Introduction
We are in the midst of a passage of rebuke and moral instruction delivered by a father to his son. Preceding our verses were the words: "Do not withhold discipline from a youth," and "You shall strike him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol." Now Shlomo Hamelech comes to elaborate: What in fact should a father say to his son? What is the content of this moral instruction? The verses before us open with encouragement and joy, and from there move on to the youth's real challenge: the temptation of the immediate success of the wicked, and the answer that lies in the ultimate outcome.
"My son, if your heart becomes wise" - The Father's Joy
בְּנִי אִם חָכַם לִבֶּךָ יִשְׂמַח לִבִּי גַם אָנִי׃ (טו) - "My son, if your heart becomes wise, my heart too will rejoice." (15)
What is meant by "my heart too [gam ani]"? Rabbeinu Yonah explains this in light of the verse: "The orders of Hashem are upright, rejoicing the heart." When the son's heart is wise, he rejoices in the Torah and experiences joy - and consequently, "I too" rejoice. For what greater joy is there for parents than to see their children truly happy? If wisdom of the heart gladdens your heart, then certainly my heart too will rejoice.
The Vilna Gaon (Gra) explains this on a more internal level: a father and his son share a single root. When the son gains wisdom and rejoices, even if he does not display it externally and it is not noticeable at all, the father's heart automatically rejoices. The Gra compares this to a lodestone cut in two: when one half moves, the second half moves as well, even if it is far away at the ends of the earth. We may not be familiar with such a magnet today, but the Gra testifies to a reality known in their time - that an object here exerts an influence on its counterpart located elsewhere.
Nowadays, such a phenomenon is referred to as "telepathy" - "tele" meaning from afar, like telephone or telekinesis, transmitting thoughts across a distance. Often, one hears from identical twins or very close sisters: "I had a terrible feeling" - and it turns out that at that exact moment, the other was in a car accident and was saved by the grace of Heaven. With identical twins this is very common, as though they are twin souls that sense one another. The Gra applies this concept to a father and son. Thus he explains: "My son, if your heart becomes wise" - even if you do not reveal that wisdom outward in speech, but rather possess an inward joy in your heart, "my heart too will rejoice" - I feel it on my own, even though it is not visible externally, for the son is like a part of the father, and whatever the son experiences is felt by the parents as well.
Wise of Heart - Absolute Mastery
The Malbim frames the verse within its context: this is the moral instruction the father conveys to his son. And what is meant by "if your heart becomes wise"? We have already explained that the laws of wisdom are the forbidden and the permitted dictated by moral discipline, and a person does not receive such things from a teacher unless the teacher himself received it from Moshe at Sinai. That is to say, the laws of wisdom do not have logical proofs. And the "heart," as we have noted several times, signifies absolute sovereignty - the heart is what rules over the person's entire body.
"If your heart becomes wise" therefore means that the heart has reached such a high level of perception that it exercises absolute mastery over all desires and cravings. In the words of the Malbim: so much so that the mental imagery of lusts and the yetzer no longer raise their heads in arrogance, and the war within his spirit has fallen silent. He is no longer fighting; he has reached an abode of security - his heart rules over desires and impulses, and he has a crystal-clear understanding of man's purpose in this world, along the upright path and the path of moral discipline.
And the Malbim makes a precise observation about the wording: notice that here it says "if your heart becomes wise" - "my heart will rejoice." By contrast, elsewhere it is written, "A wise son makes a father glad" - there the son is wise without "heart," and regarding the father it likewise says "makes a father glad" without "heart." But in our verse, the wisdom is of the heart, and therefore it causes joy in the heart: "my heart will rejoice," and not simply "a father will rejoice." Why? Because when he is merely a wise son, and not in the category of one who is "wise of heart," the father does not experience gladness of heart, but only gladness. Gladness of heart is complete joy, internal joy - and it arrives only when "your heart becomes wise."
