Musar for Sanhedrin 204:13
התם לא כתיב וכל העם הכא כתיב וכל העם דאי אפשר דלא הוו בהון צדיקי וכתיב (מלכים א יט, יח) והשארתי בישראל שבעת אלפים כל הברכים אשר לא כרעו לבעל וכל הפה אשר לא נשק לו
R. Nahman said: Ahab was equally balanced,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Between sin and merit, having performed as many good deeds as evil ones. ');"><sup>21</sup></span> since it is written, And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at the Ramoth-gilead? And one said in this manner, and one said in that manner.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXII, 20: this shews that it was a difficult matter to lure him to his fate, and that must have been because his righteousness equalled his guilt. ');"><sup>22</sup></span>
Mesilat Yesharim
Rabbi Yochanan said: Why did Achav merit royalty for twenty-two years? - Because he honored the Torah, which was given in twenty-two letters, as it is written (I Kings 20:9), "And he sent messengers to Achav... it shall be, that whatever is the desire of your eyes, they shall put in their hand, and take it away... And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, Tell my lord the king, all that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do." Now what is meant by 'whatever is the desire of your eyes'? Surely the Scroll of the Torah!" (Sanhedrin 102b).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy