื ืืืฆื ืืช ืืื ืืจืืกืช ืื ืื ืืืฉืืืืชโฆืืืฆื ืืช ืกืชื ืืื ืืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืืฉื ืจืืืื ืืืืืื ืืขืืื. ืืื ืืืฆื ืืชื ืืขืืืื ืืจื ืืื ืืืฆืืช ืืืืื ืืฉื ืจืืืื ืืฉืืืืช ืืขืืื.
The ืคืชื believes everything; the ืืฅ believes nothing. The third of wisdomโs complaint, the ืืกืื, is different. They have no interest in belief at all: ืืกืืืื ืืฉื ืื ืืขืช.
ืขื ืืชื ืคืชืื ืชืืืื ืคืชื: ืืคืชื ืืคืืชื ืื ืืจื ืืกืืืืช ืืืื ืืขืชโฆืืืืื ืชืชื ืืคืชืืื ืขืจืืโฆืืืฅ ืืชืืืฆืฅ ืขื ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ืขืืื ืืืคืชื ืืืขืช, ืืืื ืืื ื ืฉืื ื ืืช ืืืืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืื ื ืืืืขืช ืืืืืขื ืืจืืจืโฆืืืื ืืืกืื ืืื ืืืืข ืืงื ืืืืื ืื ืืื ืืื ื ืืคื ื ืชืืืชื, ืืคื ื ืฉืืงื ืืืืื ืื ืืชื ืืืืช ืืืฆืจื ืืื ืืจืข, ืืืื ืืื ืืจืืข ืื ืืืฅ ืฉืืืฅ ืืื ื ืฉืื ื ืืขืช ืืืื ื ืืชืืืฆืฅ ืจืง ืขื ืืืจ ืฉืื ืืืื ืืืขืชื ืืืืืขื ืืจืืจื, ืืืืกืื ืืื ืฉืืืข ืืงื ืืืืื ืืืืืขื ืืจืืจื, ืืืื ืืื ื ืืคื ื ืฉืืืกืืืื ืืฉื ืื ืืขืช ืืคื ื ืฉืืขืช ืืืืื ืชืฉืื ืจืกื ืืืกืื ืืคื ื ืชืืืช ืื.
We have talked about another kind of โfoolโ in ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื, the ืืืื.
ืืจืืช ืืณ ืจืืฉืืช ืืขืช; ืืืื ืืืืกืจ ืืืืืื ืืืื
We called the problem with ืืืืืื โakrasiaโ; they intellectually know the right thing to do and want to do it; they donโt treat it seriously enough, ืืื, disdain. They donโt act on their knowledge. The ืืกืืืื hate the idea of ืืืื, phronesis. ืืกืื in ืชื ืดื generally means โfoolโ but in ืืฉืื it seems to be connected to the word ืืกื, feeling secure.
ืืืฉืืื ืืืืงืื ืืกืื; ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืขืืื ืึพื; ืืืฆืืชืื ืื ืฆืจืื
ืื ืืณ ืืืื ืืืกืื; ืืฉืืจ ืจืืื ืืืืื
The ืืกืื is self confident, which sounds like a good thing but itโs destructive in this case. โI know what I want to do, so it must be the right thing to do, and any implication to the contrary is simply wrongโ.
The kesil is a โpassion-foolโ. Even though he is intelligent, and begins to understand wisdom, he is driven by desireโฆThe fool who knowingly blinds himself to pursue his passionsโฆbecomes totally lost.
Wisdom then complains that she has been saying the same things over and over and nobody listens:
ืื ืชืฉืืื ืืชืืืืชื; ืื ื ืืืืขื ืืื ืจืืื; ืืืืืขื ืืืจื ืืชืืื
ืื ืืขื ืงืจืืชื ืืชืืื ื; ื ืืืชื ืืื ืืืื ืืงืฉืืื
ืื ืืชืคืจืขื ืื ืขืฆืชื; ืืชืืืืชื ืื ืืืืชืื
The Ramchal in ืืกืืืช ืืฉืจืื pointed out that ืืืกืจ never tells you anything you didnโt already know:
ืึธืึทืจ ืึทืึฐืึทืึผึตืจ: ืึทืึดืึผืึผืจ ืึทืึผึถื ืึนื ืึดืึผึทืจึฐืชึผึดืื ืึฐืึทืึผึตื ืึดืึฐื ึตื ืึธืึธืึธื ืึถืช ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ืึนื ืึธืึฐืขืึผ, ืึถืึผึธื ืึฐืึทืึฐืึผึดืืจึธื ืึถืช ืึทืึผึธืืึผืขึท ืึธืึถื ืึผึฐืึธืจ ืึผืึฐืคึปืจึฐืกึธื ืึถืฆึฐืึธื ืคึผึดืจึฐืกืึผื ืึผึธืืึนื. ืึผึดื ืึนื ืชึผึดืึฐืฆึธื ืึผึฐืจืึนื ืึผึฐืึธืจึทื, ืึถืึผึธื ืึผึฐืึธืจึดืื ืฉืึถืจึนื ืึผึฐื ึตื ืึธืึธืึธื ืืึนืึฐืขึดืื ืืึนืชึธื ืึฐืึนื ืึดืกึฐืชึผึทืคึผึฐืงึดืื ืึผึธืึถื ืึผึฐืึธื.
