With God's help we will act and succeed. Today, with divine assistance, we begin to study Sefer Yechezkel. Sefer Yechezkel has an introduction, the introduction of the Malbim, and in it the Malbim lays out for us the nature of the book, his commentary on it, and how it differs from the other books. As we always say about an introduction, the Malbim's introductions are truly wondrous, his eloquence is lofty, but some people find them a bit heavy going. I always say this, also for those who listen afterward on the recordings: whoever finds it heavy may skip to the beginning of chapter one. You do not have to hear the Malbim's introduction. But whoever is nevertheless interested will find that the Malbim's introduction gives us a foundation for understanding the flow of the book.
Let us begin. The Malbim says: I have already stated my point, that the foundations I laid down in the introductions to my commentary on Sefer Yeshayahu, upon which I built a palace of silver and a lofty wall in my interpretation of the words of Scripture spoken in the manner of song and eloquence. There he laid a foundation regarding all of Scripture that finds expression in song, in eloquence, in lofty descriptions, and shortly he will point out the difference between Sefer Yeshayahu and this book.
But the Malbim says, what I already stated there is not unique to the commentary on that book alone, for they are established foundations and faithful rules, general principles encompassing all the words of the Prophets and the Writings that were filled with force by the spirit of God through the power of song and the glory of eloquence. The foundations I stated in Sefer Yeshayahu, you may go back and review and hear them, for they are the correct foundations for the entire Tanach. So I see no need to repeat these matters here. For, says the Malbim, they all share one language, and one spirit stirs within them, a spirit holy and strong and lofty, mighty and awesome. If so, then a principle I told you there applies equally to the other books, for the same spirit, which is the spirit of prophecy from God, hovers over them all.
And this spirit, says the Malbim, observes these three conditions. These are the three conditions that the Malbim repeats often on many occasions in his commentaries. The first condition, that in the words of these holy songs, the words of the living God, we do not find repetition of a matter in different words. It is perhaps more precise to call these holy songs "princes of holiness." What this means is that for the Malbim there is no concept of repetition of a matter in different words, an expression that many used. The Radak too, and the Metzudot, made frequent use of this expression, and the Malbim rejected it entirely. The Malbim argues that it is impossible for the prophet, whose words are measured and counted and come from God, to speak empty words for the sake of the glory of eloquence. Why would he repeat the matter in different words? Simply repeat the matter in different words? If he had no necessity to repeat, he would not repeat. Indeed Chazal say even about matters, the mundane words of Torah scholars, "and its leaf shall not wither" - meaning that these are like the leaves; even if it is not the fruit, still it is like the leaves in which one must be precise. How much more so when you speak of the word of the prophet, that when the prophet repeats his words, one must understand what he comes to express in that repetition beyond what he said earlier. In each and every matter there is a new meaning. These matters, as we have had occasion to study many times in the Malbim, find expression in his commentary.
The second matter, that we do not find in them words or instances placed by chance without a specific intention. We do not find words or things present by chance without some aim. If the prophet wrote this thing, this word, it is there deliberately in order to teach me something. The third matter, that we do not find in them a statement empty of a lofty idea. Now he is speaking about the statement as a whole. If there is some prophecy or some statement, in every statement there is a lofty idea. There is no incidental story. The prophet does not recount experiences, so he also does not suddenly tell us in the middle of some matter, in two or three verses, what he went through. There is no such thing. If there is a statement that the prophet wrote for us, that means there is in it some lofty idea toward which we must strive and reflect.
These are the three iron pillars upon which one who wishes to understand the mysteries of the holy words may lean and not falter. Upon them he will hold and be supported, then he will rise and be encouraged, for they place upon the books of God the crown and the testimony, and in them is the sign and the proof, that the voice of the living God speaks from within the fire through the mouths of His prophets and His holy ones. When a person speaks, then you may say there is repetition of a matter in different words, and several expressions merely for the glory of eloquence, and all sorts of expressions of this kind, because a person does not speak with precision. But when the Holy One, blessed be He, speaks: "God spoke once, twice I have heard this." And when there is the word of God, one must be precise about every one of His words. It is enough for us to consider how precise they are about the words of the Rambam, and how vast heaps of halachot are learned from an extra letter or a missing letter, and this in the words of the Rambam. And the Rambam writes this. The Rambam says: be very precise about my words, for it is not an empty thing; everything I wrote here I wrote with very precise intention. So if this is said about the words of the Rambam, what will you say about the words of the prophets? He says this thing places upon the books of God the crown and the testimony, for the voice of the living God speaks from within the fire through the mouths of His prophets and His holy ones, and when the voice of God speaks one must be precise about His words down to the last punctuation mark.
