Welcome to another episode of Nach Daily, with Mishlei, Perek 20.
In this perek Shlomo Hamelech continues to describe the derech tova v’hara, the positive and negative paths of life.
Those who are lazy and do not plow in the proper time will have nothing to harvest when they actually need to eat. The deeper meaning is that this world is the time to plow with Mitzvos, Torah and Tefilah. When we fail to do that, we’ll have nothing to “feed” our neshamas in Olam Habah when the time comes for us to reap the fruit of our labor.
Verse 5 says, “Mayim amukim eitza b’lev ish, v’ish tefuna yid’lena - the counsel in man’s heart is deep, yet a man of insight draws it out.”
Rashi explains that an insightful student can draw more from his rebbe’s mind. The Gr’a brings the Bereishis Rabbah to explain that this is like a very deep well with fresh and clear water that can't be reached by average means. One day a man of insight came and tied many ropes together until he was able to reach the water and draw from it.
The Ramad Walli explains that the deep waters in man's heart refers to a talmid chochom, but a man of insight means one who is able to draw and understand from sod, the hidden secrets of the Torah, and reveal them.
This is what we find by Yosef Hatzaddik, who corresponds to the trait of yesod, foundation. He was able to interpret dreams, which are hidden. The Ramad Walli goes on to explain that this is why Yosef was fit to be the ruler.
On a psychological note: Insight is different than regular chochma. When you receive an insight into your life, it’s a new thought gifted to you by Hashem. It is custom made for your situation in life. Your insights are something no one can take away from you. That's why our passuk says that people have deep waters within them. They need to listen, to search for their own unique insights about life.
Verse 9 says, “Mi yomar zekisi leebe tahar’ti meichatasi? - Who can say ‘I have purified my heart, I am purged of my sin?”
Rebbe Nachman explains in Lekutay Maharan, lesson 6 based on this verse, that a person needs to do teshuva on top of the original teshuva. It's not enough to do it once. Now that you've advanced, you can see how your original teshuva was considered more physical in relation to your new level. Because, “Who can say ‘I have purified my heart, I am purged of my sin?’ Even as you say these words, you know deep within that there is more to do, so who can properly say, “I have purified my heart?”
In verse 27 we find the famous passuk, “Ner Hashem nishmas adom, chofes kol chadrei batten - The soul of man is the lamp of God, with which He searches all his innermost parts.”
The Yalkut Shemoni brings that R’ Acha said that the soul discloses everything that man did in public and in private to Hashem. In the future, God will rebuke each man for his deeds and they will be astonished.
This is compared to a person who married the king's daughter. Every, morning the king would say to him “I heard about everything you did in your house.”
“How do you know about everything I do?” he asked.
“Fool,” the king replied, “you're married to my daughter!”
So too we are married to our souls which are like the king's daughter, disclosing everything to God.
Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily.
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day!
