Introduction
In chapter 15, King Solomon continues to contrast the path of the righteous with the path of the wicked. In the passage before us, we will examine three verses that share a single theme: what the Holy One, Blessed be He, truly desires from man. Is an external act of bringing a sacrifice sufficient, or is the essential thing the heart, the intention, and the path upon which a person walks? From here, we will also arrive at the question of what place suffering and rebuke hold in a person's rectification.
The Sacrifice of the Wicked Is an Abomination to Hashem, but the Prayer of the Upright Is His Desire
זֶבַח רְשָׁעִים תּוֹעֲבַת ה' וּתְפִלַּת יְשָׁרִים רְצוֹנוֹ׃ (ח) - "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem, but the prayer of the upright is His desire." (8)
Our prayer also stands in place of a sin-offering (chatat). Even though the Holy One, Blessed be He, says, as it were: Do not bring Me a sin-offering and do not sin in the first place - nevertheless, when it comes to the prayer of the upright, the prayer of a decent person who does not sin, the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Even though this is a prayer corresponding to a sin-offering, in this I take delight. It is not that you have sinned and need to bring a sacrifice for it; rather, you pray, and this is the choicest fat of the offering, and this is truly wondrous.
The Malbim explains the core purpose of a sacrifice. What is the goal when a person brings an offering? That his heart should break and that he should repent. After all, it is written that a person must observe what is done to the animal and understand that all of this should rightfully have been done to him, but in Hashem's kindness, the Holy One, Blessed be He, redeemed his soul with the soul of the animal. This is the proper contemplation at the moment of sacrifice. Thus, the primary purpose of the korban is for a person to break his spirit, feel remorse, and regret his actions, and through this attain closeness to Hashem. The word korban shares a root with kirvah, closeness: having become distant due to sin, you bring a korban and draw near once again.
Prayer, as we have explained, is the choicest fat of the offerings, and this very same concept is embedded within it. The word tefillah is related to petilah (a cord) and the phrase "I have wrestled divine wrestlings" (naftulei Elokim niftalti); it is meant to braid, bind, and bring us close to the Holy One, Blessed be He, after we have drifted away. Just as the sacrifice restores and brings one close, so too prayer binds, restores, and draws us near to Hashem, Blessed be He. The primary purpose of a sacrifice is for a person to genuinely draw close to Hashem through it - to pray, and to pour out his soul at the moment the blood of the sacrifice is poured out. If a person had not reached this state, Heaven arranged for the Kohanim to sing a song in the Beit HaMikdash, a song that would open the heart of the one bringing the offering, stirring him to emotion and tears, until he would say, "I have sinned, I have done iniquity, I have transgressed." For one makes a confession over the offering, and the entire experience is designed to bring a person to closeness.
But the wicked person - what does he do? He sins, and immediately sends an animal to the Beit HaMikdash via messengers: Master of the World, indeed, what happened happened; erase it on Your record, write down that You received it, perhaps even give a receipt. Does he repent? Does he regret his actions? Does he have any intention of changing his ways? He feels as though he has simply come to pay: Here, take it, Master of the World, and that is that. But the essential element is missing here. Therefore the verse states, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem" - it is an abomination in Hashem's eyes; this is not the right way.
In contrast, regarding the upright - says the Malbim, and the Ralbag explains similarly - from the perspective of the Holy One, Blessed be He, even their prayer alone is sufficient for Him. Even without a sacrifice, their prayer is enough, and there is no need for them to come and bring an offering. For the upright person, his prayer alone suffices to find favor before Hashem, Blessed be He.
The Way of the Wicked Is an Abomination to Hashem, but He Loves Him Who Pursues Righteousness
תּוֹעֲבַת ה' דֶּרֶךְ רָשָׁע וּמְרַדֵּף צְדָקָה יֶאֱהָב׃ (ט) - "The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem, but He loves him who pursues righteousness." (9)
Rabbeinu Yonah explains that this verse provides the reason for the preceding verse. There we saw that Hashem abominates the sacrifice of the wicked, and here the reason is revealed: the path of the wicked is an abominable path. Since Hashem does not love their way, He consequently has no interest in their sacrifices either. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I do not love your path; I abominate the wicked way within you, and therefore I also abominate your sacrifice. In contrast, "the prayer of the upright is His desire" - why? Because "He loves him who pursues righteousness." Since the deeds of the one who pursues righteousness are beloved, his prayer is likewise favorably accepted. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Such an upright person who performs acts of righteousness - it is his prayer that I desire.
