“Know well the face of your sheep ….” (Mishlei, 27:23) “Sheep” teaches of drawing, as in, to draw energy, for it is the nature of sheep to be drawn to one another. Thus, “know well the face of your sheep” means to recognize the desires of your heart, to where they are inclined and drawn. This done, you will be able exercise due caution in any necessary situation, and know how to act.
“As water reflects the face, so is it with the heart of man in man.” (Mishlei, 27:19) When a man looks into a still pool of water, according to the color of the water – whether ruddy or green, so will his face assume that color in the reflection faithfully shows what is there. Whether the reflection is ruddy or green, this is the appearance of the face. So it is with the heart of man within man. Just as a man inclines his heart to certain words of Torah, so will all of his body and limbs be drawn after the heart to act of their own accord, involuntarily, according to what is imprinted in the heart.
יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע פְּנֵי צֹאנֶךָ. צֹאן מוֹרֶה עַל הַמְשָׁכָה שֶׁטֶּבַע הַצֹּאן שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה, וְזֶהוּ "יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע פְּנֵי צֹאנֶךָ" שֶׁתַּכִּיר וְתֵדַע רְצוֹנוֹת לִבְּךָ לְהֵיכָן נוֹטִים וְנִמְשָׁכִים, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה תּוּכַל לְהִזָּהֵר בִּמְקוֹם הַצֹּרֶךְ וְתֵדַע אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג.
“Know well the face of your sheep ….” (Mishlei, 27:23)
“Sheep” teaches of drawing, as in, to draw energy, for it is the nature of sheep to be drawn to one another. Thus, “know well the face of your sheep” means to recognize the desires of your heart, to where they are inclined and drawn. This done, you will be able exercise due caution in any necessary situation, and know how to act.
כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָם לָאָדָם. הַיְינוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאָדָם מִסְתַּכֵּל בַּמַּיִם וּכְפִי אֲשֶׁר מַרְאִית הַמַּיִם יִהְיֶה אָז אוֹ אֲדַמְדַּמּוּת אוֹ יְרוּקָּה, לָזֶה הַמַּרְאֶה נוֹטָה גַּם מַרְאִית פְּנֵי הָאָדָם, כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאָדָם מַטֶּה לִבּוֹ לְאֵיזֶה ד"ת, יִמָּשֵׁךְ גַּם כָּל גּוּפוֹ וְאֵבָרָיו אַחַר הַלֵּב לִפְעוֹל מֵעַצְמָם אַף בְּלִי דַּעַת כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר יוּטְבַּע בַּלֵּב.
“As water reflects the face, so is it with the heart of man in man.” (Mishlei, 27:19)
When a man looks into a still pool of water, according to the color of the water – whether ruddy or green, so will his face assume that color in the reflection faithfully shows what is there. Whether the reflection is ruddy or green, this is the appearance of the face. So it is with the heart of man within man. Just as a man inclines his heart to certain words of Torah, so will all of his body and limbs be drawn after the heart to act of their own accord, involuntarily, according to what is imprinted in the heart.