King Solomon's Secret to Success | Think Before You Act - Rabbi Zamir Cohen (AI)

It is well known what Rabbi taught about the principle of the end of the action is first in thought. This statement indeed refers to the creation of the world, but it also contains a powerful lesson for every person who wants to succeed in life. One of the biggest problems people face is impulsiveness. An idea comes to mind and they act. Something needs to be said and they say it. A business deal looks profitable. They jump in. It seems like a great opportunity. It looks like they will earn a lot of money and instead of checking carefully, investigating, and verifying all the details, they already sign. The same thing happens when buying an apartment. Later on, a person may discover facts that are completely different from what he was sure of at the beginning. From the Holy One, blessed be He, we learn this fundamental principle. The end of the action is first in thought. What do these words actually mean? The final outcome of creation was the creation of humanity. God created Adam. He created Chava. The divine will throughout the entire process of creation was to reach this goal, to create human beings. After that, to give the Torah to humanity through the people of Israel at Mount Sinai. Guidance that applies not only to Jews, but also to non-Jews. There is instruction here for every human being, wherever he may be. All of this was planned in advance. That means that everything God created on the first day, the second day, the third day, you see stages in creation. But why all of this? Someone standing on the side, observing, still cannot see the goal. But for God, the final outcome, creating humanity, was already present in the very first thought. That was the original intention and the world was created step by step until that goal was reached. This is a powerful lesson for every person. And here, in the verse before us, King Solomon stands on this very principle and says the following. Every arum acts with knowledge. The word arum means clever, sharp, perceptive. Just as it is written about the serpent. The serpent was more arum than all the animals of the field. It was the most cunning creature. And with that cleverness, it tempted Chava. And afterward, Adam also fell into sin. So, arum refers to a special kind of sharpness and intelligence. About such a person, Solomon says, "Every truly clever person acts with da'at, with knowledge." Soon we will explain what the word da'at really means. But then Solomon contrasts this with the opposite type of person. A fool spreads foolishness. A fool is a person who does not know how to see ahead. He does not know how to reflect. He is not the wise person who sees what will come later. A fool sees only what exists right now. That is his entire reality. Such a person spreads his foolishness like someone rolling out a carpet in front of himself, displaying all of his lack of judgment. Let us return to the verse and see what is hidden in King Solomon's words. Because with him, every word is precise. He says, "A person who is truly clever will do." This refers to execution, to action. But he will do so with da'at. In Hebrew, there are three levels. Chochma, bina, and da'at. Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. What is the difference between them? A wise person, someone with chochma, is not necessarily discerning. Chochma means a person who has accumulated a lot of information. He read many books or gained experience in life and has many facts stored in his mind. Such a person is wise. He can repeat information. He can quote knowledge. But a discerning person, someone with bina, is a person who knows how to analyze the information he has collected and build a new idea from it. That is the meaning of the word bina. It is related to binyan, building. Binyan is physical construction, but bina is intellectual construction. It is the ability to create something new through thought. This is what our sages meant when they said, "Extra bina was given to a woman." Why is a girl obligated in commandments at age 12, while a boy only at 13? The sages explain in the Talmud, "Because a girl matures intellectually earlier than a boy, she has bina earlier. A 12-year-old boy is still a child. At 13, he reaches maturity and the Torah says, 'Now he can be held accountable. Keep Shabbat. Put on tefillin. Take responsibility. Fulfill God's will.' But at 12, he has not yet reached that level of inner maturity. A girl, however, at 12 already possesses greater bina. What does bina mean in practical terms? She knows how to notice details. A man often sees the big picture. He can come home from a meeting full of excitement and say to his wife, "I found a partner. He's investing this amount. I'm giving him half the shares and we're going to get rich." And his wife asks calmly, "How much money is he actually investing?" His wife hears everything he is saying and asks him, "What about this detail?" He answers, "I didn't think about that." "And what about this?" "I didn't think about that, either." "And this?" "I didn't think about it." And just like that, everything collapses. He saw the big picture. She has bina, the ability to notice details. That is why it is written in the Talmud that when the sages of Israel were facing an important decision, they would go and ask their wives. The Talmud tells that when Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah was offered the position of Nasi, the president of Israel, he said, "I will go and consult with my wife." Before giving an answer, he went to ask her advice. "What do you think?" he asked her. She said to him, "I see two issues here that need to be considered." He checked, examined the situation, saw that everything could be resolved, and then he