The chapter before us is a chapter of retribution: the prophet Yirmiyahu describes the nation coming from the northern land, their cruelty, and the terror that will fall upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Ultimately, he arrives at a description of the spiritual state of the generation - a generation in which each person considers himself righteous compared to his fellow, yet together they are all dross and refuse. In this section, we will examine verses 21 through the end of the chapter.
Obstacles by Which Each Person Stumbles His Fellow
לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנְנִי נֹתֵן אֶל־הָעָם הַזֶּה מִכְשֹׁלִים וְכָשְׁלוּ בָם אָבוֹת וּבָנִים יַחְדָּו שָׁכֵן וְרֵעוֹ וְאָבָדוּ׃ - Therefore so says Hashem: Behold, I place stumbling blocks before this people, and fathers and sons together shall stumble upon them; neighbor and companion, and they shall perish.
The Holy One, blessed be He, says: "Therefore" - since they did not accept the mitzvos I gave them. The Malbim explains that the prophet is telling them: I will place stumbling blocks before them such that each person will stumble through his brother - the father through the son, the neighbor through his companion, and thus all of them will perish.
The Radak explains how this downfall will occur. "Fathers and sons, neighbor and companion" - teaching us that a father will not warn his son even when he knows an obstacle is there. The father will stumble and not inform his son that there is a stumbling block here, and then the son will stumble as well; and likewise the reverse, the son will stumble and not inform his father, and then the father will stumble as well. So too a person with his neighbor - one who lives nearby, and so too a person with his companion - one with whom he has business dealings or a partnership. None of them warns his fellow or his close relation, and inevitably everyone falls.
And from where does this stem? From malice of heart, says the Radak, for each one desires the misfortune of his fellow. There are people who, if they fall, say in their hearts: Why should I fall alone? Such a person does not warn others, because if I fell and several others fell along with me, "a trouble shared by many is half a comfort," and he feels more at ease. In contrast, a good-hearted person says to others: Do not stumble as I have stumbled; I failed, so take care that you do not fall as well. But here the prophet points to the wickedness of their hearts: "and fathers and sons together shall stumble upon them; neighbor and companion, and they shall perish" - each will experience his own downfall and yet will not warn his fellow or his son that an obstacle lies ahead.
A People from the Northern Land and a Great Nation from the Ends of the Earth
כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנֵּה עַם בָּא מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹן וְגוֹי גָּדוֹל יֵעוֹר מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָרֶץ׃ - So says Hashem: Behold, a people comes from the northern land, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the ends of the earth.
"Behold, a people comes from the northern land" - the Malbim explains that this people refers to the Chaldeans. "And a great nation shall be stirred up" - other nations will also be aroused to join the Chaldeans. They do not come from the north, but from the far ends of the earth, "from the ends of the earth," for many nations will be stirred up to come and wage war against the people of Israel. Since these auxiliary forces come from all directions of the world, it is said of them "from the ends of the earth," and not specifically from the north.
The Malbim notes the variation in terminology in the verse: those coming from the northern land, the Chaldeans, are referred to as an am (people), whereas those who are aroused and come from the ends of the earth are referred to as a goy (nation). What is the difference between an am and a goy? The Malbim explains in several places that an am denotes greater significance and cohesion than a goy. Therefore the Chaldeans, as a mark of importance, are termed an am; but those coming to their aid, who are merely various auxiliaries jumping on the bandwagon, are called a goy. As such, he describes them as "a great nation [goy] shall be stirred up from the ends of the earth" - many will gather together into a great nation from the far reaches of the earth.
Cruel Are They, and They Show No Mercy
קֶשֶׁת וְכִידוֹן יַחֲזִיקוּ אַכְזָרִי הוּא וְלֹא יְרַחֵמוּ קוֹלָם כַּיָּם יֶהֱמֶה וְעַל־סוּסִים יִרְכָּבוּ עָרוּךְ כְּאִישׁ לַמִּלְחָמָה עָלַיִךְ בַּת־צִיּוֹן׃ - They grasp bow and spear; they are cruel and will show no mercy; their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, arrayed as a man for battle against you, O daughter of Zion.
