Who Is Noble?
Today's passuk, as broken up by Avraham Moskowitz, reads:
u
Do not rely
on nobles,
nor on
a human being
who holds
no salvation
o
Tehillim 146:3
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 7:41 AM
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5 Comments:
In using the Metzudah Machzor on Rosh HaShanah I came across a startling comment on the opening words of this line. "According to the Sages, it is implied that one should not rely even on his sainted ancestors, the Patriarchs, for deliverance.
That's an unusual, compicated, controversial, quote.
I assume they're referring to תמו זכות אבות.
What's the makor for that?
I found it: Shabbos 55a. It says -beyemei Chizkitah tamu zechut Avot.
This is why we try to be like the Avot and show that they live on inside us, not simply rely on their merit.
It's odd that they would write this without qualification. For one thing, it's a machlokes in the Gemara there, between Rav & Shmuel. For another, Tosafos there give two explanations for why we invoke the Avos in prayer: a) b/c their bris with Hashem still exists, b) b/c the zechus still operates on behalf of tzadikim. Both these explanations contradict what Metzudah says.
I'm also not happy with the statement, "one should not rely even on his sainted ancestors, the Patriarchs, for deliverance," which implies that the Avos themselves save us. Such a belief would constitute ancestor worship, which is, of course, forbidden. I'm sure this wasn't their intention, but they shoul have been more careful.
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