agreed. Why did he ask his wife? This was a great sage. Everyone consulted with him. He was one of the leading scholars of his generation. They didn't just pick someone off the street to become the Nasi of Israel. Only outstanding Torah scholars, people of wisdom, action, generosity, and fine character were chosen. All the great sages would gather and decide who would become the Nasi. And yet, when it came to himself, he said, "When it concerns me, I go to consult my wife." Why? Because she has bina yetera, extra discernment. She notices details that I may not have paid attention to. So, this is the meaning of bina, observation and construction of thought. A person can be wise, but not discerning. That means he knows what he learned. Ask him what he knows, he can answer. But ask him to think one step ahead, and he becomes confused. That is why Joseph the righteous said to Pharaoh, after interpreting his dream of 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine, "You should seek out a man who is discerning and wise, and appoint him over the land of Egypt." It is not enough to be wise. He must also be discerning. Someone who knows how to anticipate outcomes, combine details, and plan ahead. This applies in marriage as well. A young man is looking for a woman, or in work, a person is looking for an employee. A woman is looking for a man to marry. We must always ask ourselves, "Am I looking for someone who is only wise, or someone who is also discerning?" Over time, or through getting to know them beforehand, you can discover whether a person is discerning. Someone who knows how to observe details, analyze the information he has, and build a new understanding from it. Someone who notices things others overlook. Of course, a man also has wisdom and understanding, but a woman was given extra binah. So then, what is da'at? Da'at is the conclusion that comes after wisdom and understanding. First, you gather information. Then you analyze it. You consider different directions. Maybe this way, maybe that way. And then you reach a conclusion. Now you say, "I know this is what should be done." That is da'at, the final conclusion. That is why King Solomon is so precise in his wording here. He says that every truly prudent person, every Adam, acts with da'at, meaning after going through wisdom and understanding, he reaches clear conclusions. He examines the matter, weighs it carefully in advance, and then acts accordingly. But he never acts before investigating, examining, and checking until he reaches the correct conclusion of what truly should be done. This is a great ethical lesson for anyone who wants to succeed in life. Always think one step ahead. The Talmud tells us that Alexander the Great, Alexander of Macedon, was known to love wisdom greatly. Every place, every country he conquered, he would go to the sages and ask them questions. The Talmud in tractate Tamid says that he once asked the sages of the south several questions, and they answered him. One of the questions he asked them was, "Whom would you define as a wise person?" They answered him, "Who is a wise person? One who sees what will be born." A person who looks only at the present reality and acts based solely on what exists right now, he is not truly wise. Who is wise? One who sees what will be born. What does what will be born mean? A baby in the womb, no one sees it. Only when it comes out do people see it. The wise person in real life sees what is still in the womb. He already knows how to think several steps ahead and see the outcome of every action. And we must take for ourselves this great principle. The end of the action is first in thought, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world. There are many ethical lessons a person can learn from the way God created the world, and one of the central ones is this principle. The end of the action is first in thought. Meaning, set a goal for yourself and now think, how do I reach that goal? That is also why the wording is unusual. It does not say, first think and then act. After all, normally a person thinks first and then acts. So, why reverse the order and say, the end of the action is first in thought? To teach you that you must first focus on the final goal, where you want to arrive. Only then should you invest thought into how to conquer that goal, how to get there. Let's take a simple example. A couple is struggling with serious marital problems. Both are already exhausted. They tried counseling, they tried advice. It's not working. They start thinking about divorce. There is no understanding between them. Constant arguments. He's not happy with her. She's not happy with him. But then each of them says to himself, I am setting a goal to reach shalom bayit, peace in the home. That is the goal. That is the end of the action. Now, let's think, how do I get there? A good piece of advice, one that was presented in a book on marriage and that many people testified helped them greatly, is the following. The husband says to himself, my goal is to reach shalom bayit, meaning that my wife will be happy. That my husband will be happy. And I am willing to sacrifice for that. Because the core difficulty for most people is that each one is entrenched in himself. I'm right. The other one needs to change. But if a person says, "I have a goal and I must reach it. I want shalom bayit. I will do whatever it takes to make that happen." A practical suggestion is to write down three points that you know bother your spouse the most about you. Things that come up again and again. Sometimes in different words, different tones, but it always returns to the same complaints. Sometimes there are other issues as well. But every couple can testify that when there is tension, there are usually recurring themes. So, the husband