Consider, please, verses 26 and 27 from T'hillim, chapter 18:
עִם-נָבָר תִּתְבָּרָר; וְעִם-עִקֵּשׁ, תִּתְפַּתָּל.
These verses speak to the basic/fundamental manner with which HaShem interacts with His creation. In broad strokes we say מידה כנגד מידה/measure for measure. Here, however, Dovid HaMelech drills down a bit and gives us four approaches (rough/free translation):
- עִם-חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד -- with the pious/devout, You act devoutly
- עִם-גְּבַר תָּמִים, תִּתַּמָּם -- with the innocent/whole-hearted, You act with simplicity (no hidden agenda)
- עִם-נָבָר תִּתְבָּרָר -- with the honest/trustworthy, You act in faithfulness
- וְעִם-עִקֵּשׁ, תִּתְפַּתָּל -- but with the crooked/perverse, You act as if everything is happenstance
It is striking that Dovid HaMelech decided to break down the positive conduct into three distinct channels, where as the all who act as if there is no one running the show are lumped together and treated to a world that runs by itself. I won't say anything more about this conduct; I think it speaks for itself.
The Malbim describes each attribute: חָסִיד -- all their actions are above and beyond the call of duty. תָּמִים -- each action is weighed against the all relevant obligations and the course taken fulfills each and every expectation and demand precisely without deviation. נָבָר -- is always careful to guard against doing anything wrong/evil/bad. Sounds like we are going from best to worst, no? From "over and above" to "fulfills his obligations" to "careful not to do anything bad" to "bad".
Yet, Rashi says these three conducts correspond to our patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. The Targum Yonason, in fact, explicitly lists the patriarchs names in the verses: With Avraham -- who was a חָסִיד..., with Yitzchak, who was גְּבַר תָּמִים..., with Yaakov, who was נָבָר. That doesn't line up with our first thought about how to understand these three character traits.
Shockingly -- as is often the case (and yet I am still always shocked) -- the first thought was wrong and so we need to go back to really understand what Dovid HaMelech wants us to know. Ok, so I can't possibly think that I really understand the exalted intentions of David HaMelech, but I can share what I have taken away after learning the explanations offered through the centuries proffered by our sages. I hope that the leason I have gleaned is in line with the intentions of our great ancestor.
Avraham Avinu is our prototypical חָסִיד. While recovering from a difficult surgery at an advanced age, he was still looking to serve wayfarers. When he merited to perform that mitzvah, he went way above and beyond. Each guest was not only served fresh tongue with mustard, each guest actually received the tongue from an animal that had been slaughtered specifically for him. That is above and beyond even the (ahem) regular above and beyond.
Yitzchak Avinu is our prototypical גְּבַר תָּמִים. When it was time for him to give the ultimate sacrifice -- his life itself -- his concern was that not even an unintentional flinch at the last moment should detract from the perfection of his sacrifice. Hence, he asked his father to bind him -- arms and legs -- so that every detail of the mitzvah would be fulfilled precisely and without deviation.
Yaakov Avinu is our prototypical נָבָר. When he had to work for the perverse and crooked Lavan, Yaakov Avinu suffer freezing cold and stifling heat to protect even a single lamb. If a wild animal managed to take one of the stragglers, Yaakov Avinu paid back from his own wages. All of this so even the crooked and perverse Lavan could not find anything wrong with the service Yaakov Avinu was providing in the job for which he was hired.
Clearly the patriarchs were not "looking to get by", but were each approaching avodas HaShem using the unique personality imbued in them from the Creator. We know that each of our patriarchs achieved perfection in their service to the Creator. However, each looked into himself to find the best unique and custom path for achieving that goal.
David HaMelech tells us, then: You may think there are lots of way to be perverse, but you are wrong. Every perverse behaviour is painted with single label, עִקֵּשׁ. For that, the reward, so to speak, is not being able to see HaShem at all, for everything is תִּתְפַּתָּל/warped and happenstance.
If you want to achieve perfection and wholeness with your Creator, though, then look to our patriarchs. Learn from their examples. Use your unique תכונות הנפש -- spiritual/emotional/physical/intellectual/... qualities -- to seek perfection and you will be rewarded with not only open and apparent Divine Providence, but open and apparent Divine Providence that is tailored to you.
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