227. "Now there was found in it a poor (Heb. misken) wise man" (Kohelet 9:15). This resembles what is written, "He that has clean hands, and a pure heart" (Tehilim 24:4). HE IS CALLED "Misken" in accordance with the words, "And they built for Pharaoh treasure (Heb. miskenot) cities" (Shemot 1:11), MEANING he is crowned with crowns of strength, with the crowns of Torah and with the crowns of the Torah precepts of the King. He is called wise, because he merits wisdom, AS MALCHUT IS CALLED THE LOWER CHOCHMAH BECAUSE IN HER CHOCHMAH REVEALED, AS MENTIONED. ALSO, HE IS CALLED wise, because he is wiser than all PEOPLE to contemplate the service of his Master, so he may gain enough merit to enter that service. This is the idea of the verse, "And he by his wisdom saved the city" and "saved" is to be understood as, "Let me go away, I pray you, and see my brothers" (I Shmuel 20:29). Also, "let me escape there" (Beresheet 19:20) SPEAKS ABOUT RESCUE. Here also, "And he by his wisdom saved the city:" THROUGH HIS MEDITATION, HE SAVED IT FROM THE EXTERNAL FORCES FEEDING UPON IT.
227. וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן וְחָכָם, הה"ד נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר לֵבָב. מִסְכֵּן: כד"א וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת לְפַרְעֺה, מִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרִין תַּקִּיפִין, בְּעִטְרֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּעִטְרֵי פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא. וְחָכָם, דְּזָכֵי בָּהּ בְּהַאי חָכְמָה. וְחָכָם, דְּהוּא חַכִּים יַתִיר מִכֺּלָּא לְעַיְּינָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי בָּהּ, וּלְאַעֲלָא בָּהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, וּמִלַּט הוּא אֶת הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ. וּמִלַּט: כְּמוֹ אִמָּלְטָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת אֶחָי, אִמָּלְטָה נָא שָׁמָּה. אוּף הָכָא וּמִלַּט הוּא אֶת הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ.