We have learnt that a completely righteous man is not thrust aside, but one who is not completely righteous may be thrust aside. A completely righteous man is one who does not receive migratory souls out of their course, who builds on his own inheritance, and digs his wells and plants his trees there.
The righteous one who is not completely so builds on another’s inheritance: he labours but does not know if what he produces will remain his. In respect of himself he is called good and righteous, but not in respect of that inheritance.
He is like a man who builds a fair building, but when he examines the foundation he finds that it is sloping and crooked. His building in itself is good, but in respect of its foundation it is bad, and therefore is not called a perfect building.
Note that if one is zealous for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, even though he is not qualified for greatness, he nevertheless obtains it. Phineas at that time was not qualified for greatness, but because he was zealous for the name of his Master he rose to the greatest heights, and all was made right in him1i.e. the souls of Nadab and Abihu entered into him, s. infra., and he was invested with the high priesthood. Hence the word “son” is mentioned in connection with him twice.1The last 52 lines of the Hebrew text are not found in our translation.
תָּנֵינָן צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, אֵינוֹ נִדְחֶה. וְצַדִּיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר, נִדְחֶה. מַאן הוּא צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, וּמַאן הוּא צַדִּיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר, וְכִי מַאן דְּלָא שְׁלִים בְּמִלּוֹי, צַדִּיק אִקְרֵי. אֶלָּא, צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, יְדִיעַ, דְּהָא לָא נָטִיל גִּלְגוּלִין עַקִימִּין, וּבְאַחֲסַנְתֵּיה בָּנֵי בִּנְיָין, וְאַתְקִין שׁוּרִין, וְחָצַב בֵּירִין, וְנָטַע אִילָנִין.
We have learnt that a completely righteous man is not thrust aside, but one who is not completely righteous may be thrust aside. A completely righteous man is one who does not receive migratory souls out of their course, who builds on his own inheritance, and digs his wells and plants his trees there.
צַדִיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר, דְּבָנֵי בִּנְיָין בְּאַחֲסַנְתָּא אָחֳרָא, חָפַר בָּהּ בֵּירִין, וְאַעְדָּר, הָא אַתְקִין אַבְנֵי יְסוֹדָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, וְאַעְמַל בָּהּ, וְלָא יָדַע אִי אִשְׁתְּאַר דִּילֵיהּ. מִסִּטְרָא דִּילֵיהּ, טַב וְצַדִיק אִקְרֵי. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּהַהוּא אַחֲסַנְתָּא, לָאו הָכִי.
The righteous one who is not completely so builds on another’s inheritance: he labours but does not know if what he produces will remain his. In respect of himself he is called good and righteous, but not in respect of that inheritance.
לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּבָנֵי בִּנְיָין שְׁפִּירָן, יָאָן לְמֵחֱזֵי, אִסְתָּכַּל בִּיסוֹדָא, וְחָמֵי לֵיהּ שְׁקִיעַ עֲקִימָא מִכָל סִטְרִין. הָא בִּנְיָינָא לָא שְׁלִים, עַד דְּסָתַר לֵיהּ, וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין. מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַהוּא בִּנְיָינָא דִּילֵיהּ, אִשְׁתְּכַח טַב וְשַׁפִּיר. מִסִּטְרָא דִּיְסוֹדָא, בִּישׁ וְעָקִים. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, לָא אִקְרֵי עוֹבָדָא שְׁלִים, לָא אִקְרֵי בִּנְיָינָא שְׁלִים. בְּגִין כָּךְ צַדִיק שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָּמוּר אִקְרֵי, וְנִדְחֶה. וְעַל דָּא (חבקוק א׳:י״ג) כְּבַלַּע רָשָׁע צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ.
He is like a man who builds a fair building, but when he examines the foundation he finds that it is sloping and crooked. His building in itself is good, but in respect of its foundation it is bad, and therefore is not called a perfect building.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאן דִּמְקַנֵּא לִשְׁמָא קַדִישָׁא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאֲפִילּוּ לָא יִזְכֵי לַגְּדּוּלָה, וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לָהּ, (ס"א דירית לה) רָוַוח לָהּ וְנָטִיל לָהּ. וְדָא יָרִית לָהּ וְעָיִיל לָהּ. פִּנְחָס לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, וּבְגִין דְּקִנֵּא לִשְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, רָוַוח לְכֹלָּא, וְסָלִיק לְכֹלָּא, וְאִתְתָּקַּן בֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא וְזָכָה לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בִּכְהוּנָה עִלָּאָה. מֵהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, פִּנְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, דְּאַשְׁלִים לִתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין, בְּגִין דְּקַנֵּא לִשְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, דְּאִתְתְּקַן מַה דְּאִתְעַקָּם.
Note that if one is zealous for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, even though he is not qualified for greatness, he nevertheless obtains it. Phineas at that time was not qualified for greatness, but because he was zealous for the name of his Master he rose to the greatest heights, and all was made right in him1i.e. the souls of Nadab and Abihu entered into him, s. infra., and he was invested with the high priesthood. Hence the word “son” is mentioned in connection with him twice.1The last 52 lines of the Hebrew text are not found in our translation.