What do we learn from "ha'Chachmah Ta'oz l'Chacham me'Asarah Shalitim [Asher Hayu ba'Ir]"?
Nedarim 32b: The wisdom is Teshuvah and good deeds. The 10 officers are the eyes, ears, hands, feet, male organ, and mouth.
Rav Sadya Gaon: It is more than several rulers, if they would be in the city.
Rashi: It said "Al Tirsha Harbe" (18) - if you did a little evil, do not add to it. Rather, inspect your deeds and regret sin. Chachmah strengthens a Chacham - it counsels him to repent. A verse testifies about Yoshiyah "v'Chamohu Lo Hayah Lefanav Melech." (Divrei ha'Yamim II, 23:25). His Chachmah stood for him - he inspected his deeds. It was better for him than 10 kings in Yerushalayim who did evil and did not repent - Rechav'am, Avyam, Achazyah, Yo'ash after Yehoyada died, Amatzyah, Achaz, Menasheh, Amon, Yehoyakim and Tzidkiyah 1 . h
Rashi and R. Avigdor citing Koheles Zuta: Are there 10 authorities in one place? There is only one, man 2 , and one Gabai - the angel of death! Rather, even if one person reads [Mikra], fasts, feeds the hungry, gives to the thirsty to drink and clothes the naked, may he be saved from 10 matters that obligate him every day - two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, mouth and heart 3 .
Koheles Zuta, partially cited in Rashi: Ha'Chachmah Ta'oz l'Chacham refers to Noach; me'Asarah Shalitim are the 10 generations before him. Alternatively, ha'Chachmah Ta'oz l'Chacham refers to Avraham; me'Asarah Shalitim are the 10 generations before him. Alternatively, l'Chacham refers to Yosef; me'Asarah Shalitim are his Alternatively, l'Chacham refers to Moshe; me'Asarah Shalitim are the 10 matters that process food in the body - from the mouth to the stomach
Magihah (in Toras Chayim): Some substitute Yehoram ben Yehoshafat and Yo'achaz ben Yoshiyah in place of Menasheh and Tzidkiyah, for Menasheh repented (Sanhedrin 102b), and Tzidkiyah was a Tzadik (Erchin 17a). (Why do they not include Yehoyachin? He did "ha'Ra b'Einei Hashem" like his father Yehoyakim (Melachim II, 24:9)! Rus Rabah 7 calls Yechanyah a Tzadik; the Gemara calls Tzidkiyah a Tzadik, even though 24:18-19 say that he did evil. Alternatively, he is not included because he reigned only three months. - PF)
Our text of the Midrash says 'Ru'ach'.
Our text of the Midrash says 'body', and not heart. Rashi and R. Avigdor citing the Midrash - his eyes show to him evil matters - 'do not put your eyes on what is not yours, for the eyes descend to the gates of the Raki'a.' The ears hear idle words - 'one should not let his ears hear idle words, for they are singed before the [other] limbs. Hands steal and extort. Legs bring him to Aveirah. His mouth speaks Havalim.
Rashi: I do not know how to resolve these Midrashim with the coming verse "Ki Adam Ein Tzadik ba'Aretz
Is "Asarah" precise?
Yes. Refer to 7:19:1:1, 3-5, 9.
Rav Sadya Gaon: No. Ibn Ezra, Metzudas David - it says 10, for this completes a count; above this are units 1 . Rashbam - also "v'Afu Eser Nashim Lachmechem" (Vayikra 26:26) is not precise.
Ibn Ezra: In Leshon ha'Kodesh, the first letter is Aleph, the last [of the first 10] is Yud, and Hei and Vov are in the middle. The vowels are from these letters, and also the letters of Hashem's name.
Why does it say "Asher Hayu ba'Ir"?
Ibn Ezra: The power [of Chachmah] is seen when all [Chachmos] join in one place, united.