does this and the wife does the same. She says to herself, "I have a goal to reach shalom bayit. I am willing to sacrifice for it." She writes down three things she knows bother her husband the most about her. Now, the husband reflects. What does she complain about? First complaint, for example, "You don't talk to me enough. And even when you're with me, your mind isn't really here. You're on your phone. You're thinking about work. You're distracted." And he says to himself, "She's exaggerating. I think we talk enough. But if the goal, the end of the action, is to reach shalom bayit, then I am willing to sacrifice for that, even if I believe she's not entirely right." So, he decides, "Every day for half an hour, I sit with her and talk. The phone is off. I'm not dealing with anything else. I let her speak. I show empathy and understanding, no criticism. I give her a good feeling during those 30 minutes." And he says to himself, "Half an hour is a lot. How will I manage? But I have a goal to reach shalom bayit. So I will do whatever it takes for her to be satisfied. Second example, she complains, "You speak to me in a harsh tone. It happens again and again. You raise your voice at me." And he says, "What do you mean? I don't shout. That's just my tone. That's how I speak." But if that is how she feels, if that is her experience, he says to himself, "I'm changing direction." He begins speaking in a calmer, softer tone, more relaxed, using different expressions, giving her a better feeling. It's hard for him, but he has a goal. He has an end of the action. He must reach shalom bayit, and this is one of the three things that bother her. A third example, she complains, "Why do you smoke inside the house?" He tells her, "Go out to the balcony." But he says, "I'm cold." And he really is cold, but he says to himself, "It bothers her." So he puts on a coat, a scarf, and goes outside. It's difficult, yes, but he has a goal. He has an end of the action. He wants to reach shalom bayit, and that makes all the difference. A person who invests a few weeks, even a month, will begin to notice that his wife becomes calmer. There may still be occasional arguments about other things, but the three main land mines have been resolved. Now let's look at the other side. A woman says to herself, "I have a goal to reach shalom bayit. What bothers my husband? What does he complain about again and again? First issue, he says that I don't respect him, especially in front of other women. In my opinion, I do respect him. But he feels belittled. He feels that I don't speak to him respectfully. So, I change direction. She has lived with him for some time. She knows how his mind works. She knows what makes him feel good. Which words strengthen him. She changes direction. When his parents come for Shabbat, she praises her husband, compliments him. In front of her own parents, she praises him. And when they are alone, she uses good words. How wise you are. How perceptive you are. How successful you are. And as we've said many times, when a woman tells her husband, "You're smart, you're wise, you're successful, you're brilliant." She should always make sure to add the words, "And I know you got that from your mother." That opens his heart. It's very important. She may say to herself, "But I don't like his mother." But you want shalom bayit. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. That too was said by King Solomon. Second issue. What else does he complain about? "Stop speaking negatively about my family." And she says, "But everything I'm saying is true." It may be true, but there is no person in the world who likes hearing negative things said about his family, even when it's true. So, she says to herself, "I'll keep it inside." Sometimes she feels, "If I don't let this out, I'm going to explode." A good piece of advice. When a person feels that he must tell, must express, and sometimes it's gossip, sometimes it causes conflict. Psychologists say that if a person writes everything down on paper, unloads through writing everything that is weighing on him. All his complaints. Writes it all out. It already gives a feeling of release. As if he said it. Afterward, you read the page and throw it in the trash. No one needs to read it. But the very act of releasing what's inside brings calm. Third issue. What else does my husband complain about? Why do you complain all the time? Why are you never satisfied with life? Everything is bad. She says, "What do you mean? If I don't tell him what bothers me, who am I supposed to tell?" But she says to herself, "I'll reduce it. I'll choose the right timing, the right moment. There are things that are better to complain about. And sometimes she's not complaining about him at all. She's telling him, "I'm having a hard time with the kids. You come home late. My situation isn't easy. I work. I come home. And there are children." The truth is, a husband who hears complaints like these must support his wife and show understanding. He cannot solve her problems, but he must show empathy. When she says, "It's hard for me." He should say, "You're right. If I were in your place, I would have collapsed long ago. I don't know how you manage." That gives strength to a woman. When a husband shows understanding, "I know it's hard for you." That gives her strength. If he does the opposite and tries to minimize it saying, "I think you're exaggerating. What happened already? The kids cried a little. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" Those words almost kill her. She feels, "He doesn't understand me. It's so hard for me." And from his perspective, everything is fine. A wise man, when his wife tells him about a problem, actually amplifies the problem. If she tells him the problem is 1 km long, he says, "What do you mean? It's 3 km, much harder. All respect to you for managing and standing strong." That gives her strength. "My husband understands me. He's with me." And so it is in every area of life. The end of the action is first in thought. That is what Solomon means when he says, "Every arum, every prudent person, acts with da'at. Think, plan, reach the correct conclusion, and then act." This is true in every field, in financial dealings as well. Signing contracts, signing guarantees. How many people sign as guarantors out of discomfort for someone they don't really know whether they can trust. And later, when that person doesn't pay, everything falls on the guarantor. There is a great mitzvah to do kindness, certainly. If you can sign as a guarantor and truly help him, that's wonderful. But you are not supposed to endanger yourself in order to do kindness. If you know that the person will definitely make the payments, or even if he doesn't, you have the ability to cover it, then sign. Because you say, "What's the worst that can happen? He won't pay. Thank God, I have sufficient means. I can cover it without a problem." Then do kindness and sign for him. But if it could entangle you in serious trouble, and you don't know the person well enough, or you know him, and you know he won't have the means to pay, he may mean well, but realistically, he probably won't be able to because his path is not one that clearly leads to repayment. Then, the end of the action is first in thought. You can apologize. You can explain. If the husband is asked, he should consult with his wife. That too is part of acting with da'at. So, I told him, "I don't agree. Speak with your wife. Tell her it's her family. Let her coordinate with her husband. I tell them that you don't agree. The main thing is peace. That there should be peace in the home. That there shouldn't be fights between them and other people. And in this way, a person can reach proper balance in life. King Solomon concludes and says, "A fool spreads foolishness." A fool, a person who lacks wisdom, earlier, Solomon spoke about action. Every prudent person acts with da'at. But about the fool, he says something different. Even before he acts, you already see his foolishness. His foolishness is spread out in front of him like a rug, like a carpet that a person rolls out so he can walk on it. And the great tragedy of this person is that his foolish behavior becomes public and visible to all. Everyone sees that he is acting incorrectly. That he is choosing the wrong paths. And an even greater tragedy is that afterward, he steps on the very foolishness he spread out. It's as if he rolled out a red carpet in front of himself. And that red carpet is made entirely of foolishness. And then every step he takes comes back to harm him because he conducted himself improperly. Suddenly, he discovers that he has sunk into debt. Or suddenly, he realizes that the apartment he bought isn't suitable. Or that he married someone who is not right for him. So, why the impulsiveness beforehand? We have always emphasized this point. Before a young man meets a young woman, before a young woman meets a young man, there are two things that must be clarified thoroughly in advance. And two additional things that must be checked during the meetings themselves. Because once people start meeting and suddenly the heart develops a deep emotional connection because of external appearance, or because of the way the other person speaks, or because certain words were said, and not to mention, heaven forbid, when there is no observance of boundaries, then this becomes a kind of bribery that blinds even wise eyes. And people can easily make the wrong decision. But if, in advance, before meeting, you clarify two things in your mind. First, that this person has good character traits. It doesn't matter whether it's a man or a woman. Good character means kindness, generosity, a desire to give. Not an ego-driven person. Not someone with a bad temper, who loses control over every small thing. And when he gets angry, he doesn't restrain himself. A person may get angry occasionally. That's human. But if he has self-control, he doesn't humiliate, he doesn't insult, he doesn't walk away and abandon everything. A person who has self-control, that is something you must investigate. And how do you investigate it? By seeing how he behaves in his natural environment. You cannot know this from dates alone. On dates, everyone behaves nicely. But look at how he behaves with siblings, with parents, with co-workers, with friends. Second, you must clarify that this person has fear of heaven, meaning that God is present in his life. For a man, this includes setting regular times for Torah study, at least a daily fixed time to learn Torah. A woman is not obligated in daily Torah study, but if she listens, learns, strengthens herself spiritually, that shows fear of heaven. For a woman, modest dress, observing boundaries. For a man as well, observing boundaries, keeping Shabbat. These are indicators of fear of heaven. When a person has good character traits and fear of heaven, then you can move on to meeting. During the meetings themselves, you need to check two additional things. First, that the external appearance is pleasant to the eye. A person needs to feel comfortable with someone he will live with for the rest of his life. Second, that the conversation is pleasant, that it flows, that it's enjoyable to talk, that there is understanding between them. When you have these four elements, good character traits, fear of heaven, pleasant conversation, and an appearance that is comfortable to the eye, then you still need one more thing, joy in the heart, a feeling of happiness and readiness to marry this person. When all of that is present, then