And the explanation: with wisdom alone, a person can still stray from the path of wisdom. He has attained wisdom, but he is still susceptible to going astray, and history has known such cases. In contrast, one who has attained wisdom of the heart, which is absolute mastery over all desires - this is an abode of security; from there one no longer stumbles. This is a level where a person rules over all his cravings and desires, and from this one does not fall back. Therefore, with merely a wise son - "makes a father glad," and it is not a complete joy, for who knows what a day may bring.
It is told of the Steipler Gaon that people once saw him praying with tears streaming down his face. When they asked him who he was praying for, he answered: "I am praying for my Chaim'ke" - referring to Rav Chaim Kanievsky. They said to him: "Rebbe, Rav Chaim already receives the public!" He was already in his fifties or sixties at the time, with crowds coming to him for blessings and guidance. The Steipler replied: "Nu, and so what? Doesn't a father need to pray for his children all the time? That Hashem help them, that they persevere in Torah, that they grow into mighty trees, and that Hashem spare them from every stumbling block and error." Even when his son was already one of the greatest leaders of the generation, the Steipler was still praying for him. This shows that complete joy exists only when the son is wise of heart. If a son is merely wise, the father experiences joy, but it is not true joy of the heart. When the son's heart is wise, governing all his desires and inclinations, free of inner conflict, then the father says: "My heart also will be glad" - I, too, experience a full, complete joy, the true joy of the heart.
"And My Kidneys Will Rejoice" - Joy that Bursts Forth
וְתַעְלֹזְנָה כִלְיוֹתָי בְּדַבֵּר שְׂפָתֶיךָ מֵישָׁרִים׃ (טז) - And my kidneys will rejoice when your lips speak uprightness.
Because your heart is wise, your lips speak uprightness - they speak what is right and true. Rabbeinu Yonah explains: The heart rejoices constantly, because the heart feels and is awakened more than any other organ; and when you speak uprightly, the heart's joy is so profound that it radiates outward. What is that outward expression? "And my kidneys will rejoice." Joy is usually spoken of in the heart; when it reaches the point where "my kidneys will rejoice," that is already above and beyond. That is to say: because you speak uprightness, you bring me such intense joy that even my kidneys exult.
The Malbim clarifies the distinction between *simchah* (joy) and *alizah* (jubilation), as in the verse: "Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice (*tismachnah*), lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult (*ta'aloznah*)." In that context, he offers a direct explanation for why the text mentions Philistines in one half and the uncircumcised in the other, and why it uses rejoicing here and exultation there. For our purposes, the general rule suffices: *simchah* is internal joy, whereas *alizah* means dancing from happiness - a joy that bursts forth. Thus: when your lips speak uprightness, uttering only what is proper and fitting, which stems from the wisdom of the heart, the kidneys are not satisfied with mere quiet joy, but truly exult.
"Let Not Your Heart Envy Sinners"
אַל יְקַנֵּא לִבְּךָ בַּחַטָּאִים כִּי אִם בְּיִרְאַת ה' כָּל הַיּוֹם׃ (יז) - Let not your heart envy sinners, but be in the fear of Hashem all the day.
Notice that the letter *tet* has a dagesh: "*chata'im*" - referring to people who sin, unlike "*chata'im*" without a dagesh, which is a noun meaning the sins themselves. Just as *gamal* is the camel, and *gammal* is the camel driver; *chamor* is the donkey, and *chammar* is the donkey driver; so too, *chata'im* are the perpetrators of sin. Therefore, "let not your heart envy sinners" means: do not envy the worldly success of the wicked.
And what is the meaning of "let your heart envy"? The Malbim notes precisely: the text says "*ba-chata'im*" - with the letter *beit*. When envy is paired with the preposition *beit*, it refers to a person envying another's standing and longing to be like him. The Hebrew root for envy, *kana*, also has another meaning: "a zealous God" (*El kana*) - One who is zealous, avenging, and exacting retribution. Here, however, the verse does not mean taking vengeance upon them or acting with zeal on Hashem's behalf against them; it does not say "let your heart be zealous *la-chata'im*" (against the sinners), but rather "*ba-chata'im*" (envy the sinners). Whenever it appears with a *beit*, it denotes wanting to be like that person - standard, ordinary envy: envying someone's authority, status, or wealth, and wishing to have the same. This is the warning to the son: you see sinners prospering in this world, possessing money, power, and honor - do not envy them. Rather: "but be in the fear of Hashem all the day."
