Kedoshim: Chapter 23

"For Hashem knows the way of the righteous"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon tells us that God knows and looks after the righteous, and that the wicked perish simply because He does not walk with them. He also tells us the difference between "a way" and "a path," saying that a path is a recently opened path that has not been walked upon by many people.

Righteous Wicked Wickedness

133. He commenced: "For Hashem knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish" (Tehilim 1:6). HE QUESTIONS: What is meant by, "Hashem knows?" AND HE ANSWERS: It means that the Holy One, blessed be He, knows and looks after the way of the righteous to benefit them and defend them, and He walks before them to guard them. Therefore, whoever sets a course needs to see to it that this course is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, so that THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, will participate with him. For this reason, it is written: "For Hashem knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the wicked shall perish." IT PERISHES on its own, since the Holy One, blessed be He, does not make Himself known to their way, and does not go with them.

133. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד. מַאי כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ.' אֶלָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹדֵעַ וְאַשְׁגַּח בְּאָרְחָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, לְאוֹטָבָא לְהוּ, וּלְאַגָּנָא לְהוּ, וְהוּא אָזִיל קַמַּיְיהוּ לְנַטְרָא לְהוּ. ובג"כ, מַאן דְּנָפִיק לְאָרְחָא בָּעֵי דְּלִהֱוֵי הַהִיא אָרְחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְיִשְׁתַּתַּף לֵיהּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ. ובג"כ כְּתִיב, כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד. הִיא מִגַּרְמָהּ, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא אָרְחָא דִּלְהוֹן, וְלָא אָזִיל בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ.

Righteous

134. HE QUESTIONS: SOMETIMES it is written, "a way," AND SOMETIMES, "a path." What is the difference between them? AND HE ANSWERS: "A way," implies a way that all the feet of people tread. "A path" is a recently opened path AND HAS NOT BEEN TRODDEN LONG BY MANY PEOPLE. About this path does the verse say, "But the path of just men is like the gleam of sunlight, that shines ever more brightly, until the height of noonday" (Misheli 4:18).

134. כְּתִיב דֶּרֶךְ, וּכְתִיב אֹרַח, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא, דֶּרֶךְ: דִשְׁאָר קַרְסוֵּלי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אָזְלוּ בָּהּ. אֹרַח: דְּאִיהוּ אִתְפְּתַח מִן זִמְנָא זְעֵירָא וְעַל אָרְחָא דָּא כְּתִיב, וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם.

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