Job Chapter 12

מענה איוב — תמות חכמה. כשתמותו תמות עמכם כל חכמה כי כל חכמה בכם, אבל:

גם לי לבב כמוכם — ואת מי אין כמו אלה, שהקב"ה שליט לעשות רצונו ולהאריך שלוות רשעים אינכם אלא כמשחקים בי, ואני הוא (ההוה) שחוק לרעהו:

אהיה קורא — להקב"ה ויענהו מצער הקנטתכם ומה יענהו לתת לו שחוק לצדיק ותמים. שלם:

שחוק צדיק תמים — היא הענייה אשר יענהו ידעתי אני כאשר אמרתם, כי:

לפיד בוז — אש של גיהנם עומד למי ששאנן בעשתותו לומר שלום יהיה לי:

נכון — מזומן הוא העשתות שאנן להיות במועדי רגל שרגלם מועדת:

ישליו — ידעתי אני כי ימי ישליו אוהלים לבני קדר השוכנים באהלים המדברה, והם שודדים שנאמר פרא אדם ידו בכל (בראשית ט״ז:י״ב):

ובטוחות — שלימות יש למרגיזי אל, לכל אשר הביא לו הצור השלום בידו אם טוב ואם רע:

הלא אזן מילין תבחן — ולמה לא ידעו זאת השומעים פעלו כאשר החיך יטעם לאכול:

בישישים חכמה וגו' — לדעת כי עמו חכמה וגו':

וישלחם ויהפכו ארץ — בשליחותו כאשר עשה לדור אנוש שהציף שלישו של עולם:

לו שוגג — האדם השוגג:

ומשגה — שטן המשגהו:

שולל — שם דבר הוא שטות, מוליכם בשטות כשהוא רוצה לערבב ולבלע חכמתם כמו וסר מרע משתולל (ישעיהו נ״ט:ט״ו) אשתוללו אבירי לב (תהילים ע״ו:ו׳) ותי"ו אשר במשתולל ואשתוללו כן דרך לשון עברית בתיבה שיסודה שי"ן או סמ"ך והוא בא לדבר בלשון נעשה ונפעל או מתפעל נותן תי"ו אחר אות ראשונה של יסוד כמו וישתכחו בעיר (קהלת ח׳:י׳) וישתמר חוקות עמרי (מיכה ו׳:ט״ז) מסתולל בעמי (שמות ט׳:י״ז) ויסתבל החגב (קהלת יב):

יהולל — ישוטה לשון הוללות וסכלות:

מוסר מלכים פתח — להסיר מוסר סבלם מעל אחרים ומעבירם ממלוכה:

ויאסור אזור במתניהם — בתחילתם כשהוא חפץ בהם חוגר חלציהם ומזרזם כח למלוכה:

כהנים — שרים כמו כהן מדין (שמות ג׳:א׳) כהן און (בראשית מא):

לנאמנים — אף לנאמנים כי פעמים שפתיו נבללים לדבר סרה כגון אברהם והאמין בה' וסוף נכשל במה אדע:

ומזיח אפיקים רפה — וחגור החזקים מרפה ומפתח חגורם להתיש כחם כמו (תהלים קט) ולמזח תמיד יחגרה:

אפיקים — חזקים כמו אפיקי נחושה (לקמן מ) אפיקי מגינים (שם מא):

משגיא לגוים ויאבדם — יש אומרים כאשר עשה למצרים בהשיגם את ישראל לפני בעל צפון (שמות יד) שגו ואמרו תדעו שהסכים עמנו לטבעם בים כאשר גזרנו כל הבן הילוד היאורה תשליכוהו (שם א) וקשה יראתו של בעל צפון שלא נעשו בו שפטים ככל אלהי מצרים וגרם המקום להשגותם כדי לטבעם וזה הלשון אינו עיקר דאם כן היה לו לומר בצד ימין משגיא כמו שוגה אבל זה עיקר מגדיל לשון שגיא כח משגיא את הגוים ומצליחם ולבם מתגאה בהצלחת' והוא היה אבדן שלהן מה שהצליחו:

שוטח — מרבה אותם להשטיח בארץ ולכסותם:

