משלי כד:כז
הָכֵן בַּחוּץ מְלַאכְתֶּךָ וְעַתְּדָהּ בַּשָּׂדֶה לָךְ אַחַר וּבָנִיתָ בֵיתֶךָ:
Mishlei 24:27
Prepare
your work outside and ready yourself in the field; then build your house.
Major Questions / Difficulties
- Why does the pasuk focus on "preparing your work" instead of "doing your work"?
- What type of "preparation" is it talking about? Likewise, what does it mean to "ready yourself in the field"?
- Why the emphasis on "outside"? Obviously, if you're working in the field, then you'll be doing your work outside!
- What does it mean by "building your house"? Is it talking about the physical construction of the walls, or the income needed to run the household, or starting a family, or something else?
- What are the consequences of building your house before "preparing your work" and "readying yourself in the field"? Usually Shlomo ha'Melech gives us some inkling of what happens to those who ignore his advice.
Methodology Tips:
- When approaching pesukim like this, it is tempting to immediately dive into metaphor. But we must remember a cardinal rule of our approach to Mishlei: always take the pasuk as literally as possible unless you are compelled to interpret it otherwise.
- It is often helpful to ask the question: To whom is this pasuk addressed? For example, we can assume that the person to whom this pasuk is addressed has enough money to "build his house" before "preparing his work outside" and "readying himself in the field" - and that is why Shlomo ha'Melech is telling him to do the opposite.
Four-sentence Summary of the Main Idea
When a person settles in a new location, it is tempting to prioritize building a house, which is the ultimate source of emotional and physical security. However, if a person desires real security, he will prioritize his livelihood over everything else, making sure that he has the ability to earn a steady income, for without an income, his house will not provide the security he seeks. This is a subtle crossroads, since the person who builds his house will be able to claim that he is engaged in “long-term planning.” In truth, he is seeking security in that which is immediate and concrete, rather than what will actually ensure his long-term survival; he engaged in short-term long-term planning.
I would add to this that when you have a house first, you tend to want to fill that house and do to it all sorts of house things. If you secure your work in the field first (i.e. parnassa) you may then have more realistic expectations for what you can and can't do or what you need and don't "need" in the house.
ReplyDeleteGood point!
ReplyDeleteBuilding a house requires two things: a certain amount of disposable income and a personal investment of time. A person with the necessary disposable income may feel he is ready to build a house; however, doing so will require a big investment of time, which will divert him from activities that are necessary for his sustenance later on. He should first ensure his source of income is stable by preparing his field, and only then become involved in building his home. (He's focused on having the money necessary to build the house, but not on sustaining himself throughout and after the whole building process.)
ReplyDeleteGood pshat!
ReplyDelete