"They hold bow and spear" - these are two types of weapons, instruments of war. And by nature, this nation will be a cruel nation: "They are cruel and will have no mercy." "Their voice roars like the sea" - as we explained, when they went out to war they would let out roars and shout battle cries, which served to encourage the army: through these shouts they struck dread into the hearts of the opposing people and boosted the morale of the attacking force. "And they ride on horses" - and horsemen are always swifter, faster, and more skilled on the battlefield.
And what is the meaning of "arrayed as a man for war"? There are two explanations here. The Malbim explains that this refers to the horses: "They ride on horses" - a horse that is arrayed like a warrior, trained for battle just like a man, expert in combat. And this will not happen by chance, but rather "against you, daughter of Zion" - its main objective and advance will be directed against you.
The Radak explains differently: "Arrayed as a man for war" refers to the men, not the horses. Each of the warriors will be equipped with weapons like an individual man preparing to duel an opponent in single combat, who equips himself with every kind of weapon. For when a man goes into single combat, he comes equipped with all varieties of weapons, whereas in mass battle, not every soldier is given every weapon; one receives a spear and arrows, another a sword and bow, but not the entire arsenal. Here, however, each and every one of them will be arrayed like a solitary warrior going out to battle against his counterpart, bearing a full array of weapons. And against whom will they come? "Against you, daughter of Zion."
Pangs Like a Woman in Labor
שָׁמַעְנוּ אֶת־שָׁמְעוֹ רָפוּ יָדֵינוּ צָרָה הֶחֱזִיקַתְנוּ חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה׃ - "We have heard report of it; our hands grow feeble; anguish has seized us, pain like that of a woman in labor."
The moment we heard the report - our hands immediately grew feeble. We did nothing to save ourselves out of despair and fear, dreading what was about to happen here. And that was not all: "Anguish has seized us" - during the siege, we already felt anguish taking hold of us completely. Afterward, when the city was breached, it was just like the moment of childbirth: "Pain like that of a woman in labor." Just as a woman's belly is opened, as it were, to bring forth the child, so the wall was breached and the enemy entered. And as we recall, they fled by night through a tunnel to escape the breached city, which is the meaning of "pain like that of a woman in labor."
Terror on Every Side
אַל־תֵּצְאוּ הַשָּׂדֶה וּבַדֶּרֶךְ אַל־תֵּלֵכוּ כִּי חֶרֶב לְאֹיֵב מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב׃ - "Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road, for the enemy has a sword; terror is on every side."
"Do not go out into the field" - do not imagine that you will find refuge and shelter there. And should you say, perhaps it is safer in the city? To this he says, "and do not walk on the road." What, then, should you do? You will have to hide in crevices and holes, for you will have nowhere to flee along the road. And why not go out into the field? "For the enemy has a sword" - the enemy's sword is in the open field. And why not walk on the road? "Terror is on every side" - fear and dread will surround your dwelling places. Since the enemy is poised to breach the city, danger lurks both in going out to the field and in walking along the road: in the field is the enemy's sword, and on the road near your homes there is terror.
The Malbim explains that magor means both fear and gathering, from the root of assembling. This implies that when the verse speaks of fear, it refers to a fear where a person is terrified and retreats inward to hide. This is similar to "You shall not fear (lo taguru) any man" - which on a simple level means do not be afraid, but Chazal interpret it as: a judge must not withhold (le'egor) his words on account of any man, where le'egor means to gather up his words, holding them back and falling silent out of fear to speak. Thus, lo taguru conveys both fear and gathering - holding back one's words, closing one's mouth, and refraining from speaking what must be said. So too with "terror on every side" (magor misaviv): we dread the enemy, and he also brings about magor all around, forcing us to gather inside our homes as he gathers all around us.
Mourning for an Only Child and Bitter Lamentation
בַּת־עַמִּי חִגְרִי־שָׂק וְהִתְפַּלְּשִׁי בָאֵפֶר אֵבֶל יָחִיד עֲשִׂי לָךְ מִסְפַּד תַּמְרוּרִים כִּי פִתְאֹם יָבֹא הַשֹּׁדֵד עָלֵינוּ׃ - "O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn as for an only child, a bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us."
"Roll in ashes" - wallow in ashes. "Mourn as for an only child" - Rashi explains: the mourning over an only son. The most terrible tragedy for a person, Heaven forbid, is when forced to bury a son or daughter, and if it is an only child, there is no pain like that pain. About this the prophet says that this will be an awful mourning and terrible agony, as if one's only son had died. And "bitter lamentation" (mispad tamrurim) - grammatically it is in construct form, and Rashi explains that since the lamentation is attached to bitterness, it is termed thus. And tamrurim is an expression of bitterness: a lamentation filled with utmost bitterness.
