This perek opens up with Shlomo Hamelech again speaking to “my son,” which can be understood as the inner child inside all of us which is interested in learning and absorbing new ideas. Often, as we get older, we become stuck in our ways and are not open to new ideas which would give birth to new attitudes and a change in perspective.
Shlomo advises us not to take on commitments and pledges that we can't handle. Overextending ourselves beyond our capabilities will cause us to feel trapped, and be the source of a considerable amount of anguish. Therefore, Shlomo warns, we should humble ourselves by knowing what we're capable of. It is equally as important to know what we’re not capable of as well.
Verse 6 says: “Leich el nimala atzel, re’ay d’racheha v’chochom - Lazy one, go to the ant; see its ways and grow wise.” The ant has no one in charge of it telling it what to do, yet it stores up food in the summer for when it won't be available in the winter, unlike men who can often be lazy, sleeping through life itself.
The Yalkut Shimoni brings that Rav Yehoshua ben Pedaya said that in the World to Come the wicked will beg God for the ability to do Teshuva. “Fools!” Hashem will answer. “Olam Hazeh is like Friday, erev Shabbos, while Olam Habah is like Shabbos itself! Those who prepare on erev Shabbos eat on Shabbos.”
Similarly, if you don't prepare for your voyage, what will you eat on the voyage itself? You should have learned this from the ant, who prepares in the summer for the winter!
Rebbe Nachman explains in Sichos Haran that there are many naked souls outside the gates of Gan Eden begging for a tikkun to come in. They are waiting to be garbed in proper clothing. Praiseworthy are they who merit to eat and clothe themselves with a few words of Torah in this world and wash them down with few perakim of Tehilim. This way the soul is fully garbed in the next world and able to enter into the gates of Gan Eden.
Moving on in the perek, Shlomo Hamelech explains that God despises 6 things and considers the 7th a disgrace. Haughty eyes. Dishonesty. Bloodshed. Harboring malice in the heart. Running to do evil. Being a false witness, and causing familial discord.
He reiterates the importance of following his advice by listening to your parents and following the true wisdom of the Torah.
As it says in passuk 23, “Ki ner mitzva v’Torah ore, v’derech chaim tochechos mussar - for a commandment is a candle, Torah is light, and moral rebuke is the path of life.”
The Vilna Gaon explains that we learn from this that a person needs 3 things: Torah, Mitzvos and Middos. In the Mosad HaRav Kook printing of the Gra's commentary on Pirkei Avot, the footnotes explain that most people think that there are only two categories: bein adam l’Makom, between you and Hashem, and bein adam l’chavero, between you and other people. This is a big mistake, because there's really a 3rd category—bein adam l’aztmo, between you and yourself! This is where tikkun hamidos, working on your character comes into play, developing the service of Hashem with sincerity, simplicity, honesty, and a pure heart.
As Rebbe Nachman told Reb Nosson. You have emunah in everything but yourself! This would fall into the categories of bein adam l’atzmo. The more we believe in ourselves, the more the other categories fall into place.
As the Vilna Gaon explains in sefer Aderes Eliyahu on Devarim perek aleph, while certainly Hashem loves your Torah, mitzvas and bein adam l’chavaro, the package is complete when a person serves God with love and fear. The 3rd category, of man and himself, in a certain way is more foundational than the other two categories.
The perek ends with another warning to stay away from adultery, and the pitfalls engendered by engaging in illicit relationships.
Stay tuned to our next episode of NachDaily when we move on to Mishlei Perek 7.
