Chapter 33 - The Watchman, the Warning, and Teshuvah
Chapter 33 opens a new stage in the prophecies of Yechezkel. The prophet receives an explicit parable regarding his own mission: the parable of the watchman standing on the wall. From this parable arises the question of responsibility - the watchman's responsibility, and the listener's responsibility - and from there, the chapter moves to the heart of the matter: the power of teshuvah, addressing the claims of the people of that generation that repentance would no longer avail them.
The Parable: A Land Upon Which the Sword Comes
בֶּן־אָדָם דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי־עַמְּךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶרֶץ כִּי־אָבִיא עָלֶיהָ חָרֶב וְלָקְחוּ עַם־הָאָרֶץ אִישׁ אֶחָד מִקְצֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אֹתוֹ לָהֶם לְצֹפֶה׃ - "Son of man, speak to the children of your people and say to them: When I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and appoint him as their watchman."
The straightforward meaning: how does a land facing the danger of war protect itself from a surprise attack? They station a person as a watchman. In our days, this role is carried out by satellites, which are supposed to know at any given moment if a plane is taking off from an airfield in Syria heading our way, or if there is troop and tank movement toward Lebanon or Egypt. In those days, they would station a person. On ancient ships as well, someone would climb to the top of the mast and look through a spyglass to see from which direction ships were approaching and where danger lay. This man was called the "tzofeh" (watchman). All of this is merely the parable, the explanation of which will unfold later in the chapter.
Two Types of Watchmen and Three Distinctions Between Them
The Malbim distinguishes between two types of watchmen. There is a watchman who is stationed to see if an enemy is approaching the city. And there is another type of watchman who is appointed only after the enemy has already arrived and drawn near, in order to observe their maneuvers: from which flank they intend to breach the walls, where they are planning their assault, and where to fire arrows and catapult stones to halt them. There are three differences between these two types.
The first difference is the number of watchmen. The watchman whose task is to detect an approaching enemy is stationed well in advance and on all sides, since one does not know from which direction the enemy might come: from the south, west, or east. Therefore, many sentries are posted. But regarding the watchman who stands after the enemy has already arrived - one is sufficient, because it is already known from which direction they have come, and it is enough for one person to stand and monitor their movements.
The second difference is the qualification of the watchman. For the first type of watchman, there is no need for a high-ranking strategist or military expert. It is enough for him to have good eyesight and sharp vision, nothing more. But one who is meant to track the enemy's moves once they are already at the city gates and interpret their tactics - he must be a strategist, a tactician, someone versed in the arts of warfare, so that he can properly assess every step the enemy takes.
The third difference is who appoints him. The first type of watchmen, who are tasked with ensuring that no enemy approaches the city unawares, are appointed by the king or the commander of the army, so that if anything happens, they can immediately inform the king and army to advance against the foe. But the second type of watchman is appointed by the general public. For here, there is no need to notify the army that an enemy is coming - the enemy is already present, and everyone knows it. The people want someone who will tell them when it is time to flee. Therefore, the people appoint an expert observer who understands the maneuvers and will know when the battle is lost, telling them: flee for your lives while you still can, for the city is about to fall into enemy hands.
The Verse Explained in Light of This Distinction
Now, explains the Malbim, the verse is understood with precision. "When I bring a sword upon a land" - it does not mean that the enemy has not yet arrived, but rather that the Holy One, Blessed be He, has already brought the sword upon it. The sword is already here. Consequently, there is no need for many sentinels. And indeed, the text is exact: "And the people of the land take" - not the king and not the army commander, but the people themselves appoint him, matching the second type of watchman. "One man" - one is enough, since the enemy and their position are already known, and there is no need for watchers on all sides. "From among them" (miktzeihem, related to ketzinim, officers) - from among their officers and leaders, for they need an experienced military figure who knows how to interpret the enemy's maneuvers, not an ordinary layman. His task is to stand by the wall, and if he sees suspicious movement, an assault from a specific angle, or a weak breach where they intend to attack - he will immediately alert the people, so they can plan their course of action accordingly.
The First Possibility: The Watchman Fulfilled His Duty
וְרָאָה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב בָּאָה עַל־הָאָרֶץ וְתָקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר וְהִזְהִיר אֶת־הָעָם׃ - And he sees the sword coming upon the land, and blows the shofar, and warns the people.
This is the first possibility: the watchman fulfilled his duty faithfully. He sees that the situation is dire, and blows the shofar to warn the people - save yourselves, flee quickly!
