Chapter 13 is the continuation of Iyov's words to his three companions. In the preceding chapters, a fundamental argument was leveled against him: the human intellect is truly incapable of understanding and delving deeply into matters. Our vision is purely superficial and external; we perceive reality only through the senses, and the senses deceive us. Consequently, one cannot resolve issues based on the intellect's determination, for the intellect's conclusion is inherently flawed since its source lies in sensory perception, and the senses often fail to show us things as they truly are. Therefore, when you come and assert about yourself that you are righteous - who says you are righteous? Because that is how it appears? "That is how it appears" is merely a sensory determination, and the senses mislead man. It is this claim that Iyov now comes to answer.
הֶן־כֹּל רָאֲתָה עֵינִי שָׁמְעָה אׇזְנִי וַתָּבֶן לָהּ׃ כְּדַעְתְּכֶם יָדַעְתִּי גַם־אָנִי לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם׃ - Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it for itself. What you know, I know as well; I do not fall short of you.
Iyov says: These things I have seen and grasped through my senses. Through the sense of sight - "my eye has seen." And do not tell me that the sense of sight deceived me, for he adds, "my ear has heard" - this is precisely what I also heard with my ears. "And understood it for itself" - I contemplated the matter. It cannot be that all human beings see and hear and yet all are mistaken, that no one understands what they see or hear. Nor can you tell me that you perceive things differently than I do, for "what you know, I know as well" - your knowledge is also my knowledge; you have no superior knowledge beyond what I know, and your comprehension is no greater than mine.
We have already explained the phrase "I do not fall short of you" (lo nofel anochi mikem), which carries two possible meanings. First: I am not inferior to you - which is the common idiom today when one says that something "does not fall short" of another, meaning it is no less good. Second: when a person sees something and is overwhelmed by it, sometimes out of sheer awe or shock he recoils backwards, startled, and falls. Iyov tells them: I hear you, and I do not fall; I am not startled. You are not innovating anything I did not already know, nor do you possess any extraordinary wisdom that would make me recoil. "What you know, I know as well."
אוּלָם אֲנִי אֶל־שַׁדַּי אֲדַבֵּר וְהוֹכֵחַ אֶל־אֵל אֶחְפָּץ׃ וְאוּלָם אַתֶּם טֹפְלֵי־שָׁקֶר רֹפְאֵי אֱלִל כֻּלְּכֶם׃ - However, I would speak to the Almighty (Shaddai), and I desire to argue before God (El). But you are plasterers of falsehood; you are all worthless physicians.
These two verses are read together because their poetic clauses are parallel. To recall how clause parallelism works: when a verse contains two elements and the following verse also contains two elements, part one of the first verse sometimes corresponds to part one of the second verse, while part two of the first corresponds to part two of the second. Here: "However, I would speak to Shaddai" corresponds to "But you are plasterers of falsehood"; "and I desire to argue before El" corresponds to "you are all worthless physicians."
Iyov tells them: The difference between us, the reason our views do not align, does not stem from our level of comprehension - not because you grasp things differently or possess a broader power of understanding. The dispute between us stems from the goal each of us has set for this debate. As for me - my objective in this debate is "to speak to Shaddai." I come to justify the governance of the Creator of the world, for Hashem is El Shaddai, and from El Shaddai it is unthinkable that injustice should emerge, Heaven forbid. If I were to claim that individual Divine providence governs and that everything happening to me comes directly from Hashem - that would contradict justice, uprightness, and true judgment: how could a righteous person like me suffer? Therefore, from this very premise, Iyov arrived at his conclusion: that we are subject to the celestial order, there are stars and constellations, and Hashem left governance in the hands of the celestial system.
"But you are plasterers of falsehood" - because you want to have it both ways: that Hashem exercises individual providence, and everything that happens to you at any given moment is directly from Him, Blessed be He, while on the other hand asserting that this is just, forcing yourselves to concoct explanations as to why it is indeed fair. This is false, and you are plasterers of falsehood, for your reconciliation is unacceptable to reason: to assert that Hashem oversees everything directly, and then to claim that this is also just - this is a direct contradiction (tartei desatrei). How could a righteous man like Iyov receive such punishments?