The Malbim explains: "O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth" - each person will don sackcloth to mourn, and do not think they will gather together to mourn; rather, "mourn as a solitary one" (evel yachid). According to the Malbim, this does not mean mourning over an only child, but that each mourner will grieve by himself, in isolation within his own home. And this is the depth of the pain: when people gather together, there is some measure of comfort and mutual solace, but when each one sits in his house mourning alone, who will comfort him? In such a situation, there is not even togetherness, unity, or a community to console itself. The mourning will be so devastating that each person will mourn in solitary confinement in his home.
This aligns well with what was said earlier, "Terror all around" (magor mi-saviv): since the enemies surround us on every side, there is fear even to step outside the house, and terror hems in the homes. Therefore, anyone who mourns will mourn alone, fearing to go out and gather with others to mourn together. And why will they make a "bitter lamentation"? "For suddenly the destroyer shall come upon us" - the calamity will be so sudden and overwhelming. It is not something you await and anticipate, where the anticipation softens the blow, but something sudden, making it extremely difficult to bear and process.
I Have Set You as an Assayer and a Fortress Among My People
בָּחוֹן נְתַתִּיךָ בְעַמִּי מִבְצָר וְתֵדַע וּבָחַנְתָּ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם׃ - I have set you as an assayer and a fortress among My people, that you may know and test their way.
Radak and Rashi explain that here the Holy One, blessed be He, addresses the prophet: Even though you speak harsh words to them, rebuking them with painful statements and foretelling terrible calamities - what could be more natural than for someone to come and silence this "frightening rabbi," this prophet who sows terror and breaks the spirit of the people? And indeed, we see that Yirmiyahu was persecuted, and persecuted harshly. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, promises him: "I have set you as a tower and a fortress among My people" - do not fear them. Even though you speak severe words to them and naturally might worry that they will harm you, do not fear, for I have made you like a tower and a fortress. Bachon is an expression of a fortress or watchtower, as in "erected its siege towers (bachonav)" and "tower and fortress (bochan va'ofel)" - all denoting a fortified stronghold. That is to say: I have made you a fortified city and an iron pillar; do not fear them, but investigate their ways, rebuke them, and say everything you must say without dread.
We should note: why did the verse use the word bachon when it already says mivtzar (fortress)? The answer is that this is wordplay. "I have set you as a bachon" - as a fortress, and your role is "and you shall test (u-vachanta) their way" - from the root of testing and examining. This is precisely why this phrasing was chosen. The Malbim likewise explains that the word bachon signifies a fortress, as in ofel va-vochan, and also connects forward to testing and assaying. And why is a fortress called bachon? Because a fortress is a fortified place that has been tried and tested for its strength against enemies, proven capable of offering refuge and safety from the foe. Just like a shelter that has been inspected and found capable of withstanding severe strikes - it is bachon, meaning tested and proven.
Silver and Dross: To Each His Own Club
The Malbim explains that here, in his poetic imagery, the prophet portrays the generation as dross-filled silver, as will become even clearer later on. This is similar to what Yechezkel says in chapter 22: "The house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead inside the furnace; they are the dross of silver" - meaning there were many different types of dross. And what is dross? When silver is refined, it has impurities mixed into it. It is placed into a crucible and melted down; each type of metal melts at a different temperature, and each time another metal is melted and separated out, until pure, clear silver is obtained, refined sevenfold, free of any flaw or defect.
Says the Malbim: There were various kinds of wicked people among them, multiple factions, each distinct from the other and not partaking in the specific wickedness of its peer. Each formed its own private club of wrongdoing, refusing to associate with the other club because it looked down on it: that other club does reprehensible things, but our club - we are fine, our gathering is for righteous people! These are adulterers, those are murderers, those are thieves; each had its own clique, and they did not mingle with the others. Moreover, each faction slandered the other: we are not like them; they are crooked, but we are upright.