And the children, born of their holy spirit, God gave them wisdom and understanding, good sense and holy knowledge, until all who see them recognize that they are the seed blessed of God, sons of the living God, living forever and faithful. As I clarified at length in the introduction to the aforementioned book, which is a general introduction to all the holy books that come in the manner of song and eloquence. "And the children, born of their holy spirit" is essentially, as it were, expressing that when the prophet said something, what emerges from it is what is born from his words. So he calls this children. The children, born of their holy spirit, have in them wisdom and understanding, good sense and holy knowledge. The intention is: reflect on the matters, on what is born from their mouths, on what emerges from their words, and you will see holy things, wondrous and faithful.
However, the eloquence of this mighty seer, holy is he to his God, whose commentary we are now engaged in, here he moves to speak specifically about the prophet Yechezkel. It is very distinct, separate from the eloquence of his fellow prophets, a great and enormous difference. You will see in him a great difference from what we saw in Sefer Yeshayahu, in Sefer Yirmiyahu. He is not like them, soaring aloft in the heights of exalted eloquence, and on the wing of song flying to the heights of the heavens. For to him, in a weary land, the heavens were opened, at a time when the heavens of God in His holy height were clothed in gloom and darkness. At a time when darkness covered the earth and thick cloud the choicest heritage. From within the storm and the cloud he saw visions of God, and the chashmal he beheld from within the fire. The daughters of his eloquence do not give birth to sons of freedom. The spirit of his lips does not breathe a spirit of life into sons of reason. The power of his utterances does not create mouth and tongue and expression of lips for the children of thought. The maidens of song do not pluck upon his harp, and the daughters of melody do not go forth to meet him in the dance of celebrants.
I will summarize what he says and then explain the words. What he means to say is that the other prophets spoke in a highly eloquent language, in a very lofty language, whereas the prophet Yechezkel speaks at eye level. Not in eloquent language, not in lofty language, not in language that is hinted and in the language of song, but rather he speaks in a much simpler manner. Shortly he will explain to us why. But let us look at the matters. He says he is not like them in the heights of eloquence, like the heights of the wild ox; so he does not soar in the heights of exalted eloquence, flying on the wing of song to the heights of the heavens; he is not in this state. For to him, in a weary land, the intention is in a weary land, he speaks of Bavel, indeed the heavens were opened, visions of God were seen. And so that you understand why, he says: understand that the prophet prophesied in a different period. Yeshayahu and Yirmiyahu prophesied in a period when the people of Israel dwelt in their land. In contrast, the prophet Yechezkel prophesied when he was already in Bavel. By the river Kevar. That is to say, he speaks of a situation, speaks of a state in which the heavens of God in His holy height were clothed in gloom and darkness. Darkness covered the earth and thick cloud the choicest heritage, the land of Israel was darkness and thick cloud, exile. From within the storm and the cloud he saw visions of God, and the chashmal he beheld from within the fire. The daughters, as it appears he refers to the prophecy, yes, like the appearance of the chashmal. The daughters of his eloquence do not give birth to sons of freedom. The intention is that his eloquence is not like a swallow that flies to the heights and to distant places. The spirit of his lips does not breathe a spirit of life into sons of reason. There is, as it were, no spirit of life in his lips in exalted songs. The power of his utterances does not create mouth and tongue and expression of lips for the children of thought. The intention is that there are certain special eloquences. The maidens of song do not pluck upon his harp. The intention is there are no maidens of song in his words, so he defines it as if they pluck upon the harp, this will not be here. And the daughters of melody do not go forth to meet him in the dance of celebrants. And why?