What is a meradef? In Hebrew grammar, there is a simple verb form (kal) and an intensive form (pi'el). Rodef is the simple form, whereas meradef is the intensive form. Typically, the intensive verb indicates that an action is performed with greater intensity and constancy. There is a rotze'ach (a killer) and a meratze'ach (one who murders brutally or habitually). So too here: a meradef tzedakah is a person who is constantly courting and seeking out good deeds. He does not wait for a mitzvah to present itself, nor does he perform it merely occasionally; rather, he actively pursues and seeks out good deeds. This is his primary toil and endeavor in this world, surpassing even his pursuit of a livelihood, and all his worldly, material matters are secondary to him compared to the charity he energetically pursues.
There is also another explanation: meradef can denote a causative action. Rodef means "I pursue," but if I cause you to pursue, I am termed a meradef. This is like the principle, "Greater is the one who causes others to act than the one who acts himself" - one who brings others to perform mitzvos is greater than one who merely performs them on his own. So too here: the meradef brings others to pursue charity and kindness, and he is beloved by the Holy One, Blessed be He.
The Vilna Gaon explains: "The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem" - the path of the wicked is abominable before the Holy One, Blessed be He. "And he who pursues righteousness [meradef tzedakah]" refers to one who urges others, in accordance with Rabbeinu Yonah's second explanation, giving others the merit of the mitzvah of charity. Even if he quarrels with them and pressures them, this too falls under the category of meradef.
"Only Goodness and Kindness Shall Pursue Me" - A Story of the Chofetz Chaim
There was once a man who ran a gemach (free-loan fund). Over time, the gemach expanded with many loans and funds, which caused him endless trouble: chasing after people for money, dealing with constant problems, and shouldering a tremendous headache to keep it going. He decided to approach the Chofetz Chaim to seek his permission to close the gemach or transfer it to someone else, as he no longer had the strength to maintain it. At that time, the Chofetz Chaim was staying at the home of a wealthy man, having traveled to that town to strengthen communal religious observances, and the host permitted the man to enter.
The Chofetz Chaim finished his meal and sat down to recite Birkat Hamazon. Before the blessing, he recited Psalm 23 ("Mizmor LeDavid") and shared words of Torah at the table. He said as follows: It is written, "אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי" - "Only goodness and kindness shall pursue me all the days of my life." Seemingly, this is difficult to understand: do goodness and kindness pursue someone? A "pursuer" is usually one who chases someone to do harm, whereas goodness and kindness are benevolent! Rather, David HaMelech is saying: Master of the Universe, even if goodness and kindness become like a pursuer to me - so that I have no time left for myself, occupied constantly solely with doing good for people and showing them kindness, consuming my time and peace of mind - "only goodness and kindness shall pursue me"; I am willing for this to be what pursues me all the days of my life. For otherwise, a person must realize that if suffering has been decreed upon him, he will ultimately receive it from another source.
This is similar to what the Steipler Gaon told a woman who came before him asking for permission to stop having children, explaining that she already had several children and every pregnancy was an ordeal as difficult as the splitting of the Red Sea. He told her: When a person is born into this world, the amount of suffering they must endure is decreed, and you can choose where that suffering will manifest - in pregnancy and childbirth, or, Heaven forbid, through hardships, illnesses, and afflictions from unknown sources. Rejoice that this suffering brings a new soul into the world; rejoice that it is suffering through which one merits wonderful children. Escaping suffering entirely is impossible; suffering must be endured. And this is what the Chofetz Chaim meant: "Only goodness and kindness shall pursue me all the days of my life" - even if it feels like a pursuer, it is far better that this be what pursues me.
The man turned to leave. The wealthy host who had let him in asked: "Wait, didn't you want to ask the Rav a question?" He replied: "I no longer need to; the Rav has already answered me." And as those familiar with him know, this was a regular occurrence with the Chofetz Chaim: people often came to ask a question, and through his ruach hakodesh he would provide the answer before they even spoke or mentioned a word, already knowing the question and resolving it before the person ever laid out his problems.