And this is human nature. Every person has weaknesses, but his weaknesses differ from those of his neighbor. When he sees his neighbor faltering in his area of weakness, he criticizes him: Did you see that? He took money; he embezzled! But you, Baruch Hashem, have no temptation regarding money; on the other hand, you have temptations, Heaven have mercy, in other areas, and there you are no great tzaddik. It turns out that precisely in the area where I feel upright, that is where I criticize the other person and belittle him: Look at the things he does, I would never do that! Yet in other matters - Heaven help you - you transgress without limits. In other words, when a person does wrong in one area, in all other areas he considers himself righteous.
And this is what took place here, says the Malbim: Each person picked a different transgression; there were many factions, each separate from the next and not participating in the other's evil, and each slandered the wrongdoing of the other while viewing himself as pure silver. My peer is full of dross and sins, Heaven have mercy, while I am pure silver. In truth, however, he too is dross, just a different kind of dross. He too is refuse, but there are various types of refuse: industrial waste, chemical waste - and you too are a type of refuse.
The prophet, says the Malbim, is portrayed here as an assayer testing the silver and the dross, and through his rebuke, his role is to remove the waste. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, tells him: "and you shall know and test their way" - your role is to test them, as Scripture states, "and I will test them as silver is tested, and refine them as gold is refined." The term of testing (bechinah) denotes smelting, refining, and purifying. And this is the meaning of "I have set you as an assayer and a fortress among My people," where you will know how to test their way, and through that assaying you will be able to discern the true reality of their state.
Corrupt Rebels, Copper and Iron
כֻּלָּם סָרֵי סוֹרְרִים הֹלְכֵי רָכִיל נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל כֻּלָּם מַשְׁחִיתִים הֵמָּה׃ - All of them are the most rebellious of rebels, talebearers, copper and iron; they are all corrupt.
This verse is quite obscure. What are "sarei sorerim" (סרי סוררים), both spelled with a samech? And how do "copper and iron" enter the picture here? Let us begin with Rashi. Rashi explains "sarei sorerim" as turning away from the path, and does not explain the double phrasing (which the other commentators address). As for "talebearers" - Rashi connects this with "copper and iron": they had prominent ministers, one like copper and one like iron, because they were powerful, and there were people who went between them carrying tales. One would go to the copper minister and tell him what the iron minister said about him, and go to the iron minister and tell him what the copper minister said about him. Between two great ministers, one strong as copper and the other as iron, people were carrying tales and causing friction between them. Rashi cites this explanation in the name of "so I heard."
For his own view, however, Rashi offers a different explanation: "And I say, they are talebearers and strong as copper and iron to uphold their falsehoods." There is a person who lies, and you immediately catch him in his lie, and he says to you: You are right, you are right, I was just making that up. And there is a person who is an expert liar; he has a repertoire of falsehoods and is in no hurry to admit anything. You tell him that he is lying, and on the contrary - he will bring you proofs of how genuine his lie is, insisting that he does not spin tales, that it is the absolute truth, swearing by his mother-in-law and by everything under the sun, just so that you will believe him. Says Rashi: these people are not mere talebearers, but talebearers of copper and iron. Such rigid slander that does not break; you ask him two or three questions and he will not concede, but remains as hard as copper and iron to uphold his lies, standing behind his falsehood without giving an inch.
Targum Yonatan explains that "rachil" (talebearer) is related to "nachel" (deceiver): "walking in deceit" - just as copper is mixed with iron, so do they walk in their deceits. According to this, it becomes clearer why "copper and iron" are juxtaposed here: these are two metals, one valuable and the other inferior, and when they are mixed together, it is a form of fraud - you sell them as an alloy rather than refined metal. Just as blending copper into iron is a form of trickery, so too do they proceed with their deceit.
The Radak explains "sarei sorerim" - that the samech here functions like a shin, since shin and samech are interchangeable, and the meaning is: they are ministers (sarim) over the rebellious. And why is it spelled with a samech? Perhaps it is a derogatory expression, indicating that the minister himself is, as it were, rebellious (sorer); or perhaps the verse wished to harmonize the wording with "sorerim," and therefore spelled "sarei" with a samech as well. And what is this coming to teach? That their servants were rebellious, and the ministers who were officers over these rebels behaved just like them, and the servants acted as talebearers to their masters. They were sycophants: trying to curry favor with the master, and so one goes and says to him, "So-and-so said this about you, and someone else did that to you." Just as Doeg the Edomite did, going to Shaul and saying to him: "Do you know? Achimelech son of Achituv and Nov the city of Kohanim helped David; I am revealing it to you, no one else is telling you." And what caused this? Because these people were rebellious and wicked in their own right, and carried tales in order to find favor in the eyes of their leaders.