Positive Envy: *Kinat Soferim*
What is worthy of envy? When a person sees God-fearing people performing noble deeds and asks himself: "When will I also merit this? If only I could attain that; if only I could do the same." For instance, when someone publishes a sefer, it often inspires others to do the same - seeing that it is "not in heaven" gives them the push to say, "I want to do this as well." Similarly, there was a man who went on to complete the entire Shas after seeing the cleaner of the beit midrash, who regularly attended a daily class, celebrate his second siyum on Shas. The man said to himself: "If the cleaner of the beit midrash can do it, can't I, who learned in yeshivot, dedicate the time and merit finishing Shas?" He committed the time, merited it, and completed Shas. This is *kinat soferim* (the envy of scholars) that increases wisdom - a legitimate envy that leads a person to realize: "You are capable too; it is not in heaven; if he can do it, so can I." This is the constructive envy spoken of in the verse: "but be in the fear of Hashem all the day."
Negative Envy: Obstructing or Belittling
By contrast, when a person experiences negative envy, he says: I cannot be like him, it requires effort, I lack the strength. Then he does one of two things. Either he tries to prevent his fellow from performing the good deed - because as long as the other person does good and I do not, it reflects poorly on me; and that is a terrible and awful option. Or - and this is a less terrible option - he belittles his fellow's good deed: "Well, he finished Shas twice? If I studied like him, I would have finished four times. Forget it, that is not how one studies Gemara; there is no depth or sharp analysis. I study slowly; I have not even finished half a tractate yet, but I really strive to understand." What has he done? Because he is unwilling to demand effort from himself, he dismisses what his friend is accomplishing, thereby exempting himself from the need to exert himself. And this is a mistake.
This is what Scripture means: when you see a wicked person prospering, do not be envious and do not say, "I will do the same as well." Rather, be "in the fear of Hashem all day" - be envious of God-fearing people. Say: "He can do it, so I am capable as well," exert yourself, put in the effort, and become like him too. This is fundamentally what was discussed: this is the wise-hearted person. One who has mastery over his heart, over all desires and cravings, knows where to direct envy constructively and where to avoid using it destructively.
"For Surely There Is a Future"
כִּי אִם יֵשׁ אַחֲרִית וְתִקְוָתְךָ לֹא תִכָּרֵת׃ (יח) - "For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." (18)
Rashi explains that "im" here functions like "asher" - meaning: on account of this, there is a future and a hope for you. It is not a question, "Is there a future?", but rather like "when," "since," or "because of this." You will have a good future, because when you emulate someone who does good, there is a prospect that you too will learn from him and do good. "And your hope will not be cut off" - "tikaret" in the sense of being severed; you will never be left without hope. On the contrary, you will have positive hope when you envy those who do good and follow after them. Rabbeinu Yonah likewise explains that "im" here does not denote doubt, but is like "when Kayin shall be burned" (Bamidbar 24:22), "when the Lord will have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion" (Yeshayahu 4:4), and "rather, rejoice and exult forever" (Yeshayahu 65:18) - having the meaning of "when" or "surely."
The Malbim explains that this verse provides the rationale for the preceding words: I told you not to envy the success of sinners - why? Because their success is such that "they sprout like grass." And what withers first when the scorching sun comes out? The weeds and grass. And what grows first? The grass as well. With the first rain, weeds cover the entire yard, but when summer arrives, they are the first to wither and dry up. So too, the wicked sprout like grass - do not envy them. If someone tells you, "Look how successful so-and-so is," have patience; soon you will see that it is all hot air. Just as occurred in the past with a political party founded on hatred, when everyone panicked - and in the end, nothing remained of it. Or when Sharon founded Kadima, and everyone rushed to join, winning thirty seats - and what remains of those seats today? Zero. Something built in an instant collapses in an instant.
