Mishlei 19-10 Pleasure Key Concepts A key driving force in human behavior is the eagerness to experience pleasure. This includes physical pleasure, emotional pleasure, and spiritual pleasure. A person’s instinctive attitude is that pleasure is a good thing and the...

Mishlei 19-11 Wisdom – Intelligence Key Concepts The intellect is an essential faculty that Hashem has given to every person. It enables him to evaluate each challenge of life and respond in a way that he believes serves his needs and his conscience. Of course, just...

Mishlei 19-12 Royalty Key Concepts There are certain advantages in being a member of royalty. People treat you with special courtesy and pay close attention to your wishes. They try to avoid upsetting you and seek your favor. So, wouldn’t it be nice to be a royal...

Mishlei 19-13 The Intelligent Woman [Pesukim 19:13 and 19:14] Key Concepts It is natural for a man to seek serenity and peace in his home. Therefore, he is especially dependent upon the personal qualities of his wife and children. For example, having an unworthy son...

Mishlei 19-15 Inactivity [Pesukim 19:15 and 19:16] Key Concepts Our life consists of alternating periods of activity and inactivity. Of course, we naturally give priority to the periods of activity because that is when we do what is necessary to earn a living and that...

Mishlei 19-17 Charity – Reimbursement Key Concepts When Hashem created the world with all of its creatures, He didn’t just leave them to fend for themselves. He set up the cycle of nature whereby each creature would have access to the sustenance that it needed to...

Mishlei 19-18 Parenting – Patience Key Concepts Raising children requires infinite patience. When children resist verbal persuasion, concerned parents may occasionally find it necessary to resort to physical discipline. However, such steps should should never be...

Mishlei 19-19 Anger Key Concepts Anger is a common reaction to a personal offense. The offended person feels that he has been disrespected and that his dignity or self-image has been undermined. His resentment builds up and he strikes out emotionally against what he...

Mishlei 19-20 Wisdom – Truth (Pesukim 19:20 and 19:21) Key Concepts Mishlei teaches us the value of wisdom based on truth. This is Torah truth, revealed in the national experience of the Jewish people and in the testimony of that experience as passed on to us by...

Mishlei 19-22 Pretension Key Concepts A person who wants to be popular may go out of his way to create the impression of having wealth so that he can be admired for his generosity. He leads people to believe that they will benefit financially if they are on good terms...

Mishlei 19-23 Fear of Hashem Key Concepts It is natural to feel fear when you are in the presence of a powerful force that is beyond your control. The intensity of your fear depends on what is going through your mind: (1) How real is the thing you are afraid of? (2)...

Mishlei 19-24 Apathy Key Concepts There are people who have fallen into the habit of responding to any challenge with apathy. They know that worthwhile things need to be done but they are no longer able to muster the energy or will to make it happen. People who are...

Mishlei 19-25 Deterrence Key Concepts How do you discourage a young person from engaging bad behaviour? How do you save him from having to suffer the consequences of actions that are sinful or self- destructive? It all depends on the attitude that individual has in...

Mishlei 19-26 Parenting – Frustration Key Concepts One of the major themes in the Book of Mishlei is the importance of raising good children. This is clearly a time consuming and demanding responsibility. However, if properly carried out, it can be rewarded by the...

Mishlei 19-27 Wisdom – Discretion Key Concepts It is important to engage in the study and contemplation of Mussar (lessons in moral discipline) on a regular basis. The time spent in Mussar activities is essential for each person’s character development. It enables the...

Mishlei 19-29 Suffering Key Concepts This last proverb of our chapter corresponds to the the parshah of Ki Savo which we read as each year draws to a close. The parshah opens with an expression of gratitude for Hashem’s blessings and a plea for future blessings in the...

Mishlei 20-01 Intoxication  Key Concepts What drives a person to drink? Perhaps he is unconsciously seeking the reward of an elevated state of mind. In this state he has the impression that he is thinking more clearly with greater insight. The drink seems to free him...

Mishlei 20-02 Recklessness  Key Concepts A person may be exposed to a dangerous situation at any time. Life is a precious gift, and the Creator expects every person to take reasonable steps to safeguard it. A foolish disregard of danger implies that the person is...

Mishlei 20-03 Forbearance – Restraint Key Concepts If someone insults you or fails to treat you with the consideration that you feel you deserve, you may be resentful and if you are really hurt you might be tempted to strike back with a sharp remark or a corresponding...

Mishlei 20-04 Rationalization Key Concepts People have a tendency to disregard common sense when they are motivated to behave badly. For example, common sense teaches you that if you don’t study you will remain ignorant. But since studying is hard work, you may...