For upon the rivers of Bavel they became mighty seas over long days, from streams of the tears of the oppressed. The rivers of Bavel, where he prophesied his prophecy. And see what eloquent language the Malbim writes. The rivers of Bavel became over many days, they became from them a great sea. From what? From streams of the tears of the oppressed. For the people of Israel sat there by the rivers of Bavel and wept, so from the streams of their tears, the stream that flowed from their eyes of tears, this stream turned the rivers of Bavel into mighty seas, and from it there became a mighty sea. There, with the singers of the Temple of God, upon willows within it they hung their harps. Come and see that the singers, the Kohanim and the Levi'im, "upon the willows within it we hung our harps." That is to say, this is no longer a place of song, it is not a place, "how shall we sing the song of God upon foreign soil?" So the prophet in this place finds no place for songs and eloquence, but rather his expressions are more direct and less exalted and less special than the other song expressions of the daughters of eloquence of the other prophets. There their harp turned to mourning, and their organ to the voice of weepers. Their songs to lament, and the sweet singers of melodies fell silent. The harp turned to mourning, the organ to the voice of weepers, the songs resemble more a lament, and the sweet singers of melodies fell silent. Therefore not with might and not with power, not with song and not with eloquence does our prophet the seer speak to us. This is not his style, says the Malbim.
But rather as a man speaks to his fellow, in a vision and not in riddles, he lets flow the honeycomb of pleasant words, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Words that are straight, easy and clear. His waters do not flood, are not sharp, are not deep. But living waters, streaming, "zarim" from the root "zerem," meaning flowing, yes, this is the language of Scripture. Everything the Malbim writes here is quotations of verses. But living waters, flowing, cool, coursing, from the springs of the lips of knowledge, they restore a weary soul and fill a sorrowful soul.
And therefore, says the Malbim here in a parenthetical remark, they did not call this well "business," for they did not busy themselves with it. See what eloquent language. The Malbim here will now speak about the biblical critics, all sorts of gentiles after whom Jews too were drawn, yes, mainly from Germany, who would level criticism at Scripture. They took the texts and tried to dismantle them, this part was written by so-and-so, that part written by someone else, here that prophet was such, that prophet was otherwise, and all sorts of expressions of this kind that are not recognized in our quarters, we do not level criticism at Scripture, we study Scripture. And I have told you more than once that they were called "biblical critics" because they usually only paid a visit, they did not truly study Scripture in depth as one should. Therefore he says pay attention, with Sefer Yechezkel they did not busy themselves much. Therefore they did not call this well "business," for they did not busy themselves with it. This book they did not call "business," that is, they did not busy themselves with this book, they did not study it, these commentators and critics of the last generation, who busied themselves with Sefer Iyov and Yeshayahu and the other wells of holy waters that flow from the Sanctuary. And some of them came to Marah and cast their trees there and embittered the waters. And some who stopped them up and filled them with dust. He says there are those who came to Marah, wanted to cast a tree to sweeten the waters and made them bitter. And there are those who stopped them up, these pits they even filled with dust. He means to say this about Sefer Iyov and Yeshayahu and the other books that they ostensibly came to expound. But the waters of the well of this prophet of ours, the foot of man has not muddied them. No one trod there in the well waters of Yechezkel. And the foot of the expounder, critic and investigator has not befouled them. The intention is they did not trample them and foul them with their feet. Therefore its waters were still and at rest, and like oil in their flow. Rather, fishermen stood over its swamps and its marshes which will not be healed, and their mighty ones sent their young ones to the waters, their vessels returned empty, they were shamed and disgraced, for they came upon cisterns and found no water. He says therefore the waters of this book rested, like oil in their flow. But fishermen stood over its swamps and its marshes which will not be healed, and their mighty ones sent their young ones to the waters, the intention is that they, as it were, tried to understand the book, Sefer Yechezkel, but instead of bringing water, their vessels returned empty, they were shamed and disgraced, they came upon cisterns and found no water. That is, their interpretations, the Malbim means to say, differ from the interpretation I am about to present to you.