וְשָׁמַע הַשֹּׁמֵעַ אֶת־קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר וְלֹא נִזְהָר וַתָּבוֹא חֶרֶב וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ יִהְיֶה׃ - And whoever hears the sound of the shofar and does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
A person heard the sound of the shofar and took no precautions. "Did you hear the shofar?" "I heard it, so what? Don't panic, we have other things to attend to." Then the enemies entered and took his life. They say to him: You are to blame. Do not blame the watchman. There were warnings, you could have taken them into account and chose not to. His blood shall be upon his own head.
אֵת קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר שָׁמַע וְלֹא נִזְהָר דָּמוֹ בּוֹ יִהְיֶה וְהוּא נִזְהָר נַפְשׁוֹ מִלֵּט׃ - He heard the sound of the shofar and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon him. But had he taken warning, he would have saved his life.
And if he should argue: "I didn't recognize the different blasts, I didn't know that a particular rhythm or a rising and falling note meant to flee or seek shelter" - to this the verse responds: "He heard the sound of the shofar." Perhaps you did not know how to interpret it precisely, but you certainly heard the sound of a shofar! One does not hear a shofar blown every day and at every hour. You should have gone and asked: "Gentlemen, what does this mean?"
The Malbim adds: In the sound of the shofar there is another dimension beyond fleeing - it carries a moral and spiritual aspect. The sound of the shofar awakens one to teshuvah, and it was blown as an alarm in times of trouble so that the people would repent. This is also the purpose of the shofar blasts throughout the month of Elul, which awaken us to repent. That is why there is a redundancy here: "his blood shall be upon his own head" and additionally "his blood shall be upon him." The verse says to him: At the very least, you should have repented. Why did you not rectify your soul through teshuvah? Had you repented, even if you died, you would have died as a righteous person. Now, you did not repent and you also lost your life - you have neither this world nor life in the World to Come. And the end of the verse: "But had he taken warning, he would have saved his life" - if he had indeed taken heed and fled, he would have delivered his soul.
The Second Possibility: The Watchman Betrayed His Duty
וְהַצֹּפֶה כִּי־יִרְאֶה אֶת־הַחֶרֶב בָּאָה וְלֹא־תָקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר וְהָעָם לֹא־נִזְהָר וַתָּבוֹא חֶרֶב וַתִּקַּח מֵהֶם נָפֶשׁ הוּא בַּעֲוֺנוֹ נִלְקָח וְדָמוֹ מִיַּד־הַצֹּפֶה אֶדְרֹשׁ׃ - But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes a soul from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.
Here the watchman betrayed his duty. His excuses are familiar: "I don't have the energy, it's too much effort, I'm tired, and besides, they haven't paid my salary in months." As a result, "and the people are not warned" - the people were complacent and at ease, and the enemies attacked by surprise and took a life.
And what is the meaning of "he is taken away in his iniquity"? If the victim should come and say: "I am not to blame, the watchman is to blame" - they tell him: No. Were it not for an inherent reason, an iniquity of his own, he would not have died. Each person dies for his own sin. And the verse immediately adds: "but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand" - so that the watchman cannot wash his hands and say: "If he had no sins he would not have died, so I am clear of guilt." They tell him: Through whom was this death brought about? Through you, because you neglected your duty. This is the principle of "guilt is brought about through the guilty" - since the calamity came about through you, your hand will be held accountable.
And so it is in every case where a person murders his fellow. Could a person possibly die a moment before it was decreed for him Above? Certainly it was decreed upon him. And if so, the murderer might argue: "He was a dead man anyway (gavra ketila katal); he was destined to die regardless, so why hold me liable?" Rather, the explanation of the matter is: Who told you to be the executioner? Who told you to be the one through whom guilt is brought about? If you volunteered to be the agent of harm - you must pay the price.
The Nimshal: The Prophet is the Watchman
וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם צֹפֶה נְתַתִּיךָ לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ מִפִּי דָּבָר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ אֹתָם מִמֶּנִּי׃ - "And you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; and when you hear a word from My mouth, you shall warn them from Me."
Here the text transitions from the mashal to the nimshal. Yechezkel, you are the watchman. Just as the watchman is meant to warn the people, so too are you meant to warn Israel of the impending troubles and destruction, and awaken them to teshuvah. If you warn them, you have saved your soul; and if not, heaven forbid, their guilt will hang over you.