"And I desire to argue before El" - I argue in order to prove my position from the perspective that the Holy One, Blessed be He, is El, He is God. Certainly Hashem knows all that is destined to occur, and in His knowledge there is no change, no multiplicity, and no novelty. If so, since the Holy One, Blessed be He, knows everything that will happen and nothing is new to Him - is it conceivable that I could do anything that Hashem did not already know? Hashem thus knows beforehand what will occur, and I do nothing that Hashem did not foresee. And what is the conclusion? That there is no free will: Hashem knows what will be, and it cannot be otherwise; evidently Hashem decreed that the world behave in this manner, and I have no free choice to do good or evil. Consequently, Iyov argues - even if you believe that I acted wickedly, why are You afflicting me? After all, I have no free will.
In contrast, "you are all worthless physicians." You attribute to the Holy One, blessed be He, foreknowledge of everything that will happen in the future, yet you still claim that I have free will. Iyov has already raised this issue, showing that it is seemingly a contradiction in terms: if Hashem knows what will happen, I cannot choose otherwise, since that is what Hashem already knows. (Regarding this question of divine knowledge and free will, an entire shiur was dedicated to it at the end of chapter 11, where one can hear how the two are reconciled - why there is no contradiction between the Holy One, blessed be He, knowing everything I will do and my still being able to act as I choose.)
According to Iyov's claim, however, you offer an answer that does not exist in reality, presenting a defense that is utterly impossible: that Hashem knows with certainty that Reuven will desecrate the Sabbath this coming Shabbat, yet despite this, you tell me that had Reuven chosen not to desecrate it, he would not have desecrated it. How can this be? In Iyov's view, anyone who tries to resolve the matter this way is a "worthless physician" (rofei elil). And what is an elil? Elil is related to the word of negation, al or lo, for all the gods of the nations are elilim - possessing no real power whatsoever, the very opposite of El, which denotes power and mastery. Thus, it signifies an impossibility, something absurd that cannot exist. Furthermore, in those days there were practitioners called "physicians of elil" - doctors who had no real medical expertise, relying instead on all kinds of charms, omens, and useless rituals. Iyov tells them: You are just like them. You come to heal with a medicine that has no substance or efficacy, asserting that the Holy One, blessed be He, possesses foreknowledge and yet free choice remains - two concepts that simply cannot coexist in that way.
מִי־יִתֵּן הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישׁוּן וּתְהִי לָכֶם לְחׇכְמָה׃ - If only you would remain completely silent, and it would be considered wisdom on your part.
Iyov says to them: If that is the case, you have no real arguments at all; you are worthless physicians, and everything you answer me consists of concepts that transcend human intellect and cannot be grasped. When it comes to answers like that, it is far better to be silent. It would be good for you to hold your peace, for "Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is thought wise" (Mishlei 17:28). When a fool keeps silent, people say, "Look how wise he is! Surely he has much to say and is merely exercising restraint." But woe to him once he opens his mouth, for then everyone sees that where his brain should be, there is only straw. Therefore, in your situation, it is better not to offer answers at all, and then we might have thought you were wise. For one who admits, "I do not know" - his wisdom lies in remaining silent, not in arguing. After all, what are you actually coming to say? That these matters are beyond comprehension, that they are higher than human reason, that our perception is limited and sensory, and that the mind of the Creator of the world is nothing like ours, but of an entirely different nature. In essence, what are you telling me? That we do not understand. And if we do not understand, then be quiet! Why argue about something you admit we cannot comprehend?
שִׁמְעוּ־נָא תוֹכַחְתִּי וְרִבוֹת שְׂפָתַי הַקְשִׁיבוּ׃ - Hear now my rebuke, and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
Now Iyov comes to debate them for having condemned him with futile arguments, acting as if they were seeking to flatter the Creator of the world. It is as if they said: "You, Iyov, have a dispute with the Creator of the world, and you have leveled severe accusations against Him; we, on the other hand, have come to find favor in His eyes and justify Him - even though we know that justice is not on His side." Therefore, Iyov tells them: First, hear my rebuke - this is the substance of the debate, and a debate means presenting proofs and evidence. And listen as well to "the pleadings of my lips" - my grievance against you for desecrating my honor.
הַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה וְלוֹ תְּדַבְּרוּ רְמִיָּה׃ - Will you speak injustice on God's behalf, and speak deceit for Him?
Here he comes to answer the approach of Elifaz and Bildad the Shuchite, who in truth attribute injustice to God. Elifaz argues that the Holy One, blessed be He, imposes severe punishment even for minor sins: "You claim you do not deserve this? Surely you know how exacting divine justice is, how meticulous the Holy One, blessed be He, is with every single deed of man." Iyov replies to them: "Will you speak injustice on God's behalf?" To say that a person who committed a minor offense, who stole five shekels from his fellow, was executed on that account - that is an injustice! A person is not put to death over a five-shekel fine. Anyone who claims that Hashem prosecutes you so severely even for trivial matters, and that this is why you are paying such a terrible price, is effectively asserting that Hashem acts unjustly.
So too with Bildad the Shuhite, who said: You are suffering here, but you will receive good in the future; it will be well with you in the future. Iyov says: This too is an injustice. Did anyone ask me if I am interested? Who asked me if I want to suffer now in order to receive later? I do not want to suffer now, and I do not want to receive later. Who gave You permission to exchange the future for the present? You did not ask me, so why do You bring afflictions upon me and tell me that in the end it will be good? Who says I desire this? It turns out that according to Bildad's approach as well, you are speaking injustice for God, saying that Hashem does things that contain an element of injustice.
"And speak deceitfully for Him" - this corresponds to the approach of Tzofar the Naamathite. Tzofar argued that one cannot truly know who is righteous; even if you consider yourself a tzaddik, perhaps you did not fulfill your service according to your level, and much more was demanded of you. Just as we saw regarding Nakdimon ben Gurion, who gave immense charity, yet nevertheless "he did not act as befitted him" - he gave charity, but not in accordance with his means and stature. Iyov says: You, Tzofar, claim that I am being punished because I am not at the level I should have been, and it only seems to me that I am righteous, whereas I am not truly righteous according to what is demanded of me, and Hashem is punishing me for that deficiency within me. To this, Iyov responds: It is deceit to say this about Hashem. Why? Because according to Iyov's premise there is no free will, and if there is no free will, it makes no sense to say that Hashem holds me accountable for what I could have attained but failed to attain. What I did is what was allotted to me from Heaven, and I do not have free choice. If so, it is deceit to say that I am being held accountable for attainments I allegedly could have reached.
הֲפָנָיו תִּשָּׂאוּן אִם־לָאֵל תְּרִיבוּן׃ - Will you show favor to Him, or will you contend for God?
Sometimes a person flatters a great individual and justifies his actions, even when those justifications are untrue and even when they are false, simply because he shows him partiality: I feel uncomfortable before him, he is such an honorable and important person, and although I know he erred, I say he is in the right - just to flatter him, because I show him favoritism. Iyov says to them: "Will you show favor to Him?" - Are you showing partiality to Hashem and flattering Him, even though you know His actions do not conform to justice, simply because you are biased in His favor? And at other times, when a person hears someone being insulted, he feels the sting of his humiliation and goes out to quarrel on his behalf for the sake of his honor. Regarding this, Iyov says: "Or will you contend for God?" - Just because you perceived here a slight to the honor of Hashem, are you going out to battle on His behalf?
Iyov argues: Both showing partiality and contending on His behalf - neither of these things is pleasing to Hashem, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, does not favor them, for He desires neither flattery nor deceit. Hashem desires the truth. And I, though I speak harsh words - they are the truth. Whereas you, each of you comes to justify the Holy One, Blessed is He, with arguments that are untrue, merely to show Him favor and fight His battles, and your arguments are unacceptable to the Creator of the world. For Hashem prefers the truth even when it is bitter, over flattery and deceit even when they are pleasant and sweet. Thus, what I am doing is more acceptable before Hashem.