you can move forward towards setting a wedding date. But those who act impulsively, especially when boundaries are not observed and the mind no longer functions properly, may live together for 2 years and still not truly know each other. He doesn't know her and she doesn't know him. Why? Because there are no boundaries. When boundaries are observed, four or five meetings with deep conversations, sitting, talking, analyzing plans, background, history, what each one likes and doesn't like. After four or five such meetings, you can already know whether this person is right for you or not. That is the wisdom of the end of the action being first in thought. >> If it's suitable, you move forward. If it's not suitable, you separate. This way, you also don't waste years unnecessarily like those who spend a few years together, break up, then again a few years, break up again, move on to someone else, and the years keep passing. That concludes the parable, and the parable itself is real. The Book of Proverbs does not use parables about things that are not true in their own right. Now, let us move to the lesson, the Nimshal. Blessed are you, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, by whose word all things come into being. As is King Solomon's way, the parable deals with this world, and the lesson deals with the world to come, with the spiritual dimension of the human being. Here, Solomon is speaking to every person and saying to him, "If you are prudent, think about the future. Look at the Earth 150 years ago. It was full of people. And where are they today? Not a single one of them remains on this Earth. That means that now it is our turn to be here. One day will come, and others will be here instead of us. So, the question is what am I taking with me to the world to come? Let's think. The end of the action is first in thought. I have a goal. I must reach the world to come. And as the Mishnah says, a person is destined to give an accounting and justification for his actions. So, do my actions align with that goal or not? If I failed in the past, I repented. I corrected my ways so that I won't arrive in the world to come stained. As long as a person is alive in this world, it is in his power to fix, to change, to elevate himself. After he sheds the body, what he has is what remains forever. He can no longer rise higher. That is why King Solomon says elsewhere, "Whatever your hand finds the strength to do, do it." As long as you are in this world and have the power to act, act. Because there is no action, no calculation, no knowledge, and no wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going. Sheol means the grave. What does it mean, "the place to which you are going"? A person says, "I'm only 20 years old. Where am I going?" Solomon answers, "Every day that passes, you are moving in that direction. That is why he calls it the place to which you are going." Even when you are young, every passing day brings you closer. So, think about the future. And that is what Solomon means here when he says, "Every prudent person acts with da'at. Every wise person adopts this principle. I think about the future. A day will come when I reach the world to come. I don't want to be ashamed. I don't want to stand there unable to answer the questions asked of me. I want to give good answers. That I walked on a straight path. That I was honest in business. That I put on to fill in. That I kept Shabbat. That I was a person of kindness and charity. That I worked on my character traits. I wasn't born an angel. But I worked. I changed. I elevated myself. I reached higher levels. And the lesson of this verse is explained by King Solomon in the very next verse. Also in the form of a parable. But the parable of the next verse is actually the explanation of this verse. This is how the commentators explain it. The Malbim writes this explicitly. A wicked messenger falls into evil. But a faithful envoy brings healing. What does the word malak mean in Hebrew? Malak means a messenger. If we were talking about a spiritual angel, what would a wicked angel mean? An angel is always pure and holy. He has no free choice between good and evil. He does only what God commands. Spiritual angels are called malakim. Because they are messengers of the holy one. Blessed be he. You see clearly that the word malak means messenger. There is a human messenger and there is a spiritual messenger. So in this parable, King Solomon is speaking about a person in this world who is sent on a mission. The one who sends him trusts him. I place my confidence in you. I'm sending you to such and such a place. Organize things. Arrange the deal. I'm paying you for this. And I'll pay you even more if you succeed. But then Solomon says, a wicked messenger falls into evil. What is a wicked messenger? It's a messenger who does the opposite of what the one who sent him intended. He is told, "Go there and make sure the deal succeeds." But he goes there and does everything possible to make the deal fail. Why? Because yesterday he felt insulted by his boss. So, he goes and sabotages everything. A wicked messenger falls into evil. A messenger who acts wickedly ultimately falls into the very evil he created for himself. He thought he was harming others, but in the end, he himself falls into it. But a faithful envoy brings healing. An envoy is also a messenger, but he is a faithful one. Someone you can rely on. And that raises a question. Why does Solomon call the wicked one "Amalek" and the faithful one "Atzir"? That question sets the stage for the next layer of understanding. The Malbim explains this as follows. Atzir is a messenger who both goes and returns, like the hinge of a door that turns back and forth. The first one, the Malach Rasha, the wicked messenger, goes, but he