בְּאׇמְרִי לָרָשָׁע רָשָׁע מוֹת תָּמוּת וְלֹא דִבַּרְתָּ לְהַזְהִיר רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכּוֹ הוּא רָשָׁע בַּעֲוֺנוֹ יָמוּת וְדָמוֹ מִיָּדְךָ אֲבַקֵּשׁ׃ - "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked one, you shall surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will demand from your hand."
"O wicked one, you shall surely die" - this is the emphasis: you are dying because you are wicked; do teshuvah, be righteous, and you will not die. But if you did not speak to warn him, and he continued along his evil path, you have caused him two misfortunes. First, that he will die. Second, that he will die with the sin upon his shoulders. Had you warned him, you might have first enabled him to continue living, and second, when his time came, he would have died as a righteous person. For this reason, "his blood I will demand from your hand."
וְאַתָּה כִּי־הִזְהַרְתָּ רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכּוֹ לָשׁוּב מִמֶּנָּה וְלֹא־שָׁב מִדַּרְכּוֹ הוּא בַּעֲוֺנוֹ יָמוּת וְאַתָּה נַפְשְׁךָ הִצַּלְתָּ׃ - "Nevertheless, if you warned the wicked from his way to turn from it, and he did not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you have saved your soul."
Notice the precise nuance: In verse 8 it states, "that wicked person shall die in his iniquity [hu rasha ba'avono yamut]," whereas here it only says, "he shall die in his iniquity [hu ba'avono yamut]," omitting the word "rasha" (wicked). That is to say: once you warned him, he repented to some degree, and even if he dies, he dies as a righteous person, cleansed of his sins. There are two possibilities here: perhaps he will do teshuvah that will bring him from death to life; and even if the decree was already sealed and he is destined to die, at least he will not die as a wicked person, but as a righteous one, retaining his portion in the World to Come. There are sins for which there is no atonement except death, such as chillul Hashem, and death serves as a form of purgation - yet he has already repented. Consequently, "you have saved your soul."
The People's Claim: "And Through Them We Pine Away"
וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם אֱמֹר אֶל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן אֲמַרְתֶּם לֵאמֹר כִּי־פְשָׁעֵינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּבָם אֲנַחְנוּ נְמַקִּים וְאֵיךְ נִחְיֶה׃ - "And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel: Thus have you spoken, saying, 'For our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and through them we pine away; how then can we live?'"
Here the Holy One, Blessed be He, addresses the claims of that generation. They do not deny it: we have transgressed and sinned. But their claim is that teshuvah will not help; do not sell us illusions.
A parable illustrates this: A king instructed his servants to build a bridge, and they violated his command. Two evils were committed here. First, you defied the king's word, which makes you a rebel against the crown. Second, there was supposed to be a bridge here, and there is none. Regarding both of these matters, they argue, regret is useless: you rebelled against the king - what good will repentance do? There is no bridge - what good will repentance do? This is the meaning of the verse: "our transgressions (peshaeinu)" - we rebelled against the Creator of the world, a terrible transgression; "and our sins (chatoteinu)" - we ruined His work; we were supposed to act and we did not. How could teshuvah help for this?
They had another claim as well: the mitzvos and warnings were given for our benefit, as the Zohar states that they are 613 pieces of advice - counsel for our own good, like a physician telling a patient, "Take this medicine and it will help you." All this is fine if the patient goes to the doctor right at the onset of the illness and takes the medicine. But if the doctor prescribed medicine and the patient did not take it until he reached the gates of death, and only then says, "Bring me the medicine" - what good will it do? It would have been effective at the start of the illness. Now, when gangrene has already spread throughout the entire leg, there is no choice but to amputate; and if it has spread throughout the whole body, there is no choice but death. And this is their meaning: "and we pine away [rot] in them" - we have already reached a state of rot and gangrene, we have reached a point where teshuvah will not help, for we did not take the medicine at the proper time. "How then should we live?"
The Response of the Holy One, Blessed is He: An Oath
אֱמֹר אֲלֵיהֶם חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הָרָשָׁע כִּי אִם־בְּשׁוּב רָשָׁע מִדַּרְכּוֹ וְחָיָה שׁוּבוּ שׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים וְלָמָּה תָמוּתוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ - Say to them: "As I live," says the Lord Hashem, "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! For why should you die, O House of Israel?"
