Monday, March 23, 2020

What Is Man? Frightening

Yeshayahu 2, 21-22:

לָבוֹא֙ בְּנִקְר֣וֹת הַצֻּרִ֔ים וּבִסְעִפֵ֖י הַסְּלָעִ֑ים מִפְּנֵ֞י פַּ֚חַד יְהֹוָה֙ וּמֵֽהֲדַ֣ר גְּאוֹנ֔וֹ בְּקוּמ֖וֹ לַֽעֲרֹ֥ץ הָאָֽרֶץ:


חִדְל֚וּ לָכֶם֙ מִן־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר נְשָׁמָ֖ה בְּאַפּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־בַמֶּ֥ה נֶחְשָׁ֖ב הֽוּא:
Withdraw yourselves from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for in what merit is he to be esteemed?

To come into the clefts of the rocks and the hollows of the cliffs, because of the fear of Hashem and because of the splendor of His pride, when He rises to break the earth.

Rashi:

"אשר נשמה באפו" - אשר כל חייתו וכחו תלויה בנשמת אפו שהוא רוח פורח שהיום ישנה בו ומחר תצא ממנו

Whose breath is in his nostrils: Whose entire life and strength are dependent upon the breath of his nostrils, which is a fleeting spirit, in him today and leaving him tomorrow.