Now that atheism has spread, “the cord is untied” (Vayikra Rabbah 28:1; Zohar III, 177b ) for the people to speak against every tzaddik and God-fearing man. Those who do this, unleash their tongue against the world as if they think nothing of it at all. Actually, their unbelief is directed against God Himself. But they are ashamed to speak out against God, and therefore they turn their unbelief against people.
This is the meaning of the verse. “They have set their mouths against Heaven” – for they are actually speaking against God. But they act as if “their tongue walks about the earth.” Since they are ashamed to speak out against God Himself, “their tongue walks about the earth” — they unleash their tongue against God’s followers in the world. But the truth is that “they have set their mouths against Heaven.”
שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם וּלְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ (תְּהִלִּים עג).
It is written, “They have set their mouth against Heaven and their tongue walks about the earth” (Psalms 73:9).
כִּי עַכְשָׁו נִתְפַּשֵּׁט הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת, שֶׁהֻתְּרָה הָרְצוּעָה לְדַבֵּר סָרָה עַל כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים וְעַל כָּל יִרְאֵי ה'. וְהוּא כְּמוֹ מִי שֶׁפּוֹשֵׁט לְשׁוֹנוֹ נֶגֶד כָּל הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַשְׁגִּיחַ עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם. וּבֶאֱמֶת זֶה הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הוּא נֶגֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ, אַךְ שֶׁהֵם בּוֹשִׁים לְדַבֵּר בְּפִיהֶם עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל כֵּן הֵם מְהַפְּכִין אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם לְדַבֵּר עַל הָעוֹלָם.
Now that atheism has spread, “the cord is untied” (Vayikra Rabbah 28:1; Zohar III, 177b ) for the people to speak against every tzaddik and God-fearing man. Those who do this, unleash their tongue against the world as if they think nothing of it at all. Actually, their unbelief is directed against God Himself. But they are ashamed to speak out against God, and therefore they turn their unbelief against people.
וְזֶהוּ: "שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם", שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת מַה שֶּׁמְּדַבְּרִים בְּפִיהֶם, הוּא בֶּאֱמֶת לְמַעְלָה בַּשָּׁמַיִם, כִּי עִקַּר דִּבְרֵיהֶם נֶגֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל כַּנַּ"ל, אַךְ "לְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ", שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת שֶׁבּוֹשִׁים לְדַבֵּר בְּפִיהֶם נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל־כֵּן לְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ שֶׁפּוֹשְׁטִין לְשׁוֹנָם נֶגֶד הָעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת "שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם" כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the meaning of the verse. “They have set their mouths against Heaven” – for they are actually speaking against God. But they act as if “their tongue walks about the earth.” Since they are ashamed to speak out against God Himself, “their tongue walks about the earth” — they unleash their tongue against God’s followers in the world. But the truth is that “they have set their mouths against Heaven.”