Koheles 7:16 - Misplaced Compassion and the Nature of Righteousness

Full Summary

Rabbi Zweig explores the verse in Koheles 7:16, 'Al tihye tzadik harbeh' (Don't be overly righteous), through the lens of King Saul's decision to spare Amalek when commanded by God to destroy them completely. Rashi (רש"י) explains this as referring to Saul's misplaced compassion, which led to a heavenly voice declaring 'Don't be too righteous.' The shiur examines the profound psychological and spiritual transformation whereby Saul, who initially showed mercy to the cruel Amalekites, later became cruel himself by massacring the innocent Kohanim of Nov. The Talmudic principle emerges: 'Whoever has compassion on cruel people will eventually be cruel to compassionate people.' Rabbi Zweig distinguishes between compassion (rachmanus) and pity, explaining that compassion involves genuine identification and shared pain, while pity is merely one's personal discomfort at witnessing suffering. True compassion stems from recognizing our shared divine image and interconnectedness. However, when one feels compassion for those who are spiritually disconnected (like Amalek), it reveals a similar disconnection within oneself. The Hebrew word for cruel, 'achzar,' means estranged - one who is alienated from their divine image and therefore from all humanity. The concept of 'tzedek' (righteousness/justice) relates to the fundamental right to exist, which derives from being created in God's image. By conferring this right upon Amalek - who reject their divine connection - Saul was essentially validating spiritual disconnection. Historical examples like Nazi anti-vivisection laws alongside human experimentation, and Walt Disney's treatment of animals versus antisemitism, illustrate how compassion toward the wrong recipients can coexist with cruelty toward the deserving. The shiur concludes with contemporary applications, noting how Jewish leftist movements often support Israel's enemies while claiming compassionate motives, demonstrating the same pattern of misplaced compassion leading to cruelty toward one's own people.