Mishlei 20-05 Wisdom – Insight  Key Concepts The Hebrew word דַעַת (Daas) may be translated as knowledge or wisdom, but refers to a special type of insight that has been internalized through personal experience and deep thought so that a person who is aware of his...

Mishlei 20-06 Generosity – Reliability  Key Concepts Most people agree on the importance of acting with kindness and helping their fellow man, especially when the other person is in desperate need. But when it comes to actually doing a good deed, what is it that...

Mishlei 20-07 Integrity  Key Concepts Righteousness is the quality achieved by a person who is eager to do the right thing, even in an ambiguous situation. We refer to such a person as a tzadik. Integrity, which is a quality of self-discipline that the tzadik needs to...

Mishlei 20-08 Moral Purification (Pesukim 20:8 and 20:9)  Key Concepts Purification is a process of cleansing, that is removing impurities. In the case of moral purification, it means removing sin, both in the form of sinful behavior and sinful thoughts. Mishlei now...

Mishlei 20-10 Commerce – Deception Key Concepts People who practice deception are using underhanded methods to take advantage of others. The deceivers are demonstrating a conviction that they are justified in what they do because of their superiority. Such an attitude...

Mishlei 20-11 Character Key Concepts There are patterns of human behavior which are directly influenced by the person’s underlying character traits (middos) such as pride, compassion, and honesty. Mishlei points out that some character traits are even evident in a...

Mishlei 20-12 Diligence – Alertness Key Concepts In order for a person to function in this world he needs to be aware of what is going on around him. To enable this awareness, Hashem provided him with a variety of sensing instruments, the most valuable of which are...

Mishlei 20-14 Value (Pesukim 20:14 and 20:15) Key Concepts A recurring theme throughout Mishlei is the high value of Torah wisdom. Mishlei now expands on this concept by considering what determines the value of any object. If you choose to focus on what it costs to...

Mishlei 20-16 Commitments Key Concepts As we have previously seen, Mishlei strongly discourages the practice of providing loan guarantees because it makes the foolish guarantor subject to unexpected risk. Mishlei is concerned that since guarantors may be vulnerable to...

Mishlei 20-17 Sweetness Key Concepts When you taste something sweet, you are inclined to want more of it. After all, if it is sweet, it must be good. But when you think about it, you realize that sweetness can be misleading. Sweet things may taste good, but they can...

Mishlei 20-18 Planning Key Concepts Much of the thinking that is continously going on in a person’s mind involves planning for the future, both near term and long term. Mishlei advises that a person should never initiate important activity without thinking it through...

Mishlei 20-19 Confidentiality Key Concepts As we have seen in Mishlei 11-13, information can cause great harm if disclosed recklessly. For this reason, Mishlei encourages us to avoid contact with people who are careless about how they use information that comes to...

Mishlei 20-20 Resentment Key Concepts The subject of this proverb is a person whose resentment of parents is so intense that he feels the need to utter a curse against them. Clearly, the resentment goes against the natural instinct of a child that has benefited from...

Mishlei 20-21 Inheritance Key Concepts Property acquired through inheritance from a parent causes mixed emotions. On the one hand, there is a sense of empowerment brought about by sudden wealth, but on the other hand there is the bitter knowledge that it was the loss...

Mishlei 20-22 Retribution Key Concepts One of the most powerful motivations for human action is the desire to take revenge for a wrong that has been done to you. Surely, if you have been offended, you should not be prevented from demanding retribution! And yet the...

Mishlei 20-23 Commerce – Duality Key Concepts The fraudulent use of false weights and measures in commerce that was last mentioned in Mishlei 20-10 is restated here in a slightly different form for emphasis. The association of this posuk with the discussion of...

Mishlei 20-25 Repentance Key Concepts In this proverb Mishlei speaks of a man who realizes he is guilty of a serious sin. The offense is so serious that it undermines his own sense of holiness and prevents him from serving Hashem with a clear conscience. The...

Mishlei 20-26 Strategy Key Concepts In this proverb Mishlei offers strategic advice of the kind that might be suitable for a wise king who is faced with military challenges. Even though the average person studying Mishlei is unlikely to have the need for military...

Mishlei 20-27 Soul Key Concepts What is the soul? It is a critical part of each human being, the spiritual component which makes him a living person. It is the spiritual oxygen with which Hashem breathes life into a man every day from the moment he wakes up in the...

Mishlei 20-28 Governance Key Concepts To be effective, a king must be proficient in the art of governance. This calls for the wisdom to discern the appropriate mix of the methods by which power is applied. Depending on the particular circumstance, these methods...

Mishlei 20-29 Visible Signifiers [Pesukim 20:29 and 20:30] Key Concepts Mishlei is primarily concerned with personal character traits, which are largely invisible to the eye. However, through careful observation one can find cases in which these internal qualities are...

Mishlei 21-01 Control – King Key Concepts We have seen in Mishlei 16-09 that no matter how much thought a person has put into a proposed plan of action, the actual implementation depends completely on the will of Hashem. This means that Hashem reserves the right to...

Mishlei 21-02 Rationalization Key Concepts As we have seen in Mishlei segment 16-02, people tend to convince themselves that the approach they want to take in any situation is morally correct and unsullied by selfish considerations. However, Mishlei has been...

Mishlei 21-03 Sacrificial Offerings Key Concepts Mishlei now touches upon the relative value of sacrificial offerings in serving Hashem. The message here is that sacrifices are not an end in themselves, but a renewal of the covenant with Hashem. They are a way of...

Mishlei 21-04 Cultivation of Sin Key Concepts Mishlei compares the growth of sin to a field that has been cultivated so that it can support unrestricted growth of a deadly crop. In effect, the field symbolizes an emotional framework which fosters sin. A wicked person...

Mishlei 21-05 Planning Key Concepts Previously (12-24), Mishlei had praised the important quality of diligence (zerizus), which involves applying focused energy to one’s work. But pure energy can sometimes be counterproductive if it is not properly channeled. Any...

Mishlei 21-06 Wealth – Dishonesty Key Concepts There are foolish people who are prepared to do what it takes to get rich, even if that involves dishonesty and falsehood. They are so enthusiastic about the prospect of accumulating treasures, that they disregard the...

Mishlei 21-07 Justice [Pesukim 21:7 and 21:8] Key Concepts People who are in the habit of committing crimes don’t see the justice system as their friend. If they themselves become a victim of crime, they become frustrated and frightened since they don’t have anywhere...

Mishlei 21-09 Sociability Key Concepts Sociability is a quality of temperament that is essential to happy home. This quality enables harmony between husband and wife, but its absence can make home life unbearable for either party. When the husband or wife maintains a...

Mishlei 21-10 Selfishness Key Concepts The instinctive emotion of evil is selfishness. That means the evil person has no sympathy for anyone else, even another evil person. He does not show tolerance to anyone; he is even repelled by the evil characteristics of his...

Mishlei 21-11 Deterrence Key Concepts As we have seen in Mishlei 19-25, the way to deter a young person from engaging in bad behaviour is to present the negative consequences of that behavior. There are three ways of doing this. The first to apply a physical...

Mishlei 21-12 Attitude Key Concepts There are circumstances when a tzadik needs to understand the attitude of a rasha even though it is the opposite of how a tzadik thinks and behaves. Once the tzadik realizes he is observing a rasha, he will be able to figure out...

Mishlei 21-13 Compassion Key Concepts When you are approached by a needy person, your response may be affected by any number of considerations including your own ability, your estimation of his need, and the prevalence of other needy people in the vicinity. However,...

Mishlei 21-14 Covert Gifts Key Concepts A person giving a gift in secrecy is doing so for worthy reasons if it is a charitable gift, given anonymously. The giver seeks neither recognition nor gratitude. His motives are pure and in giving this gift, he pleases Hashem....

Mishlei 21-15 Justice Key Concepts Justice is not welcomed everywhere, and that is because it puts all people to a test. Those who pass the test are happy to have experienced it, whereas those who fail live in trepidation that their sins or their crimes may be...

Mishlei 21-16 Intelligence Key Concepts A person depends upon his intelligence to tell him whether it is right or wrong to perform a specific act. It is up to the person to use his intelligence to help him overcome temptations that lead him astray and that draw him...

Mishlei 21-17 Pleasure Key Concepts The concept of pleasure can apply to any event or experience which creates a good feeling or mood.  It is generally synonymous with the Hebrew word simchah (שִׂמְחָה). The source of the experience that creates simchah could be...

Mishlei 21-18 Substitution Key Concepts In Segment 11-08 we have seen that there is a balance in the way Hashem administers the world so that when good people are saved, the adversity that they avoided is applied to bad people who deserve it. This principle of...

Mishlei 21-19 Sociability Key Concepts As we have seen in Segment 21-09, sociability is a quality of temperament that is essential to happy home. This quality enables harmony between husband and wife, but its absence can make home life unbearable for either party....

