“One who is great in anger will take the punishment ….” (Mishlei, 19:19) “Great” godel as it is traditionally read, is actually written in the scroll of Mishlei as goral “fate,” by changing the reish to a dalet. The meaning of the way it is written is “it is the fate of one who gets angry to receive punishment.” Thus one who spits vitrol from his lips unintentionally will also have to accept his punishment. To this our sages, who desire the betterment of Israel, established the verse to read Godel Cheima, “one who is great in anger,” meaning one who exaggerates the anger in his mind (but does not bring it out). This is a principle in every case in the Torah where a word is traditionally read differently from how it is written; the way that it is read always sweetens the way in which it is written.
“The desire of man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than a liar.” (Mishlei, 19:22) The desire of man is the lust within his heart, and this is also from the kindness of God, for whoever is greater than his fellow, so too is his inclination to evil greater (Succa, 52a). If he enters the power of his lust and desire into Kedusha (holiness), then his greatness will increase all the more. So therefore, “a poor man is better than a liar,” because if he brings out his lusts into action in a strange place, he is then called “a liar,” for he is lying with his potential. Then the poor man, who was not created with such powerful lusts, is better than him, since he does not materialize it according to his needs.
גְּדָל חֵמָה נֹשֵׂא עֹנֶשׁ. הַכָּתוּב הוּא "גְּרָל חֵמָה" וְהוּא מוֹרֶה שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ נִזְרַק חֵמָה מִפִּיו שֶׁלֹּא בְּכַוָּנָה הוּא גַּם כֵּן נוֹשֵׂא עוֹנֶשׁ, וּבָזֶה הִמְתִּיקוּ חֲזַ"ל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחָפְצוּ בְּטוֹבַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתִקְּנוּ "גְּדָל חֵמָה" הַיְינוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא מַגְדִּיל הַחֵמָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ וְכֵן בְּכָל מָקוֹם הַקְּרִי מַמְתִּיק אֶת הַכָּתוּב.
“One who is great in anger will take the punishment ….” (Mishlei, 19:19)
“Great” godel as it is traditionally read, is actually written in the scroll of Mishlei as goral “fate,” by changing the reish to a dalet. The meaning of the way it is written is “it is the fate of one who gets angry to receive punishment.” Thus one who spits vitrol from his lips unintentionally will also have to accept his punishment. To this our sages, who desire the betterment of Israel, established the verse to read Godel Cheima, “one who is great in anger,” meaning one who exaggerates the anger in his mind (but does not bring it out). This is a principle in every case in the Torah where a word is traditionally read differently from how it is written; the way that it is read always sweetens the way in which it is written.
תַּאֲוַת אָדָם חַסְדּוֹ וְטוֹב רָשׁ מֵאִישׁ כָּזָב. תַּאֲוַת אָדָם הוּא הַתַּאֲוָה שֶׁנִּמְצָא בְּלֵב הָאָדָם גַּם זֶה חֶסֶד מֵהַש"י כִּי כָל הַגָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵירוֹ יִצְרוֹ גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ (סוכה נ"ב.), וְאִם יַכְנִיס אֶת כֹּחַ חִשְׁקוֹ וְתַאֲוָתוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַקְּדוּשָּׁה אָז יִגְדַּל מַעֲלָתוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר, אַךְ "טוֹב רָשׁ מֵאִישׁ כָּזָב" הַיְינוּ אִם מוֹצִיא אֶת הַתַּאֲוָה לַפּוֹעַל בְּמָקוֹם זָר זֶה נִקְרָא "אִישׁ כָּזָב", הַיְינוּ שֶׁמְּכַזֵּב בָּהּ, אָז טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ הָרָשׁ שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא בְּכֹחַ תַּאֲוָה כָּזֶה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהּ כְּפִי הַצּוֹרֶךְ.
“The desire of man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than a liar.” (Mishlei, 19:22)
The desire of man is the lust within his heart, and this is also from the kindness of God, for whoever is greater than his fellow, so too is his inclination to evil greater (Succa, 52a). If he enters the power of his lust and desire into Kedusha (holiness), then his greatness will increase all the more. So therefore, “a poor man is better than a liar,” because if he brings out his lusts into action in a strange place, he is then called “a liar,” for he is lying with his potential. Then the poor man, who was not created with such powerful lusts, is better than him, since he does not materialize it according to his needs.