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שָׂדוֹת אוֹמְִים - Fields Say:

Mishlei 3:19

יְהוָה בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד-אָרֶץ כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה

HASHEM bechachma yasad-aretz konen shamayim bitvuna

HASHEM founded the earth by wisdom; He established the heavens by understanding.

The Sage begins in praise of wisdom.  How great is her excellence!  For behold: "HaShem founded the earth by wisdom," and He "established the heavens by understanding."

G-d called upon wisdom by imbuing it with the power to create heaven and earth.  By understanding "He created the heavens," for, behold, the heavenly bodies have not strayed from their paths since the day they were created.  When a man erects an edifice, after a time it is in need of repair.  But their function remains unimpaired.

Wisdom is mentioned first, for it pertains to the beginning stage.  Then comes understanding, which is set forth by inferring one thing from another.  "Knowledge" (v3:20) is established through careful thought which involves holiness, the fear of G-d and familiarity with the knowledge taught by the Sages.  Those three aspects go together.  For when there is no knowledge, there is no understanding; and when there is no understanding, there is no knowledge.

Wisdom - compare it to a drowning man who is thrown a piece of wood to grab a hold of.  The present verses pertain to people who have fallen down and require a "tree" to hold them up (cf. 3:18).  Principally it means to repent and turn back to G-d through the power of the Torah that is called "a tree of life" (ibid.).

Just as a tree brings life into the world, so does the Torah.  Just as a tree undergoes changes yet does not cease to live, so the person who devotes himself to Torah study is not cut off even after departing from this world.  In the World to Come he continues to live an external life.

When G-d created the world, He first consulted the Torah; as it says, "HaShem founded the earth by wisdom."  Accordingly, commenting on "In the beginning G-d created (Bereishit 1:11), the Targum Yerushalayim says: G-d created with wisdom.

The field is metaphor for man.  If untapped, wisdom remains wasted potential. Our mission is to nurture the G-d-given spark of wisdom and to make of it a crop that will gladden the heavens.

Yeshayahu 35:1

 יְשֻׂשׂוּם מִדְבָּר וְצִיָּה וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח כַּחֲבַצָּלֶת

yesushoum midbar vetziya vetagel arava vetifrach kachavatzalet

The desert and the wasteland shall rejoice; the wilderness shall exult and blossom like a lily.

Yerushalayim and Tziyon, which were "desert and wasteland" throughout Jewish exile, shall rejoice upon Jewish Redemption - they shall blossom, prosper and flourish.  

Deep in the heart of Yisrael, the seed of Its essence will always remain alive, awaiting the breath of repentance and hope.  redemption would come.  The Torah was given in a wasteland and it gave life to a people.  So, too, the people will give life to the wasteland of Tziyon, and Eretz Yisrael will blossom like a lily.

Tehillim 107:9

כִּי-הִשְׂבִּיעַ נֶפֶשׁ שֹׁקֵקָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה מִלֵּא-טוֹב

ki-hisbia nefesh shokeka venefesh reeva mile-tov

For He has satisfied the longing soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with good.

Concerning thirst the Scripture speaks of "longing," for the craving of the thirsty person for drink is stronger than the craving of the hungry person for food.

Through suffering the soul is filled with praise and thanksgiving to G-d.  The human being receives instruction and becomes complete through suffering.

When man's days on earth are over, his soul longs for the infinite spiritual delights and rewards of the World to Come.  But the years on earth are not free of sin, and sin comes at a price.  There must be atonement.  The blemished soul must be purged and purified in Gehenna before it can be welcomed to the bliss of Paradise above.