Mishlei 21-20 Wisdom and Wealth Key Concepts There is a relationship between wisdom and wealth. You don’t necessarily have to be wise in order to get rich, because you can have a stroke of good fortune. But you will need wisdom to help you retain your wealth, spending...

Mishlei 21-21 Setting Goals Key Concepts Mishlei teaches us the importance of setting goals in life and striving to achieve those goals. A person without goals floats through life but is not likely to achieve anything worthwhile.  However, choosing goals that are...

Mishlei 21-22 Wisdom and Power Key Concepts When we think about wisdom, it may seem to be an abstract, insubstantial phenomenon. And yet wisdom is directly related to the physical world that we see with our eyes. Mishlei wants to remind us that even though wisdom is...

Mishlei 21-23 Speech – Vigilance Key Concepts The organs of the body that give a person the power of speech enable him to communicate and to teach the wisdom of Torah. But these are such powerful instruments, they can cause great harm if not used carefully and guarded...

Mishlei 21-24 Arrogance – Hostility Key Concepts When an evildoer is arrogant and antagonistic, he is considered to be beyond reasonable discussion. He is called a scoffer who mocks the faithful and sins outragiously, to no purpose, because he is angry. Such a person...

Mishlei 21-25 Laziness Key Concepts The extremely lazy person has developed a hatred of exerting himself. His reluctance to work is so strong that there is no need or want that can motivate him to put in the effort. Such an attitude will end up killing him, because he...

Mishlei 21-26 Excess Appetite Key Concepts There are people whose appetite for luxury exceeds their pocketbook. This can become a real problem if they are too lazy or unqualified to do the work required to support the lifestyle they feel they must have. The conflict...

Mishlei 21-27   Hypocrisy Key Concepts As we have seen in Segment 15-08, hypocritical patterns of behavior are not limited to a person’s relationships with other people. They also affect his relationship with the Creator. The person who is hypocritical towards other...

Mishlei 21-28 Credibility Key Concepts A person earns credibility by habituating himself to always speak the truth. Such a person has earned a reputation of faithful adherence to the truth. In contrast a lying witness will be found out and punished accordingly....

Mishlei 21-29 Forbearance Key Concepts When a person of low character gets angry, he reveals his temper by his facial expression. In contrast, an upright man has learned to control himself and does not let himself be provoked. On the contrary, he maintains his calm...

Mishlei 21-30 Control (Pesukim 21:30 and 21:31) Key Concepts Despite our ability to use our intelligence and expert advice, we must always remain aware that our skills and preparation are of no avail if Hashem does not approve of our undertaking and does not grant its...

Mishlei 22-01 Wealth Key Concepts The measure of a man can best be judged by those qualities that are achieved through his efforts. These are a good name and a pleasing personality. Both are a reflection of his personal integrity and his respect for other people....

Mishlei 22-02 Destiny Key Concepts People are inclined to define themselves by their financial worth. A rich man thinks that he was meant to be rich and that is who he is. A poor man thinks that he was meant to be poor. The same kind of thinking is found among those...

Mishlei 22-03 Cleverness Key Concepts The world offers many temptations, which a good man should avoid. But in order to avoid a temptation, its potential for evil needs to be recognized. Thus, the good man who is passing through a neighborhood where temptations...

Mishlei 22-04 Humility Key Concepts Humility is a way of thinking about oneself, based on a low opinion of one’s own importance or value. Such a way of thinking leads to a pattern of behavior characterized by selflessness and generosity towards others. Any desirable...

Mishlei 22-05 Prudence Key Concepts Every step that we take in life is guarded by Hashem. But that doesn’t mean we can be careless about taking normal precautions for our well-being. If we took such a negligent attitude, it would suggest that we are counting on Hashem...

Mishlei 22-06 Parenting – Training Key Concepts One of the first responsibilities of being an effective parent is to understand the unique characteristics of each child. If the parent treats all of his children in a uniform manner, there is a risk of pushing a child...

Mishlei 22-07 Power Key Concepts We are all subject to the power of our Creator. This is a state with which a believing person is comfortable. The person trusts that Hashem uses His absolute power only for the good. However, no one voluntarily chooses to be under the...

Mishlei 22-08 Power Abused Key Concepts As we have seen in the previous proverb, there are times and circumstances when a rich person can exert power over poor people and a lender can exert power over a borrower. Situations like this are vulnerable to abuse....

Mishlei 22-09 Generosity Key Concepts As discussed in segment 11-24, a person who is concerned about the welfare of others focuses his attention upon those around him and is sensitive to their needs and wishes. His mind is occupied by thinking what can be done to help...