בתוהו לא דרך — בתוהו שאינו דרך:

The Seventh Oration — Job's Reply to Zophar's First Speech

Job pours great scorn (Ezekiel 23:32) on Zophar's philosophical method, that by which he had determined that since we possess knowledge only by reason of our senses as they apprehend the exterior of things, and we do not perceive the reality of things as they are in themselves, it is conceivable that though a person may appear to be righteous according to our sense perception, he is in truth wicked and is deserving of perdition and torment by reference to his inner spiritual essence. Is there anything more ludicrous, asks Job, than that a person who appears to be virtuous in all his acts and beyond suspicion, should be told that he does not really know his own mind or its intrinsic state, in terms of which he may be both wicked, and a sinner, and deserving of misfortunes? (Job 12:5), Is it conceivable that God created man in such an evil and bitter manner (Jeremiah 2:19) for scorn and for ridicule (Ezekiel 23:32); so that his calm and secure thoughts (Amos 6:1) about his righteousness are as a burning torch inside him (Isaiah 62:1) heaping coals of fire (Proverbs 25:22) and mockery on his head? For not knowing his soul (Proverbs 14:9) nor trusting his life (Job 24:22), he is perhaps a criminal and guilty, but does not know it! (Ch.12:3-4).

Similarly, as regards to the central idea of his philosophy, that man does not have a clear perception or knowledge of the reality of things and it might be just the opposite of what he feels it to be. Concerning this, he builds a fortification and rampart (Ezekiel 4:2) and proves that the knowledge humans gain by examination and experience, using their senses, is clear and true knowledge. For we see that everything an individual discerns through his senses and his investigations was also observed by the whole multitude of mankind in every generation. Thus, it is heard in his ears (Job 28:22) through an unbroken tradition, that all human perceptions and knowledge are at one with his knowledge. Hence, his knowledge is plainly clear and true, and as he perceives the natural qualities of things and their actuality, so they are. For it is impossible that misguided imagination has led the whole of mankind astray. (Ch.12:11-12 & 13:1-2)

He also pours scorn on the tenet of his philosophical theory according to which even though God has foreknowledge of those elective particulars that are equivalent to absolute future knowledge, it is still conceivable that contingency exists and choice is in man's hand; the tenet that the term 'knowledge' applies to God and to us as a homonym and His Knowledge is not like our knowledge. That, whereas He perceives the essence of things in a lucid knowledge which is independent of time and place and other sensory parameters, we cannot conceive this Knowledge, just as the skin cannot imagine the senses. And that, in consequence, the difference between His Knowledge and our knowledge is like that between man's perception and an animal's or a wild ass's foal. (Job 11:12) Regarding this matter Job's opinion is similar to that of Gersonides who went to great lengths to reply to the position taken by The Guide: It would seem that His knowledge, may He be Blessed, is equivocal with our knowledge by priority and posteriority. I mean to say that the term 'knowledge' is said of God, may He be Blessed, priorly and of any other being posteriorily. This is because He has His knowledge from His own essence whereas the knowledge of other beings is caused by His knowledge...This being the case, it would seem that there is no difference between the knowledge of God, may He be Blessed, and our knowledge except that the knowledge of God, may He be Blessed, is more perfect than our knowledge...is more true in precision and clarity. (The Wars of the Lord Part 3 Chapter 3. Norbet M. Samuelson translation). And not that it should be different and mutable in the way that The Guide wrote, so that what is designated opinion or error or confusion with reference to us is designated knowledge with reference to Him. Accordingly, all the proofs presented by Job in Chapter 10 are reinstated: 1. That we cannot hold that God has foreknowledge of all elective particulars but contingency still exists and choice is in man's hand; for according to our knowledge these are contradictory things. Whence he [Job] returns to the conclusion he had previously drawn, namely, that man is compelled to act as he does and can do nothing other than that which God already knows with His prior knowledge that he must do by virtue of his destiny. He is just like the rest of the animals who have no discretion and whose actions are instinctive and inexorable. (Ch.12:7-13)

2. That the Almighty, may He be Blessed, rules and determines man's discretionary acts just as He determines all natural matters. Like the element water, which sometimes floods the earth and sometimes lays waste and dries up. And all this is done by nature and of necessity. So too are the actions of one man to another (Proverbs 27:19). (Ch.12:14-16)

As further evidence that persons must act as prescribed, He cites the way societies, nations and peoples are governed. For their wise men and leaders are sometimes led down the wrong path (Job 12:17) and rule so stupidly that chaos results and they perish, and it appears from this that a superior extraneous force confounds their counsel and confuses their thinking, (TB Berachot 17a ) as he explains at length (Ch.12:17-25).