cannot return to his boss and say, "I did what you wanted." Why? Because he didn't do what he was sent to do. He is called a wicked messenger because his mission was not for good. He caused damage. He ruined things. He destroyed completely contrary to the purpose of his mission. Therefore, he cannot return to the one who sent him. But Atzir Emunim, a faithful envoy, is someone trustworthy. You tell him, "Go and arrange such and such." And he goes. He returns. And he can say clearly, "I completed the mission successfully. I reached the goal. But here King Solomon adds another word. A faithful envoy brings healing. Not only does he carry out the mission, but if along the way he discovers a problem, a kind of landmine, he also knows how to heal the situation. For example, he was sent on a business mission to arrange something for his boss, and he discovers that the other side is upset because of something that happened the week before. He knows how to calm things down, how to reconcile. He doesn't say, "I did my part. I'm going back. And if they don't want it, too bad." He also solves problems. A faithful envoy knows how to heal wounds and resolve difficulties. Again, this is a parable. The parable itself is true, but the Malbim explains what is the lesson the nimshal. It refers to the human soul. The true essence of a person is the soul that the Holy One, blessed be He, sends into this world. There is a person who is a faithful envoy. That soul comes into the world knowing, "I was sent on a specific mission. I do God's will. If I made a mistake, I fix what needs to be fixed." That is its serum meaning. A faithful envoy who brings healing. But there is also a soul that comes into the world and does the opposite of what God sent it to do. God sent it toward a certain purpose, to reach a specific goal, to participate in the repair of creation, and instead, it goes in the opposite direction. It is important to understand when a person gives charity, keeps Shabbat, puts on tefillin, he is not only fixing himself. There is a pathway in creation that is connected to his soul. And through his actions, he repairs that pathway. From the moment Adam ate from the tree of knowledge until the world reaches the coming of Mashiach, the rebuilding of the temple, and the resurrection of the dead, this entire span of history is one great process of repair. Every mitzvah, every good deed, creates repair throughout all of creation. That is a faithful envoy brings healing. But there is a person who not only does not heal, God sent him with a certain mission, and he does something else entirely. He does the opposite of God's will. Why is he called at Siyera Mu'min? Faithful? Because he is faithful to every detail of the one who sent him. There are cases where a person is sent on a task, and he changes the instructions thinking, "I understand better than my boss. I know better." But when it comes to the soul that comes into the world, is it possible that a human being understands better than the Holy One, blessed be He, who sent him? God tells him, "Put on square tefillin with these specific parchments." And he says, "I want tefillin made of gold." Tefillin made of gold do not fulfill the mitzvah. "But I'm very wealthy. I want gold tefillin." You still do not fulfill the obligation. There is a specific vessel that God taught you how to create because that vessel is designed to receive divine light from above, to draw it into your soul, into the mind, into the heart, and into the arm opposite the heart. If you make it out of gold, it won't work. It's like the king of Saudi Arabia saying, "It's beneath my dignity to have an x-ray done with the machine made of glass and metal. Bring me one made entirely of gold. They would tell him, "But gold cannot produce an x-ray image. This is the device that works. There is no substitute. Therefore, a faithful envoy is a person who is faithful to God and says, if this is the halakha, if this is what the Torah says, this is what I do, even if in my opinion it seems excessive, even if I don't understand why it must be this way. There are many mitzvot and many detailed laws that a person does not understand. He may ask, "Why such precision? Why does this detail matter? Why must halakha be so exact?" And the answer is because a faithful envoy does not improvise. He carries out the mission exactly as he was sent. But one must understand, this is divine wisdom. And when the holy one, blessed be he, gives you instructions, every detail is deeply significant. I once read a story about a Torah scholar in the United States. This was before WhatsApp and all the platforms we have today. People used to send him many questions by email and he would answer them by email. There was one person who asked him many questions and every question received an excellent answer, usually within a day, very quickly. One time, however, he sent him a question and received no response for an entire week. And the question was this, "Why is it necessary to be so precise with every single detail of the mitzvot? Why isn't it enough to do things in a general way? Why do we need such detailed laws for Shabbat? There are laws of selecting, planting, and many other categories of labor. Why so many details down to the smallest specifics? In general, keep Shabbat, go to synagogue, make kiddush, don't drive. Do you really need all these details? After a week with no response, he sent another email and wrote, "Did I finally manage to ask you a question that has no answer?" As if to say, "Maybe he doesn't know how to respond." He then received an email back saying, "I actually answered you, and the fact that you didn't receive the answer is the best answer to your question." He explained, "When I wrote the response, I didn't copy and paste it. I typed