And so, the fools will suffer the consequences of their actions.
ืื ืื ืื ื ืืืืืื ืืฉืืง; ืืืขื ืืื ืคืืืืื
ืื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืคืืืื ืืืืืื ืืกืืคื ืืืชื;
ืืื ืขืืืื ืฆืจื ืืฆืืงืื
ืื ืื ืืงืจืื ื ื ืืื ืืขื ื; ืืฉืืจื ื ื ืืื ืืืฆืื ื ืื
ืื ืชืืช ืื ืฉื ืื ืืขืช; ืืืจืืช ืืณ ืื ืืืจืื
ื ืื ืืื ืืขืฆืชื; ื ืืฆื ืื ืชืืืืชืื
ืื ืืืืืื ืืคืจื ืืจืื; ืืืืขืฆืชืืื ืืฉืืขืื
ืคืจืืงืืืง ืฉืืืข ืืื ืื ืืขืกืืข ืฉืืืข ืืืขืจ ืื ืคืจืืื ืืื ืืืืขืจ ืืืืขืจ.
Experience is the best school but the tuition is astronomical.
Itโs the message of Kiplingโs The Gods Of The Copybook Headings, which I wonโt quote in full, but the idea is that people follow glittery promises, but real life canโt be avoided no matter how much you want them to.
As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Manโฆ And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins, As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn, The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!
That is what ืื ืืงืจืื ื ื ืืื ืืขื ื means. It is very different from Mosheโs words in ืชืืืืื:
ืืงืจืื ื ืืืขื ืื ืขืื ืื ืื ืืฆืจื; ืืืืฆืื ืืืืืืืื
And that is because there is a difference between calling to ืืณ and calling to ืืืื!
ืฉืืื ืืืืื, โืืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉื?โ ืืืจื ืืื (ืืฉืื ืื:ืื): ืึทืึธึผืึดืื ืชึฐึผืจึทืึตึผืฃ ืจึธืขึธื. ืฉืืื ืื ืืืื, โืืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉื?โ ืืืจื ืืื (ืืืืงืื ืื:ื): ืึทื ึผึถืคึถืฉื ืึทืืึนืึตืืช ืึดืื ืชึธืืึผืช.[(ืื ืคืกืืงืชื ืืจื ืืื ื ืื:ื) ืฉืืื ืืชืืจื, โืืืื ืื ืขืื ืฉื?โ ืืืจื ืืื: ืืืื ืืฉื ืืืชืืคืจ ืื.] ืฉืืื ืืงืืืฉื ืืจืื ืืื: โืืืื ืืื ืขืื ืฉื?โ ืืืจ ืืื: ืืขืฉื ืชืฉืืื ืืืชืืคืจ ืื, ืืืื ื ืืืชืื (ืชืืืืื ืื:ื): ืขึทื ืึตึผื ืืึนืจึถื ืึทืึธึผืึดืื ืึทึผืึธึผืจึถืึฐ; ืืืจื ืืืืืื ืืจื ืืขืฉืืช ืชืฉืืื.
ืืณ allows for ืชืฉืืื.
ื ืืฆืจ ืื ืืืฆืืื ืื ืืืืจืื ืืืื; ืืืืจืืช ืืืืื ืืฉืืช ืขื ืืณ ืืืงืื ืืฉืืขืช ืืงืืื ืื ืื ืึพื ืจืืื ืืณ ืืืงืื ืื ืืจืคื ืืื ืืฉืืืชื; ืืื ืืฉืื ืืช ืืจืืช ืืืชืื ืืฉืจ ื ืฉืืข ืืืื
The message of ืืฉืื is that there is a right and a wrong, and not knowing the difference is no excuse.