From here we understand the Vilna Gaon's explanation: "And he who pursues righteousness [meradef tzedakah]" - sometimes he pursues people for charity, pestering them: "Come and listen, this is an urgent cause, you must help, there is a family here in desperate straits." The other person grumbles: "What a pest this man is!" Regarding this, the verse says, "He loves" - the Holy One, Blessed be He, loves this person. You may call him a pest, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, loves him, because this is how he enables you to merit the World to Come. After one hundred and twenty years, you will even complain to him: "Why didn't you pressure me more? What good is all the money I left behind now? Had you pressed me harder, I would have given more; why didn't you talk to me further, why didn't you persuade me more?" Thus, even though the one who urges others to give charity may annoy the person he pursues, before the Holy One, Blessed be He, "He loves" - Hashem loves this path, as it is written: "For Hashem knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."
The Malbim: The Intention or the Action?
The Malbim poses a fundamental question here: What is paramount - the good intention or the good action? His answer is that in a good deed performed by a person, the primary factor is the intention, not the physical act itself, which might outwardly seem to contradict his true intention.
Which is preferable: a bad action done with good intention, or a good action done with bad intention? A bad action done with good intention is certainly far better. Consider an example to avoid any misunderstanding: Imagine walking into a place and seeing someone take a knife and cut into another person. Is it a good action or a bad one? A bad action. But upon asking him, "What are you doing?" he replies: "This person has a tumor; I am operating on him, and in two hours he will walk out healthy." Thus, an act that appears bad on the surface is good because the underlying intention is to heal. Or suppose someone amputates a leg - good or bad? Outwardly terrible; but the intention is to prevent gangrene from spreading through the body and becoming irreversible. Thus, an apparently harmful act becomes a good deed on account of the good intention.
The opposite is also possible: an apparently good deed that is actually evil because the intention behind it is negative. The simplest example is the evil inclination (yetzer hara). The yetzer hara approaches a person like a friend: "What are you in the mood for? Take, eat, enjoy! Ice cream - wonderful, delicious! True, it is not kosher, but what a taste!" And so it is with everything; it lets a person follow the desires of his heart. If you were to ask the person, "Are you feeling good?" he would say, "Wonderful, very good!" But what is the yetzer hara's aim when telling him to indulge? That On High, they are waiting for him: "Aha, you did this? Now take your punishment." This, then, is an apparently good act with an evil intent: it gives you pleasure and tells you to enjoy so that you will be punished for it. It is far better to undergo a painful act like surgery, where the surgeon cuts open the abdomen with good intent, than to indulge in an enjoyable act whose intent is evil: to destroy one's share in the World to Come.
From here, the Malbim explains: the same applies to the wicked. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not merely despise the wickedness itself - that is, the evil action - but He also despises the "way" of the wicked. How so? Before a person commits an evil deed, before he steals, for instance, there are plans: from whom to steal, how to steal, and in what manner. Before one takes revenge and harms someone, the evil act itself is the damage - burning his car, striking him. But prior to that comes the "way" of the wicked: the thoughts of hatred, the grudge, the desire for vengeance deep within him, cultivating those feelings and nursing them in his heart over time. Regarding this, the verse says, "The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem" - even the intention and thought that preceded the actual deed are an abomination to Hashem.
Now let us ask: which is worse, the act itself or the thought that preceded it? The Malbim explains that the abominable thought that preceded the act is more severe than the deed itself. Why? Because the deed is external, whereas what transpires in a person's soul springs from the corruption of his inner character. All of this negative thought within him points to a flawed soul, a wicked nature, a person with malice in his heart. This is what the Rambam means when he says that thoughts of sin are harder than the sin itself (hirhurei aveirah kashim me-aveirah): the physical act is external, whereas thoughts of sin reflect the inner self. The Rambam explains this based on the most exalted part of man, the brain, which is the highest of his organs, where the soul rests and into which it radiates its sparks of light. One who causes damage through an action harms the lower realm - the physical body, the limbs, and the sinews; but one who causes damage through thought blemishes the highest place, the brain. This is comparable to placing an idol in the Sanctuary, as opposed to placing it in the courtyard; placing an idol inside the Sanctuary is far more severe. So too here: "The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem" - the path that led him to wickedness is more abominable before Hashem than the evil act itself, for it reveals the evil of his character and the malice of his heart, and that is the far worse dimension.
