I hope you’re all doing well today. Welcome to another episode of NachDaily, with Mishlei Perek 24.
Shlomo Hamelech opens the perek by advising us not to be jealous of people who are on the wrong path of life because the purpose of this world is to build a house with wisdom and fill it with knowledge.
Verse 3 says, “B’Chochmah yibaneh bayis, u’vis’vunah yiskonon - A house is built by wisdom and founded by discernment.” Al pi chassidus, this is referring to the way that Hashem created the world. Hashem built this world with wisdom, which houses His Shechina, Presence. “He created everything with wisdom.”
No matter where you find yourself in life, you can come close to God by connecting with His hidden wisdom residing in that place. Similarly, the body is considered a bayis, house, for the soul. Even if you feel lost, you can come close to God because the divine Presence is with you even in the lowest places. This allows a person to attain higher levels of growth and reach new heights of self-discovery.
Moving on, Shlomo Hamelech explains that adversity is not a time to be lax and take things easy. Rather, you need great strength to overcome and actually grow from it. Adversity can thus be seen as an opportunity.
He says that the delicious taste of honey is like wisdom to the soul. Your insights and wisdom provide hope and strength when difficult times occur.
Verse 16 tells us, “Ki sheva yipol tzaddik vakom, u’rishaim yikashlu v’ra’ah –Because seven times the tzaddik falls and gets up, while the wicked stumbles on evil.”
Rebbe Nachman says in Shvachei Haran that many times each day he struggled and had to pick himself and start anew, as if the past never existed. He rededicated himself in avodas Hashem from that moment on as if he had never served Hashem a day in his life. It was precisely from starting anew every day, mirega zeh, from this moment on, that Rebbe Nachman was able to reach his lofty high level of serving God.
Rav Tzoddok Hakohen explains that the Gemorah which brings “ain divrei Torah mitskayim eleh mi shemichshal bom - Your Torah only endures for those who fall with it,” means that ups and downs, aliyos and yeridos, are not setbacks at all! The yeridos are part of the process propelling you forward because every descent is for the purpose of ascent!
In verse 23, the perek switches gears, interrupting with the words “Gam eleh l’chachomim - These too, are by the sages.” The Vilna Gaon offers an important historical note on the structure of Mishlei, explaining that the Anshei K’nneses Hag’dola, the men of the Great assembly, compiled Kesuvim, the major writings, together. Occasionally they added other minor works into the major existing ones to preserve some of the wisdom.
We find in Tehilim, for example, perakim written by Asaph and Moshe. In Mishlei, in chapters 30 and 31 there are sayings written by Agur and Lemuel, who were sages in the times of Shlomo Hamelech. This is why the flow is interrupted with, “these too, are by the sages,” while the next perek, 25, starts with “These are the words of Shlomo.”
Stay tuned to the next NachDaily.
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day!