Mishlei 22-10 The Scoffer Key Concepts The scoffer (לֵץ) shows his contempt for a person or idea by treating them as an object of humor. This has the effect of justifying an attitude of disrespect towards the target of his scorn. As we have seen in Segment 15:12, a...

Mishlei 22-11 Royal Friend Key Concepts It takes a special kind of person to be a good friend. A really good friend is loyal and his devotion to your welfare is authentic and pure, uncontaminated by self-interest. If you are a king in a position of power, you will...

Mishlei 22-12 Validity Key Concepts People acquire knowledge (daas) through observation, analysis, and learning. However, once knowledge is acquired it is subject to distortion through forgetfulness, and neglect. Thus, a person needs to be concerned about how long his...

Mishlei 22-13 Pretexts Key Concepts People tend to make up excuses so as to avoid doing what they don’t really want to do. Thus, if a lazy person is asked to leave the comfort of his home to perform a mitzvah, he might come up with a pretext that justifies his desire...

Mishlei 22-14 Entrapment Key Concepts A person should always be aware that a trouble-free life cannot be taken for granted. There are many opportunities to make a mistake and do the wrong thing. Among these opportunities is hearing a speaker of false ideas that seek...

Mishlei 22-15 Immaturity Key Concepts There are times when a parent or teacher becomes frustrated and discouraged by the foolishness of a young person. The mentor needs to remind himself that the foolish attitude of a youngster is likely to be a sign of immaturity...

Mishlei 22-16 Manipulation Key Concepts In any financial dealing between a rich person and a poor person, the rich individual has a natural advantage. This is because the poor person feels relatively insecure and therefore gives a wealthy man the benefit of the doubt....

Mishlei 22-17 Wisdom - Oral Key Concepts In the first lesson for acquiring wisdom, Mishlei speaks of wisdom that a person can acquire by carefully listening to the words of wise men. Listening begins with paying close attention to the sound and form of individual...

Mishlei 22-18 Wisdom - Elucidation Key Concepts In the second lesson for acquiring wisdom, Mishlei speaks of the reinforcement of learned wisdom through active elucidation, that is, through dynamic review of the material by continually talking about it with fellow...

Mishlei 22-19 Wisdom - Trust Key Concepts In the third lesson for acquiring wisdom, Mishlei introduces the necessity of trust in Hashem. Trust is essential because wisdom is ultimately an abstract intellectual concept, which cannot be grasped with the senses. And yet...

Mishlei 22-21 Wisdom - Halachah Key Concepts In the fifth lesson for acquiring wisdom, Mishlei refers to the methodology of issuing halachic guidance in response to specific practical questions. Exploring Mishlei כא = לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ קֹשְׁטְ אִמְרֵי אֱמֶת לְהָשִׁיב...

Mishlei 22-22 Robbing the Poor Key Concepts Any harm done to a poor person is especially cruel because his suffering is amplified by his poverty. Most people can make do even if robbed, but when a poor man is robbed, he is left without resources. Crowded places, such...

Mishlei 22-23 Defender of the Poor Key Concepts It is Hashem Who decides who will be poor. This decision is included in Hashem’s plan for mankind. Accordingly, anyone who robs the poor is, in effect, insulting the Creator. The individual who robs a poor man is...

Mishlei 22-24 Bad Company [Pesukim 22-24 and 22-25] Key Concepts Mishlei urges the innocent reader to avoid associating with short-tempered people because they are a bad influence. Furthermore, the innocent person may find himself responsible for harm caused by the...

Mishlei 22-26 Hand Shaking [Pesukim 22:26 and 22:27] Key Concepts Mishlei urges people to avoid agreeing to guarantee a loan. Some people are tempted to make such an agreement by means of a simple handshake. Because it is so easy to just shake hands on a deal, these...

Mishlei 22-28 Legacies Key Concepts Each generation has an obligation to honor the historical legacies that were handed down to it by previous generations. These legacies, consisting of traditional customs and practices are like ancient boundary markers in hereditary...

Mishlei 22-29 Competence Key Concepts In every field of human endeavor there is a distinct level of professionalism. A person who aspires to reach the top of his profession, looks to serve the kind of person who appreciates and demands the best. That means he wants to...

Mishlei 23-01 Aristocracy [Pesukim 23:1 to 23:3] Key Concepts In every community there are influential people whose importance and wealth gives them a higher status. Such people may be tempted to unwittingly use their position to exert power over less important...

NOTE: For a PDF copy of this segment, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev 2] Key Concepts of Mishlei 31-01 (A Mother’s Challenge) This is the first segment of a chapter that addresses the role of women in Jewish...