"As I live" - this is the language of an oath. The Holy One, blessed is He, swears that this response is the truth and that this is what He will do. And this is astonishing. When a person tells something to his fellow and his fellow does not accept it, he adds: "I promise you." If he needs to promise, it is a sign that the matter is less plausible. If he says, "I promise on my word of honor," it is even more so. And if he says, "I swear to you," it is a sign that the thing is completely contrary to reason, to the point that an oath is necessary. Now, if he is an ordinary person, one might say that people naturally tend not to believe him. But if a righteous person speaks and swears, it indicates that the matter is so illogical that even a tzaddik would not be believed without an oath. And when the Creator of the world Himself swears, it shows that the matter completely defies human logic, to the point that, as it were, even He Himself would not be believed without an oath.
The masters of Mussar say: this is teshuvah. The mitzvah of teshuvah is something so illogical. As the Mesillas Yesharim writes: if one fathered a mamzer, or if one murdered someone - the ruin he caused persists in the world, so what good will repentance do him? The intellect cannot grasp it. It is so counterintuitive that the Creator of the world Himself had to come and swear: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
The Holy One, Blessed is He, Is Not Like a Mortal King
And to their argument - how could someone who rebelled against the king and acted against his will have any remedy? - the answer is that the commandment of the Creator of the universe is unlike the decree of flesh and blood. A mortal king, if you disobey his voice, seeks vengeance against you: "I will show you, I will punish you, I will execute you." But the purpose of the Holy One, blessed is He, is never to put His creatures to death. On the contrary, even when He administers punishment, and even the death penalty, the goal is not that you die, but to rectify and purify you, and so that you see the looming threat and danger heading your way and repent. This is the meaning of "I desire not the death of the wicked" - this is not the desire, this is not the ultimate purpose. Rather, the purpose is: "but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
The Malbim's Original Interpretation: A Different Wicked Person
The Malbim offers an original insight here. Even when I put the wicked person to death, the death is not an end in itself, but rather "that a wicked person turn from his way." At first glance, this is difficult: if he has already died, how can turning from his way apply to him? Rather, the meaning is: even when I put wicked person A to death, that is not the ultimate purpose; rather, the goal is that wicked person B will turn from his way and live. This is in the category of "so that others may see and fear." When a person is put in prison or sent to the gallows, it will no longer help him; it helps you, so that you do not repeat his deeds, when you see what one can come to.
Why does the Malbim interpret it this way? Because he follows a rule: whenever Scripture repeats the same noun twice, it does not refer to the same first individual - for if it referred to the first, it would have been enough to mention him once. And the nuance is conspicuous here: it should have said, "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his way and live" (be-shuvo). Why is it written, "but that a wicked person turn" (be-shuv rasha)? From this we see that it refers to a different wicked person: I do not desire the death of wicked person A, and even if he dies - the purpose is that wicked person B will turn from his way, take it to heart, and mend his ways for the future.
"Turn Back, Turn Back" - A Sign That the Situation Is Still Reversible
And to their claim, "and we pine away [rot] in them," arguing that there is nothing left to do and the limb must be amputated, He replies: "Turn back, turn back from your evil ways." That is, you still have the possibility of healing. No doctor tells a patient, "Take the medicine," if he believes the condition is irreversible and beyond recovery. The very fact that I tell you to take the medicine proves that the situation can still be changed. Therefore, "turn back, turn back" - change your evil ways, correct your corrupted deeds, because repentance is still open to you and can still improve your condition. "For why should you die, O House of Israel?" - do not make excuses; rather, return to Hashem, and He will once again have mercy on you.
In the following verses, Yechezkel continues by addressing the topic of teshuvah and the concept of "regretting one's earlier deeds" (toheh al harishonot): how teshuvah is effective, what happens when a person regrets his past evil deeds or his past good deeds, and what becomes of those actions.
In summary:
The chapter opens with the parable of the watchman: when the sword is already coming upon the land, the people appoint one of their leaders as a watchman to correctly read the enemy's movements and sound the warning with the shofar. One who hears and does not take heed - his blood is upon his own head, and moreover, his blood remains within him, for he did not even utilize the sound of the shofar to awaken himself to teshuvah. As for the watchman who failed to blow the shofar - even though the one who is killed was taken away in his own iniquity, his blood is demanded from the watchman's hand, for liability is brought about through the guilty. This is the analogue for Yechezkel: "I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel." From there, the chapter turns to the people's claim that their transgressions and sins are upon them and that teshuvah will no longer be of any avail, like a sick person whose flesh rots away. To this, the Holy One, blessed be He, swears an oath - testimony that teshuvah is something beyond human logic - that He does not desire the death of the wicked, and that even death itself is intended to rectify and to warn others. "שׁוּבוּ שׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם הָרָעִים" ("Turn back, turn back from your evil ways") - the very call itself is proof that the situation is still reversible, and that teshuvah stands waiting.