In contrast, the verse continues: "and one who pursues righteousness He loves." According to the Malbim, "pursues" implies that he ran after it but did not attain it: he ran after the poor man but could not find him, though he wanted very much to give him charity. Did this person perform a good deed? In practice, he did nothing; the poor man received nothing and remained hungry. Yet what can we say about his character? He is an extraordinary, wonderful person, someone who holds his fellow's welfare before his eyes and runs to search for him. Thus, even though his good deed did not materialize in practice, the mere fact that he had a good thought in his heart and a desire to do good means that "He loves" him. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: "This is what I love: this person's good heart." And what is abominable in My eyes? "The evil heart of that wicked person." Even when the wicked person actually commits an evil deed, the malice in his heart is more abominable to Hashem and more severe than the action itself. Moreover, even if he ultimately did not carry out the evil deed in practice, the way of the wicked remains utterly abominable before Hashem, because it reveals the wickedness of his heart and the corruption of his character, which is the true evil within him.
Severe Chastisement for One Who Forsakes the Path
מוּסָר רָע לְעֹזֵב אֹרַח שׂוֹנֵא תוֹכַחַת יָמוּת׃ (י) - Severe chastisement is for one who forsakes the path; he who hates rebuke shall die. (10)
Rashi explains: harsh afflictions are prepared for one who forsakes the path of the Holy One, blessed be He. For one who deviates from the way of Hashem, severe afflictions lie in store.
Rabbeinu Yonah explains: if someone forsakes the path because his evil inclination overpowered him - abandoning the upright path out of temptation, yet deep down knowing that he is wrong and not hating rebuke, admitting that what he is told is correct - what will the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him? "Severe chastisement is for one who forsakes the path" - He will afflict him with harsh suffering for having abandoned the way. And there is a purpose in chastising him, since he recognizes that he is in error and was merely drawn after his desires; therefore, the afflictions will achieve their purpose and he will mend his ways. But "he who hates rebuke" refers to a person who does not stumble merely because of an onslaught of the yetzer, but has turned his rebellion into an ideology and a principle: he despises rebuke. Such a person has no remedy. What good will afflictions do him? They mean nothing to him; he hates rebuke, and suffering will not reform him. Therefore, there is no alternative: "he shall die." As it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: "I have no hope for this person. What will afflictions accomplish? There is no point in afflicting him in vain, for it will not change a thing in him." "Severe chastisement" is fitting for one who abandoned the path because his yetzer overpowered him, for a measure of suffering will bring him back, seeing that he does not hate rebuke. But for one who hates rebuke, there is no purpose in afflicting him; rather, "he who hates rebuke shall die."
The Vilna Gaon explains: musar denotes afflictions. The Holy One, blessed be He, brings ugly afflictions upon one who once walked on an orach (path). And who is one who walks on an orach? A person who walks along a narrow, demanding path - for an orach is a constricted pathway, not a broad highway - such as a person who engaged in self-mortification and fasts, and later abandoned this path. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sends him suffering for having abandoned "good musar" of his own accord. What is good musar? When a person afflicts himself, not waiting for Hashem to bring suffering upon him, but chastening himself. When an individual forsakes the orach, the narrow path through which he served Hashem through voluntary suffering and self-discipline - meaning that he abandoned good suffering - the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, has no choice but to bring bad suffering upon him in its place. But regarding "he who hates rebuke": rebuke (tochechah) is speech, when someone rebukes you for improper actions. One who hates rebuke, says the Vilna Gaon, is dealing not with the realm of the body, but with the soul, for speech emanates from the soul, "a speaking spirit" (ruach memallela). Thus, this person's sin lies in the soul: he hates having words of rebuke spoken to him, and speech belongs to the soul. Consequently, his punishment is also inflicted upon the soul. And what is the punishment of the soul? Death. Therefore, "he who hates rebuke shall die." Musar pertains to action and the body: he took upon himself physical afflictions and abandoned them, so he receives bodily afflictions from Hashem - severe chastisement. But one who hates rebuke, which belongs to speech and the realm of the soul - if he refuses to listen, the punishment of the soul is brought upon him: Heaven forbid, he shall die.