Yet nevertheless, after we weigh the words of our book on the scale and balances of judgment which I have established, to investigate them to the depth of the matters, and to examine whether they were built according to their proper measure, then our soul rushes to find words of desire, and the one thirsting to understand insight in the upright writing of words of truth will not find sufficient satisfaction in the words of the commentaries of those who preceded me. He says that after we weigh the words of the book on the scale and balances of judgment, and wish to understand them and delve into them according to the foundations he wrote earlier, how to study the words of the prophets, when we seek this in the words of the commentators, says the Malbim, we do not find sufficient satisfaction in the words of the commentaries of those who preceded me. For although the repetition of words or the repetition of sentences in different words is not abundant in this book, as it came in Sefer Yeshayahu and elsewhere, which flourished with the spirit of song and eloquence, indeed Yeshayahu wrote in eloquence, and when one writes in eloquence there is repetition of a matter in different words, so he says it is true, it is correct that in Sefer Yechezkel this has little expression, yet in contrast, what is indeed abundant and burst forth across all of it are the repetitions of matters and the reiterations of statements. This is something that appears in increased measure in Sefer Yechezkel. Repetitions of matters and reiterations of statements. The matters are repeated, the statements recur again and again. And in any passage you choose and read carefully from its beginning to its end, you will find that its matters are repeated and tripled, and its words are multiplied and doubled. And the words are empty of any comprehension. The lengthening of speech and excess of lips without any matter. There is here lengthy language and excess of lips, the intention is abundance, "yeter" is from the language of adorning which means multiplication, a multiplication of lips without any matter. And it would appear to us that, God forbid, wisdom of heart and lofty ideas did not fill them as befits being found in the words of God, in which everything formed by the spirit of His mouth is full of wisdom and knowledge and great understanding beyond investigation. That is to say, the wise man is formed by his mouth, he writes things in a precise and exacting manner, and here you see that this is not so.
And if a person's heart will not turn to reveal these deficiencies in his examination of words of song and eloquence, for they, over the nakedness of the interior, clothe it with the garments of the beauty of language, and over the blemishes of deficiencies they cover with the pleasant covering of reasoning, for thus eloquence tries to blind the eye of the viewer with the radiance of its splendor, and over the emptiness and the deficiency you hang a covering of darkness and set a concealing of the face. And with smooth lips it lures the heart of the listener that he not grow weary of the length of speech and abundance of words. Let me explain. He says, look, in other books this is not dwelt upon. But in this book it is indeed dwelt upon. Why? He says because in other books there is abundance of language and eloquence. I once told you that a politician speaks, he can speak for an hour, and afterward you ask what he said, tell the truth, no, in truth you cannot repeat a single thing of what he said. In simple words, when you have a lot of eloquence, what does eloquence do? It conceals the lack of content. Because when there is a lot of eloquence you do not notice that there is no content. Like in the past when they marketed a chicken that had already passed its date, so what did they do to it? They put a lot of spices on it. Do you understand? It dulls, dulls the taste. You say what a chicken, this is a seasoned chicken. So this is how, when you want to sell something without content, you put a lot of spices, a lot of decorations, and then people do not notice the lack of content. Says the Malbim, if in all the other books, Yeshayahu and Yirmiyahu, there is much glory of eloquence, and they are certainly full of content as we have studied with the Malbim, he says but in Sefer Yechezkel one notices more the difficulty that the matters come and are repeated without understanding, because here there is no glory of eloquence that would ostensibly cover over the matter. So here one needs much more explanation to try to understand what the content of the matter is, since the matter is repeated and there is no glory of eloquence here to cover over the fact that the matter here is doubled and the like. So this thing requires of us much more reflection on the book in order to understand its depth.
Says the Malbim, many times the glory of eloquence is meant to cover over the emptiness of content. For you have nothing to say, so you speak in very eloquent and very lofty language, and then the impression is created that we received something, even though in fact the glory of eloquence covered over the deficiency of the interior. Therefore says the Malbim, they, over the nakedness of the interior, that is, the interior is naked, they clothe over it the garments of the beauty of language. "Machlatzot" is a garment of beauty of language. This is meant to cover over the nakedness of the interior. He is not speaking here, God forbid, about the books of Yeshayahu and Yirmiyahu, he is speaking here about those who criticize the book, Sefer Yechezkel. As it were, they are accustomed in their songs to write song and eloquence, and here in Sefer Yechezkel this is not found. He says eloquence tried to blind the eye of the viewer with the radiance of its splendor. They write words of eloquence with no interior and no content. And over the emptiness and the deficiency you hang a covering of darkness and set a concealing of the face. That is, this comes to hide the emptiness and the deficiency, how? By means of the words of eloquence and the abundance of words. For it would appear to him as if he walks in a garden of delights, full of flowers and roses, and he does not seek fruit to eat or a leaf for healing. It appears to whoever hears the songs of the nations as if he walks in a garden of delights full of flowers and roses. But this is not something satisfying, he does not seek fruit to eat or a leaf for healing. From this you will not be satisfied. In simple words, there is here much external noise, there is in it much external glory, without content, without an interior, without fruit to eat.