it on a different device. And while typing, I now see that I forgot to include a single period. Because of that missing period, the entire email was not delivered, even though he had written a long, detailed response." He wrote to him, "This is the best possible answer to your question. Sometimes one small dot ruins everything." He concluded, "The Torah is infinitely complex in the spiritual higher worlds. Every mitzvah operates in deep spiritual systems, and therefore even the smallest detail can undermine everything." He said, "This is the best answer to your question." And indeed, when a person is faithful to the Holy One, blessed be He, and trusts Him, faith is not only saying, "Whatever God does is for the good." That is certainly the foundation of faith, to trust that everything God does is good. But no less important is this, when a person trusts the mitzvot that God commanded him. God says, "Do this. Do not do that. And here, be precise with these details and all the boundaries of halakha." And the person does not say, "This is excessive. This isn't necessary." Instead, he says, "I trust him. If he commanded it, I rely on him." God says, "Do not shave with a razor." So, he says, "I won't shave with a razor. But, I have a question. Aren't there blades in an electric shaver as well?" So, ask a rabbi what the difference is. He will explain that here there is a protective screen that separates the blades from the skin. Whereas, the Torah says, "You shall not destroy the corners of your beard." Destruction means that the blade comes into direct contact with the skin and uproots from within. That is why, by the way, someone who shaves should buy a shaver with proper rabbinic certification. Today, there are advanced machines with double blades that, even with a screen, penetrate the skin and uproot from within. And the Kabbalists explained that the beard represents channels of spiritual flow for a person. And God says to a person, "You may shorten the channels, but not uproot the roots." When someone shaves with a razor, he uproots the roots of those channels of blessing, harming himself in several ways. But, even a person who does not yet understand why this is necessary can say to himself, "I trust the Holy One, blessed be he, that every instruction he gives is precise. That, too, is part of faith, to place trust in him. With time, I will also learn and understand." The Maggid of Dubno gave a wonderful parable about this. As is well known, the Maggid of Dubno had parables that clarified everything. And he tells the following story. A certain king sent the viceroy, the second in command, to the king of a neighboring country on a diplomatic mission. There were several issues between the two states that needed to be resolved. This viceroy was educated, wise, and discerning, responsible for several government portfolios. Before he left, the king said to him, "I ask you, under no circumstances are you to unbutton your shirt there." And that instruction, though it seemed strange, carried meaning far deeper than it appeared. He asked him, "Why? Why would I ever unbutton my shirt?" The king replied, "I'm I'm asking you, no matter what happens, even if it's hot, even if they turn on heaters, even if you have a thousand reasons, do not unbutton your shirt." He said, "All right, no problem." He arrived there on the diplomatic mission. He is sitting with the king and the ministers discussing matters. During the meeting, the finance minister of the neighboring country suddenly says to him, "Tell me, is it true that you have an ugly stain on your shoulder? That's what I heard." He replied, "Absolutely not. There's no stain." The minister said, "I have solid information. You have an ugly blood stain on your shoulder." He said, "That's not true." A debate developed. In the end, the finance minister said, "With the king's permission, I'm willing to bet you $1 million. If you have a stain, you take the million. If you don't, then we pay. But if we're right, you pay the million." Now, he knew he had no stain, so he thought there was no problem. He unbuttoned his shirt, showed his shoulder, no stain. "All right," they said. "You're right." They gave him a check for $1 million. He thought to himself, "The king wasn't talking about a case like this. A million dollars for the royal treasury, that's great." When he returned, he announced proudly to the king, "My lord, I brought back a check for $1 million over something trivial." "What happened?" the king asked. He told him the whole story. The king said to him, "You fool, before you left, that king bet me $100 million that they would succeed in getting you to unbutton your shirt in public. And I warned you. Why did you do otherwise?" The Maggid of Dubna says, "When the Holy One, blessed be he, sends a person into the world, he gives him instructions on how to behave. And what does that person say? In this case, I think it's better to act differently. But the Holy One, blessed be he, has countless calculations. For the sake of gaining something small, you end up losing everything that God had planned." This is a wonderful parable taught by the Maggid of Dubna. There is another point that King Solomon hints to here in the words, "A faithful envoy brings healing." We said that a tzaddik is a messenger who returns. A messenger who comes back and can say, "I did what you sent me to do." The Kabbalists explain that this also alludes to reincarnations of the soul. A person who reaches the world to come and then returns to this world can repair what he damaged in previous lifetimes. That is the healing mentioned here. A faithful envoy, a soul that comes into the world, may stumble. But a wise person, already in the first lifetime, puts things in order. He checks, he learns halacha, what is