The Malbim: Good Musar and Bad Musar
The Malbim explains that there is good musar (discipline) and bad musar (chastisement). Good musar occurs when a person instills fear within himself and brings himself to awe of Heaven, telling himself: "There is Gehinnom, there is punishment for the wicked, and the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts retribution from those who disobey His word." In doing so, he disciplines the faculties of his soul so that they do not exceed their boundaries and he does not simply do as he pleases, fearing the consequences if he follows an evil path. Thus, good musar is when a person frightens himself with what lies ahead, and this deterrence itself restrains him from sin. Bad musar occurs when, Heaven forbid, Hashem brings harsh afflictions upon him. Good musar means that before anything befalls me, I deter myself from sin because I know that suffering exists; but if one must actually receive it in practice, that is already bad musar.
And what does Hashem do to one who forsakes the path - one who had already walked in the ways of wisdom, and then turned away? He chastises him with severe afflictions. If a person sees afflictions coming upon him, let him examine his deeds; if he finds nothing, let him attribute it to the neglect of Torah study (bittul Torah). This very "bad musar" with which the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicts him for having forsaken the path serves as a rebuke (tochechah) for him. What is tochechah? The Malbim consistently explains that tochechah shares a root with vikkuach (debate or logical demonstration): as it were, arguing with him and proving to him: "Do you see what came of this? What did you gain by forsaking the way of Hashem? You received bad musar. Wouldn't it have been far better to discipline yourself with good musar, to instill fear within yourself and cultivate fear of Heaven over future retribution, instead of now receiving actual punishment - afflictions for departing from the Torah?" Thus, the afflictions come to rebuke him and demonstrate to him through clear logic that it never pays to abandon the way of Hashem.
But what happens if, after all he has done and after suffering has come upon him, he hates reproof, does not accept what he is being rebuked for, and insists on standing firm in his ways and continuing along the corrupt path he began? The Holy One, blessed be He, says: I wanted to straighten you out; I wanted to rectify you. Not only did you fail to accept the suffering and say, "I have sinned, I have done iniquity, I have transgressed, Master of the Universe, I repent," but you were insolent and questioned what was done to you - for such a person there is no choice: "He who hates reproof shall die."
From this we can understand that "shall die" is not merely a punishment. Rather, as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: There is no longer any purpose in afflicting him. Whom does it make sense to afflict? Someone who can be rectified through suffering. Suffering is not an end in itself, nor an independent goal; it is a means to rectify a person. If it is clear that suffering does not rectify him, the Holy One, blessed be He, says there is no point in his continuing to suffer. And if you ask what purpose there is in his dying - there is a very great reason: as long as he lives, he continues to amass kindling for Gehinnom. Every additional year brings more sins liable to karet, more negative commandments violated, more Torah prohibitions, more sins punishable by stoning - Heaven protect us, what a Gehinnom awaits him! If he is taken ten or twenty years earlier, he is spared that dreadful Gehinnom. This is what Chazal said regarding one who commits a sin: why did his placenta not turn over his face - it would have been better for him to be stillborn, so that at least he would have arrived in Heaven pure. As it is, he lives here for seventy years, or if he achieves longevity, ninety years - ninety years of sin, ninety years of never putting on tefillin, ninety years of desecrating Shabbat, of transgressing the severe prohibitions of arayot and niddah and other grave transgressions. Would it not have been better for him to depart this life earlier, with fewer sins accumulated? Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: There is no choice; "he who hates reproof shall die." The harsh discipline will ultimately bring him to death, because discipline is of no avail to him.
In summary:
The three pesukim we studied teach one fundamental principle: the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the heart. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination because it lacks the essential element - a broken heart and drawing close to Hashem - whereas the prayer of the upright is pleasing even without a sacrifice. "The way of the wicked is an abomination to Hashem" teaches that the path and thought preceding the deed are more severe than the deed itself, as they reveal the evil disposition of the soul; by contrast, "He loves him who pursues righteousness" - both one who pursued it but did not attain it, and one who pursues others to bring them merit, is beloved before the Omnipresent by virtue of his good heart. Finally, suffering is not an end but a tool for rectification: for one who abandoned the path due to his evil inclination, severe discipline will restore him to goodness; but for one who has turned hatred of reproof into a principle, suffering offers no benefit. From this comes the moral lesson: it is better for a person to discipline himself with good discipline - through awe and contemplation - and apply the remedy before the blow.