Not so one who studies this book, in which the splendor of song does not serve as an ornament and the jewelry of the exalted has not been set upon it. The jewelry of exalted eloquence has not been set upon it. Sefer Yechezkel does not have song serving as its splendor, song does not serve in it as splendor, and the jewelry, "adi" is an ornament, the ornament of exalted eloquence has not been set upon it, they did not place it upon this book. If we should think that its interior too is empty and there is nothing in it, then indeed its value would in our eyes be equal against the other books that are hooped with the silver of eloquence and inlaid with the gold of song in their fullness, like the value of an empty potter's vessel against a vessel of silver or gold. So he says thus: eloquence is not here in Sefer Yechezkel, and if you should think that there is also no content here, then he says if so it is considered an empty vessel against a vessel of silver or gold. Because at least in their songs there is eloquence, even though this covers over the lack of content. But here in Sefer Yechezkel there is certainly no eloquence, and if you also think there is no content in it, then consequently it is like an empty vessel against a vessel of silver or gold. For if a man delights in a precious vessel pleasing to the eye, even if there is nothing inside it, indeed every jug is filled with wine, when its vessels are emptied, then its jugs too are shattered. For what desire is there in a vessel in which there is no desire and not in what is inside it. He says if a man delights in a precious vessel pleasing to the eye, even if there is nothing inside it, then at least it has external beauty. Behold it is a precious vessel pleasing to the eye. He says but in contrast, when every jug is filled with wine, when its vessels are emptied, he says when you take a vessel that has no external beauty, an earthen vessel, something that is an empty vessel, and you place, the intention is cheap, simple, earthenware, you fill wine inside it, then it has value from the side of the wine. Empty out the wine, you have nothing to do with the vessel, you have to break it. That is, it has no interior and no content. For what desire is there in a vessel in which there is no desire and not in what is inside it. No, I mean to understand that he means "nevel" jug, indeed every jug is filled with wine, that is, wine jugs, these are vessels for wine. In essence the meaning of these matters is: if there is no externality and no interior, there is no content in it at all. Therefore if in Sefer Yechezkel you do not find externality, that is, exalted eloquence, then certainly there is in it an interior, certainly there is in it an inner content, because if not, then certainly there is in it no benefit at all.
Nor is excess of speech becoming even to a jug. Thus every intelligent person is astonished, all the more so about one who speaks with a generous spirit, the value of language and the expression of the lips. And how can the man of spirit blow forth, when the spirit rests upon him, a mighty spirit and words of spirit, and fill his belly with the east wind, and words that do not benefit him. Excess of speech is not becoming to a jug. That is, it is not fitting for a person to speak in excessive language. The wise ones shorten their words. They say two sentences and it is finished. Whoever can say it in two words, says two words. Perhaps he will continue on. Whoever looks at the language of the Ibn Ezra and the early authorities, two or three words. Whoever looks at the glosses of the Gra to the Shulchan Aruch, how many books were written just to understand his words. He shortened greatly. Even to a jug, excess of speech is not fitting. And then consequently the intelligent person is astonished, why sometimes in the eloquence of prophecy do we see words that repeat themselves? All the more so about one who speaks with a generous spirit, even for whoever speaks with a generous spirit, the value of language and the expression of the lips, it is not fitting for him to lengthen his language. "The expression of the lips" is essentially a shortening of a verse: "and the expression of the lips only toward want." That is, lengthiness of words is essentially a deficiency. And how can the man of spirit blow forth, when the spirit rests upon him, a mighty spirit, and it would as it were appear that he says words of spirit. "Words of spirit" means empty words. For he repeats the same thing four times, when the words are seemingly superfluous. And fill his belly with the east wind, this too is spirit, and words that do not benefit him, and there are among them words that as it were have no benefit in them, they do not advance us in understanding the matter.