permitted, what is forbidden. He does God's will. If he fails, he repents. He fixes what needs fixing. At the end of his life, when he reaches the world to come, he does not need to return again in another reincarnation. He is refined, clean, and pure. And he has only reward for all the mitzvot he performed. As the Talmud says about Rabbi Eliezer, the great Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, he said to his students, "Repent one day before your death." They didn't understand. They said, "Of course, a person would be willing to repent the day before he dies, but who knows when that will be?" He said to them, "That is exactly what I mean. Repent every day because maybe tomorrow." You never know when you will leave this world. There are young people who suddenly disappear. So, a person should spend all his days in repentance. When a person, every night before going to sleep, makes a spiritual accounting, speaks with the Holy One, blessed be He, and recites Shema before bed, it is very important to say the bedtime Shema. It helps a person greatly to cancel harsh decrees, fears, and pressures, both at night and during the day. There are many who also recite vidui, confession. The vidui appears in the prayer book. It is not an essential part of the bedtime Shema. You can say Shema without vidui. But in order to fulfill "Repent one day before your death," a person can say vidui every day. I regret everything I did wrong. I take responsibility. I want to begin a new page. That is how a person lives wisely, with the end of the action in thought first. In this way, a person merits to remain clean and refined. When the day comes that he is summoned to the world to come, he truly arrives pure. If, however, he arrives with spiritual stains, those stains are addressed there first. Only afterward does he receive reward for the mitzvot he performed. This process involves pain and purification that the soul undergoes in the world to come. But, this is its cleansing. A soul cannot enter Gan Eden on the basis of its mitzvot while it is still stained. With the creator of the world, there are no offsets. 100 mitzvot do not cancel out 80 transgressions. A transgression leaves a stain on the soul. If a person repented, that stain was removed. If he did not repent, the soul is cleansed there. Only afterward does he receive reward for all the mitzvot he performed, and that reward is far greater, measure for measure. There are certain transgressions that cannot be repaired in the world to come. In such cases, the soul returns through reincarnation. King Solomon alludes to this as well. Atzir, a messenger who returns to the world and is faithful, Atzir Emunim, walks in God's ways and brings healing by repairing the damage caused in a previous lifetime. This leads to an essential question. How does a person actually overcome? There are many challenges and many difficulties. The evil inclination is powerful. The Talmud teaches that when a person sees the good inclination weakening and the evil inclination gaining strength, he should provoke the good inclination against the evil one. In other words, awaken the good inclination so that it overcomes the evil inclination. How is this done? By speaking honestly with oneself. If I follow the path of the good inclination, I gain. If I follow the path of the evil inclination, it is not worth it. The Talmud continues, if he succeeds, that is good. If not, he should engage in Torah study. He should open a book and study Torah, ethics, or halakha. This brings light into the soul and provides strength. If that succeeds, good. If not, he should recite the Shema. When a person feels temptation pressing upon him, he should say, Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad, with focus and reflection on the words. This can cool the intensity of the evil inclination. If that still does not help, he should remember the day of death. A day will come when I leave this world. He should picture it clearly. Think of a cemetery. How many gravestones are there? Beneath each one lies a person who once struggled with desires just like mine. What did they take with them to the world to come? Only their actions. Is it worth failing now? For a few moments of pleasure, should I lose my eternity and my share in the world to come? This thought alone can give a person strength. Another piece of advice taught by the masters of ethics is the following. When a person truly wants to fulfill his mission in the world and be at Seer and Mounin, he should say to himself, I believe in the creator of the world. On Rosh Hashanah, he determines everything that will happen during the year. He determines not only how much livelihood and money I will have, but also how much enjoyment I will experience. All of this is decided on Rosh Hashanah. My choice is only whether that enjoyment will come through what is permitted or what is forbidden. Now, the inclination is pushing me toward forbidden enjoyment. But I trust the Holy One, blessed be He, that if I restrain myself now and do not enjoy it in a forbidden way, He will arrange for me to enjoy it later in a permitted way. Since my measure of enjoyment has already been determined, there is no reason to take it from what is forbidden. I restrain myself now, enjoy later in a permitted way, and even gain interest. What interest? The reward for overcoming temptation. The inclination attacked me, and I overcame it. For that, too, I receive reward. I lose nothing, neither in this world nor in the world to come. We conclude with a blessing for everyone with us, and for all those watching. May Hashem grant abundance, blessing, and success, health and peace of mind, worthy matches, holy offspring, and protection for the soldiers of Israel and the people of Israel, wherever they may be.