הֲטוֹב כִּי־יַחְקֹר אֶתְכֶם אִם־כְּהָתֵל בֶּאֱנוֹשׁ תְּהָתֵלּוּ בוֹ׃ הוֹכֵחַ יוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם אִם־בַּסֵּתֶר פָּנִים תִּשָּׂאוּן׃ - Is it good that He should search you out? Or as one mocks a man, will you mock Him? He will surely reprove you, if you secretly show partiality.
You yourselves know that there is no substance to your claims, and that the things you say are spoken merely to justify the Creator of the world at any cost, even though there is no justice in the arguments themselves, and you speak falsehoods in order to justify Him - yet "he who speaks lies shall not stand before My eyes," and Hashem hates speakers of falsehood. Therefore, Iyov asks them: Would you want Hashem to examine and test you to see what is in your hearts, to scrutinize whether the answers you gave truly stem from the heart and are spoken with conviction, or are merely offered to justify the Creator of the world?
And how will they be examined? "He will surely reprove you, if you secretly show partiality" - Iyov tells them: There is a simple test. Let Him bring upon you a little suffering, and then we will hear what tune you sing. Let us see whether you justify the Creator of the world and declare that everything is truth, or whether you will then begin to claim precisely what I have claimed - that there is no justice here, that I am righteous, and why is Hashem afflicting me so? In simple words: your claims are not genuine, and the test will come when these troubles and afflictions befall you, and then it will be evident whether you speak from the heart. For then you will surely rail against the judgments of Hashem. And then we shall see whether in secret you truly show deference to Hashem, or whether in secret you harbor complaints and grievances against the Creator of the world and objections to His conduct toward you. Everything you are doing now is nothing more than an argument against me, and you do not truly believe it; for had Hashem touched even your fingernails, very different tunes and melodies would be heard from your mouths.
הֲלֹא שְׂאֵתוֹ תְּבַעֵת אֶתְכֶם וּפַחְדּוֹ יִפֹּל עֲלֵיכֶם׃ זִכְרֹנֵיכֶם מִשְׁלֵי־אֵפֶר לְגַבֵּי־חֹמֶר גַּבֵּיכֶם׃ - Shall not His majesty terrify you, and His dread fall upon you? Your memorable sayings are parables of ashes, your defenses are defenses of clay.
Here too, the clauses of the verses are parallel: "Shall not His majesty terrify you" corresponds to "Your remembrances are proverbs of ashes"; "and His dread fall upon you" corresponds to "your bodies are bodies of clay."
Iyov says to them: The reason you speak deceitfully stems from being terrified of His awe. The fear of the Creator of the universe has fallen upon you, and so you rush to vindicate Him at any cost, even though there is no justice in your words, and not because you have genuinely arrived at this conclusion in your hearts. And se'eit ("majesty") is an expression of exaltation: His exaltation terrifies you. And why? "Your remembrances are proverbs of ashes" - because you remember and say, "I am dust and ashes before Hashem; who am I and what am I before the Creator of the world?" Therefore, you rush to justify Hashem, even though it is not legally sound and even though Hashem is dealing unjustly with me.
Or the second possibility: "And His dread fall upon you." For awe is of two kinds. There is yirat haromemut (awe of His exaltation) - "Shall not His majesty terrify you," where you are overwhelmed by His loftiness, se'eit being an expression of height and elevation. And there is the possibility that your arguments stem from yirat ha'onesh (fear of punishment) - "and His dread fall upon you": you are afraid, thinking, "Who knows? If I say anything unfavorable about the Creator of the universe - look at what Iyov received, who knows what I will receive!" Therefore, you hasten to say that Hashem is righteous and that he deserved it, offering all kinds of explanations. And the continuation of this is: "your bodies are bodies of clay" - for you know that man was created from matter, that his existence is transient and material, your frame is a frame of clay, and therefore a single small blow is enough to destroy you. Consequently, His dread falls upon you, and you advance arguments that are untrue, solely to vindicate the Creator of the universe.
It turns out, then, that it is one of two things: either "His majesty terrifies you" - His exaltation, just as you say, "Your remembrances are proverbs of ashes," for we are dust and ashes, and what are we compared to His exaltation; or you harbor merely physical fear, lest He turn your bodies back into clay, that is, return you to dust and ashes, and because of this you make arguments to vindicate Hashem that are not based on the truth.