Accordingly, he cries out bitterly (Genesis 27:34) that since he is compelled to act as he does, he receives no reward for his righteousness; that he has been handed over to the occurrences and evils which the signs of his horoscope have prescribed for him; that God should desist and allow him freedom over his acts so that he might receive his reward, like an employee who does his work faithfully, and not labor in vain...and in terror (Isaiah 65:23). (Ch.14:5) Furthermore, since a human being's days are few and evil (Genesis 47:9) and by the nature of his birth he is prone to uncleanliness and corruption, and must battle with his instincts, he should at least be free to act as he chooses until, like a hired laborer, he completes his day (Job 14:6). (Ch.14:1-5)

As regards Zophar's supposition that the essential substance of success and recompense is to be found after death, for then one has the hope of living a spiritual life in everlasting bliss (Psalms 16:11), he [Job] mocks his words at length (in line with his view, which denies the resurrection of the dead and spiritual reward). (Ch.14:7-22)

At the same time as he rebuts Zophar's thesis, he also expresses his resentment throughout Chapter 13 at the pretense of his three companions in their campaign against him. They themselves knew that there was no substance to anything they had said and they had only brought the conventionally required arguments like hypocrites, speaking wickedness to defend God, and for His sake, uttering falsehoods ; (Job 13:7) words which were themselves far from what was in their own minds. And so he once again asks that they tell him in what he had sinned and how many were his sins. All of which brings to a close the first cycle of their debate on the question of the suffering of a righteous person.

Job now opens the second round which is concerned with what they had not yet discussed, namely, the question of why there are wicked persons who prosper, as he says, the gangsters' homes are peaceful (Job 12:6). The answer to this question cannot proceed from any of the philosophical theories hitherto proposed. For the evil of a wicked person is clear and evident to all and it cannot be suggested that he is really secretly righteous when we see that he plunders and provokes God (Job 12:6) and purposely does wicked deeds. And yet, nevertheless, his home is at peace, unafraid nor is God's rod raised against him (Job 21:9). So they now resume the debate on the question of why the wicked prosper and each replies according to his opinion and philosophical theory.

Job replies to Zophar's taunt, 'Is the orator irrefutable...'

Zophar had expressed the wish that God might reveal to Job 'how reality is folded double': that human perceptions are only superficial and do not rethe true essence of things. Making short shrift of this, Job totally rejects the notion of a duality in the nature of either knowledge or morality. Knowledge in God's hands is not inherently different from human knowledge. Nor can a person be righteous in man's eyes but wicked in God's. To suggest otherwise is to make a mockery of man.

Job now opens the second round of the debate and raises the question of the prosperity of the wicked. He argues that this too is a consequence of God's comprehensive foreknowledge. For as a result of this foreknowledge, man has no free-will and has no choice but to act as he does. Hence, even the most heinous deeds a person does must, in all justice, go unpunished.

Job rejects Zophar's assertion that our observations and sensory perceptions do not reflect the true essence of things. On the contrary, the wisdom and understanding we amass during our lives are true, for their source is God. By virtue of His omniscience, He is the font of all knowledge. However, though man's knowledge is real, his free-will is an illusion, for God's foreknowledge predetermines everything.

The decline into tyranny or corruption that almost always afflicts even the best self-governing political and national institutions is indicative of the illusion of free-will. Even the wisest of leaders ultimately fails, for everything is predestined by God's foreknowledge. Malbim identifies two types of government:

He regards verses 17 and 18 as referring to the one-man rule of a monarchy

and verses 19 and 20 to the representative government of a republic.