By contrast, when a movement is built over many years - and this is not a judgment of good or bad, but simply illustrating the concept - it endures. It may experience ups and downs, even dropping to twelve seats, but it endures. Yet when something is built without ideology, based purely on opportunism and political seats - where the sole objective is to enter the Knesset and secure a government post - they ask a candidate, "What are your views?" and he replies, "Tell me what you want to hear, and I will tell you my views. In favor of the Disengagement? We are in favor. Against? We are against." A supermarket of opinions: you want religious? We have that. You want secular? We have that. You want sports? We have that. You want media? We have that. There is no ideology, no guiding principle - and such a thing does not survive in the long run; it sprouts like grass and withers like grass. But someone with an ideological foundation may hold eighteen seats at one time and six at another, yet he endures; there is a steadfast core that always remains, because there is a genuine ideology behind the cause he champions.
Regarding this, Scripture declares: do not be impressed by the success of the wicked; "let not your heart envy sinners" - sinners have no enduring future, as it is written, "the future of the wicked shall be cut off." What is an "acharit" (future)? It is the finish line. What remains of them? Zero, emptiness, nothing. "Rather, be in the fear of Hashem all day" - but for one who is in the fear of Hashem all day, "surely there is a future." At a given moment, it may appear that the righteous are degraded, persecuted, and even outlawed, as in our present reality, where someone studying Torah is branded a lawbreaker with a criminal record. In Germany one is permitted to study Torah, and in Arab countries one is permitted to study Torah, but here - either you enlist or you are a criminal with a lifelong record. Do not be shaken by this: "for surely there is a future." In the end, we all know who will endure and who will prevail.
Hope and Expectation
The Malbim explains the difference between hope (tikvah) and expectation (tochelet). Hope means: I hope it will turn out this way; in other words, it is not certain. Expectation, by contrast, is founded on an absolute promise; one yearns for something guaranteed. "Deferred expectation makes the heart sick" (Mishlei 13:12): when a person awaits something assured, and it fails to materialize, he is shattered to pieces and his heart falls sick. By contrast, when there is only hope, and you are asked, "Will it happen or not?" and you reply, "I hope so" - if it does not come to pass, you are not crushed.
Here, "and your hope will not be cut off" refers to matters of this world. Why is it termed hope? Because worldly matters are never promised to anyone. The World to Come is guaranteed: perform mitzvot, and you are promised the World to Come. In this world, however, you may perform mitzvot and be a tzaddik, yet not be wealthy; there is no guarantee that you will enjoy every material benefit here. Therefore, the affairs of this world are called hope. And Scripture says: even the hope you entertain regarding the affairs of this world, though not guaranteed, will not be cut off; the Holy One, blessed be He, will grant you this as well. Do not envy sinners, but remain in the fear of Hashem all day; hope for this and anticipate this, for ultimately this is the path that will succeed.
"Go with the Strong Side"
A Jew once came to the Chafetz Chaim and said that he no longer knew what to do against the heretics in his city. He was engaged in fierce battles with them and felt he could no longer carry on; community affairs had fallen into their hands, and the community leaders were appointed on their behalf. Stronghold after stronghold was falling into the hands of the Maskilim and the wicked, and he had no tools left with which to fight. The Chafetz Chaim said to him: The rule in our hands is this - when two sides are fighting and we do not know which stance to take, one must go with the strong side, with the one who will win in the end. The man thought he had misheard, and asked: What, the Rav is telling me to align with them? The Chafetz Chaim replied: No, look closely. Whom are they fighting against? Against you? Do they have something personal against you? They are fighting against Hashem and His anointed, against the Torah, against sacred matters, against everything the Creator of the world represents. Now make the calculation yourself: Who will win? Who will remain here? If the Holy One, blessed be He, will win - go with the Holy One, blessed be He; and if they will win - go with them. Go with the winners, go with the strong; just consider who is truly the strong one here. (This story is also told about Rav Kahaneman.)
