TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 2
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1One day the divine beings presented themselves before Hashem. The Adversary came along with them to present himself before Hashem.
אוַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל־יְהֹוָה וַיָּבוֹא גַם־הַשָּׂטָן בְּתֹכָם לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל־יְהֹוָה׃
2Hashem said to the Adversary, “Where have you been?” The Adversary answered Hashem, “I have been roaming all over the earth.”
בוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן אֵי מִזֶּה תָּבֹא וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמַר מִשֻּׁט בָּאָרֶץ וּמֵהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ׃
3Hashem said to the Adversary, “Have you noticed My servant Iyov? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears Hashem and shuns evil. He still keeps his integrity; so you have incited Me against him to destroy him for no good reason.”
גוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן הֲשַׂמְתָּ לִבְּךָ אֶל־עַבְדִּי אִיּוֹב כִּי אֵין כָּמֹהוּ בָּאָרֶץ אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָע וְעֹדֶנּוּ מַחֲזִיק בְּתֻמָּתוֹ וַתְּסִיתֵנִי בוֹ לְבַלְּעוֹ חִנָּם׃
4The Adversary answered Hashem, “Skin for skin—all that a man has he will give up for his life.
דוַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמַר עוֹר בְּעַד־עוֹר וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לָאִישׁ יִתֵּן בְּעַד נַפְשׁוֹ׃
5But lay a hand on his bones and his flesh, and he will surely blaspheme You to Your face.”
האוּלָם שְׁלַח־נָא יָדְךָ וְגַע אֶל־עַצְמוֹ וְאֶל־בְּשָׂרוֹ אִם־לֹא אֶל־פָּנֶיךָ יְבָרֲכֶךָּ׃
6So Hashem said to the Adversary, “See, he is in your power; only spare his life.”
ווַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן הִנּוֹ בְיָדֶךָ אַךְ אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ שְׁמֹר׃
7The Adversary departed from the presence of Hashem and inflicted a severe inflammation on Iyov from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
va-yay-TZAY ha-sa-TAN may-AYT p'-NAY a-do-NAI va-YAKH et i-YOV bish-KHEEN RA mi-KAF rag-LO v'-AD kod-ko-DO
זוַיֵּצֵא הַשָּׂטָן מֵאֵת פְּנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיַּךְ אֶת־אִיּוֹב בִּשְׁחִין רָע מִכַּף רַגְלוֹ עד [וְעַד] קָדְקֳדוֹ׃
2:7 And inflicted a severe inflammation on Iyov
This is Iyov’s final test before he reacts to all of his suffering. After losing his wealth and his children, he is now stricken with a painful condition all over his body. What was the cause of the righteous Iyov’s suffering? The Sages (Sotah 11a) teach that Iyov was one of three advisors whom Pharaoh consulted to determine the most effective method to exterminate the People of Israel during their subjugation in Egypt. Though he opposed the persecution, Iyov chose to remain silent rather than voice his opposition to the powerful king’s plan. The Sages suggest that Iyov’s suffering was a punishment for remaining silent in the face of the oppression of the Israelites. Because Iyov remained silent against the suffering of others, he was afflicted to the point where he cried out due to his own anguish. Today, the People of Israel are still faced with many threats and experience many tragedies. We must learn from Iyov’s mistake to never remain silent, even if we don’t feel personally threatened or afflicted. Rather, we must feel the pain of others as our own.
8He took a potsherd to scratch himself as he sat in ashes.
חוַיִּקַּח־לוֹ חֶרֶשׂ לְהִתְגָּרֵד בּוֹ וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ־הָאֵפֶר׃
9His wife said to him, “You still keep your integrity! Blaspheme Hashem and die!”
טוַתֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ עֹדְךָ מַחֲזִיק בְּתֻמָּתֶךָ בָּרֵךְ אֱלֹהִים וָמֻת׃
10But he said to her, “You talk as any shameless woman might talk! Should we accept only good from Hashem and not accept evil?” For all that, Iyov said nothing sinful.
יוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ כְּדַבֵּר אַחַת הַנְּבָלוֹת תְּדַבֵּרִי גַּם אֶת־הַטּוֹב נְקַבֵּל מֵאֵת הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת־הָרָע לֹא נְקַבֵּל בְּכָל־זֹאת לֹא־חָטָא אִיּוֹב בִּשְׂפָתָיו׃
11When Iyov's three friends heard about all these calamities that had befallen him, each came from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him.
יאוַיִּשְׁמְעוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת רֵעֵי אִיּוֹב אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת הַבָּאָה עָלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אִישׁ מִמְּקֹמוֹ אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי וּבִלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי וְצוֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי וַיִּוָּעֲדוּ יַחְדָּו לָבוֹא לָנוּד־לוֹ וּלְנַחֲמוֹ׃
12When they saw him from a distance, they could not recognize him, and they broke into loud weeping; each one tore his robe and threw dust into the air onto his head.
יבוַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶם מֵרָחוֹק וְלֹא הִכִּירֻהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּ וַיִּקְרְעוּ אִישׁ מְעִלוֹ וַיִּזְרְקוּ עָפָר עַל־רָאשֵׁיהֶם הַשָּׁמָיְמָה׃
13They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights. None spoke a word to him for they saw how very great was his suffering.
יגוַיֵּשְׁבוּ אִתּוֹ לָאָרֶץ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְשִׁבְעַת לֵילוֹת וְאֵין־דֹּבֵר אֵלָיו דָּבָר כִּי רָאוּ כִּי־גָדַל הַכְּאֵב מְאֹד׃