ignorantia juris non excusat
ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื ืืื ืกืคืจ ืืืืืื. ืืืืื ืืึพื ืืืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืืื: ืืจืฅ ื ืืชื ื ืืื ืฆืืืงโฆืืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืช ืืืจื ืชืื, ืืฉืืืจ ืืืกืจ, ืืฉืืจ ืืช ืืืื, ืืืจื ืืช ืืฉื, ืืืืืช ืืจืืฅ ืืืขืฉืโืืืจืฅ ื ืืชื ื ืื. ืืจืื ื ืืื ื ืืคื ืื ืืคืขืื ืฉืื ืื ืืืืจืขื ืืืจืื. ืืฉ ืขืื ืฆืืคืืโฆืืืฉ ืืืื ืืืช, ืืฆืืืง ืืืจืฉืขโฆืืืฉ ืกืืจ ืืืกืจื ืืขืืื (ืืฉืื ื:ื): ืฆึทืึผึดืืง ืึฐืขืึนืึธื ืึผึทื ืึดืึผืึนื ืึผืจึฐืฉืึธืขึดืื ืึนื ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึฐื ืึผ ืึธืจึถืฅโฆืืขืฉื ืืืื ืื ืืขืฉื ืฆืืืง, ืืฉื ืฉืืืคืโืืจื ืืืืื ืืื ืขืฆื ืืจื ืืจืฉืข (ืืฉืื ืื:ืื): ืึฐืชืึนืขึฒืึทืช ืึผึฐืกึดืืึดืื ืกืึผืจ ืึตืจึธืข. ืืื ืืืืจ: ืืืืื ืืจืื ืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืืื ืืจื ืืืฆืืื. ืืื ืืืืืชืื ืฉื ืืจื ืืฉืจื ืื, ืืืชื ืืืื ืกืคืจ ืืฉืื.
Wisdom concludes her peroration with a statement about the need to keep growing.
ืื ืื ืืฉืืืช ืคืชืื ืชืืจืื; ืืฉืืืช ืืกืืืื ืชืืืืื
ืื ืืฉืืข ืื ืืฉืื ืืื; ืืฉืื ื ืืคืื ืจืขืื
ืืฉืืืช and ืฉืืื sound good, but they presage bad things to come.
ืืืจ ืจืื ืืืื ื: ืื ืืงืื ืฉื ืืืจ โืืืฉืโ ืืื ื ืืื ืืฉืื ืฆืขืจ, ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืืืืจ ืื:ื) ืึทืึผึตืฉืึถื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึผึทืฉืึผึดืึผึดืื; ืึทืึผึธืึถื ืึธืขึธื ืึดืึฐื ืึนืช ืึถื ืึผึฐื ืึนืช ืืึนืึธื. (ืืจืืฉืืช ืื:ื-ื) ืึทืึผึตืฉืึถื ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืึผึฐืึถืจึถืฅ ืึฐืืึผืจึตื ืึธืึดืื ืึผึฐืึถืจึถืฅ ืึผึฐื ึธืขึทืโฆืึทืึผึธืึตื ืืึนืกึตืฃ ืึถืช ืึผึดืึผึธืชึธื ืจึธืขึธื ืึถื ืึฒืึดืืึถื. ืื ืืืจ (ืืจืืฉืืช ืื:ืื-ืื) ืึทืึผึตืฉืึถื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื [ืึผึฐืึถืจึถืฅ ืึดืฆึฐืจึทืึดื] ืึผึฐืึถืจึถืฅ ืึผึนืฉืึถืโฆืึทืึผึดืงึฐืจึฐืืึผ ืึฐืึตื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึธืืึผืช. (ืืืืื ื ื:ื) ืึทืึผึตืฉืึถื ืึฐืืึผืึธื ืึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึธืึถืึทื ืึดืืฉื ืชึผึทืึทืช ืึผึทืคึฐื ืึน ืึฐืชึทืึทืช ืชึผึฐืึตื ึธืชืึน โฆ(ืืืืื ื ืื:ืื) ืึทืึผึธืงึถื ืืณ ืฉืึธืึธื ืึดืฉืึฐืึนืึนื ืึตืช ืึฒืึทื ืึธืึฒืึนืึดื ืึดืึผึถืจึทืข ืึทืึผึถืึถืึฐ ืืึผื ืึผึถืึฑืืึนื.
ืืืฉื: ืืงืฉ ืืขืงื ืืืฉื ืืฉืืื, ืงืคืฅ ืขืืื ืจืืื ืฉื ืืืกืฃ. ืฆืืืงืื ืืืงืฉืื ืืืฉื ืืฉืืื, ืืืจ ืืงืืดื ืื ืืื ืืฆืืืงืื ืื ืฉืืชืงื ืืื ืืขืืื ืืื, ืืื ืฉืืืงืฉืื ืืืฉื ืืฉืืื ืืขืืื ืืื.
Rambam notes that the figurative meaning of ืืฉื is to settle, be static.
The primary meaning of the Hebrew yashab is โhe was seatedโ [but] the term was applied to everything that is permanent and unchangingโฆWhen applied to G-d, the verb is to be taken in that latter sense: (ืืืื ื:ืื)โ ืึทืชึผึธื ืืณ ืึฐืขืึนืึธื ืชึผึตืฉืึตื; (ืชืืืืืโ ืงืื:ื)โ ืึทืึผึนืฉืึฐืึดื ืึผึทืฉืึผึธืึธืึดืโฆHe who is everlasting, constant, and in no way subject to change.
Human life in this world is meant to be an ongoing journey, never static. To stop growing is to die: ืืฉืืืช ืคืชืื ืชืืจืื.