Indeed, right now it may seem that the Torah is humiliated and those who fear Hashem are despised, but who will win in the end? Who will remain here after everything? Who are those who will sprout like grass and wither like grass? The wicked. And in the end, the righteous will shine like the light of dawn forever and illuminate like the stars of heaven, and they will endure for eternity. So decide for yourself who is worth siding with. That is the meaning of: "My son, let not your heart envy sinners."
An Educational Foundation: Delayed Gratification
What King Solomon is stating here is a very important educational foundation, because a child tends to be seduced by momentary success. A child sits in class, blurts out a line, everyone laughs, and everyone is pleased. He knows full well that one gets punished for this, that they will send him out of class for this - he knows everything. But what is powerful for him? The moment. The moment he said the word, everyone laughed, he got the attention - he received instant payment. Know that one of the most problematic things is trying to motivate children with a long-term "salary." Every teacher and every parent knows this: "Do this, and Mommy will set up an incentive program for four months" - four months for a child is an eternity. An incentive program should last at most until the end of the week, and as he grows older, it can be extended. It is hard for a child to delay gratification. Some people remain children, but a mature adult knows how to say: It is true that I really want to do this, but it is not worthwhile; one pays a heavy price for it. A child will do it even when he knows he will pay a price.
And how does King Solomon address the son? First of all: "Do not withhold discipline from a youth," "You shall strike him with a rod and save his soul from Sheol." And then - "My son, if your heart becomes wise, my own heart will also rejoice," "And my kidneys will exult when your lips speak uprightness." Notice: one begins with encouragement. Tell the child: When you say good things, when you behave nicely - you have no idea what joy you bring me, how happy I am. Only afterward comes the difficulty: the child is drawn after lusts, desires, and physical gratification, and the affairs of this world wink at him. Therefore, the educational approach and the message is: "Let not your heart envy sinners, but rather be in the fear of Hashem all the day; for surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off."
A child needs to be shown tangibly: Look at So-and-so, he thought so highly of himself and felt this and that - and what became of him? Nothing, because his entire mindset was "I will have this and I will have that." In contrast, look at Someone-else, who was willing to invest, and immediately it seemed as though he was gaining nothing from it - yet look today at how much reputation and respect he has, and how successful he is. One must show the child examples that immediate gain is not worthwhile: You do not want to be like So-and-so; you want to be like Someone-else, whom I remember investing so much, and now he is reaping the rewards. Of course, this refers to people who are not observant of mitzvos; one must not speak lashon hara about observant Jews, and even for a constructive purpose it is better to avoid it. But the principle is clear: when a child sees it with his own eyes, it is much easier for him to internalize than when he is simply told "it is worth your while" and "this is how you will be a good boy," while in his heart he asks: What does this give me? When I did improper things, I enjoyed myself immediately, whereas you are talking to me about something where who knows what will happen! Therefore: convince him that "there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off" - whoever walks in the way of Hashem will ultimately only succeed.
In summary:
The four pesukim before us are the essence of the father's ethical instruction to his son. "My son, if your heart becomes wise" - wisdom alone is not enough, for one can still stray from it; rather, it requires wisdom of the heart, total mastery over desires, and that alone produces in the father complete joy, joy of the heart. "And my kidneys will exult" - when inner wisdom is translated into upright speech, the joy bursts forth above and beyond. "Let not your heart envy sinners" - envy itself is not inherently flawed; the question is whom one envies: the envy of scholars (kin'as sofrim) directed toward those who fear Hashem increases wisdom, whereas envy of the success of the wicked only diminishes a person. "For surely there is a future" - the success of the wicked is like grass that sprouts and withers, whereas the righteous person has a future and his hope will not be cut off. And this is also the educational foundation: to begin with encouragement, to teach delayed gratification, and to demonstrate tangibly to the child that immediate gain is not worthwhile, and that ultimately, whoever walks in the way of Hashem is the one who will prevail.