And the Radak adds: the ministers together with the servants resemble copper and iron. How so? Because when copper and iron are alloyed together, they become exceedingly strong. A craftsman's tool cannot be made from iron alone - at least according to the metallurgy of their era - and iron by itself cannot cut without copper. Therefore, they would combine copper with it, thereby producing hard iron capable of cutting and withstanding tough materials. Incidentally, copper always appears in Scripture as an expression of strength: "nechushtah," "their hooves of bronze," "your forehead is bronze" - copper always signifies strength. This is fascinating, because nowadays copper is considered a soft metal. But know that in their time, as in ours, iron extracted from the depths of the earth cannot be used as-is - it is soft and full of slag, and it must undergo an entire processing cycle before it becomes strong iron suitable for use. In their time, according to their knowledge, they would mix copper into it, and the alloy made it strong and functional. This is "talebearers, copper and iron": they were compared to copper and iron, which perform the work when combined together - so too the ministers and the rebellious who were their servants, wicked and rebellious, walked together and acted together in deeds of wickedness.
The Metzudat David explains "sarei sorerim" like "Shir HaShirim" - the most exceptional song among songs, the song above all songs. So too here: the most prominent leaders among all rebels. Not from the word for minister (sar) with a shin, but with a samech: there is a rebel (sorer), and there are "sarei sorerim" - the most rebellious of the rebels, the most extreme among them, like "a thief of thieves," the ultimate thief, and so forth. The most incorrigible rebels.
And the Malbim offers an original explanation, distinct from all the others: "sarei" is from the language of turning away and departing (sar and hasarah), like "he turned aside to see" (sar lirot), meaning he left his place and departed. In this, he expresses their hypocrisy: each one acted as if he had "departed from the rebels" - I do not behave according to the evil deeds of the rebellious. For as we explained, each faction formed its own clique, and claims that in the other group there are great evildoers, but we are righteous. We are only thieves, not murderers. And only if there is a collision and something goes awry, suddenly someone decides he will not part with the money - either I separate you from the money or separate you from life, there was no choice! But under normal circumstances, we are merely thieves, whereas they - what can I tell you - they are also murderers. And so he feels righteous compared to him.
Thus, when describing himself, he says: "sarei sorerim," I turn away from the rebels, we do not act like their wicked ways. And out of this comes "talebearers": because I feel righteous compared to that other clique, I inform on them. I say: You know, that one does such terrible things, woe is us, they must be stopped! And what about you? Heaven forbid, we do not do such things, but come see what they do! And he goes around carrying tales to inform on his fellow, while he is no less wicked than him - only that he is wicked in this transgression, and his fellow in another transgression; each is wicked in his own manner.
The prophet continues and says: but what are they in truth? "Copper and iron." He regards himself as silver, that is how he thinks of himself, but in truth, one is copper and the other is iron - both are types of slag and dross. For when one wishes to refine silver, both the iron and the copper are removed, as both are considered dross next to silver. Here, each one considers himself silver compared to his fellow, but the prophet says: he slanders his fellow as though his fellow were the wicked one, but in truth, he is copper and you are iron; there is no difference between you, you are both varieties of dross. "They are all corrupt" - and even though each faction has its own wickedness, nevertheless, it is no less evil than its counterpart. And how can this be known? By placing them in the furnace and refining them, "and I will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested" - and then you will see in truth that these are iron and those are copper, and not one of them is silver. And that is the next verse.
In Vain the Refiner Smelts
נָחַר מַפֻּחַ מֵאֵשׁ תַּם עֹפָרֶת לַשָּׁוְא צָרַף צָרוֹף וְרָעִים לֹא נִתָּקוּ׃ - The bellows are scorched, consumed by fire is the lead; in vain does the refiner smelt, for the wicked are not separated.
The Malbim explains: From the intense stoking of the fire, the bellows were scorched and burned, and the lead has already been consumed. That is to say, you wish to refine them, and this requires such immense labor and so much heat that the bellows themselves are burned up. "Nachar" is an expression of burning, as in "charav hanaharot" (the rivers dried up) and "vayichar apo" (His anger burned). The bellows were used to kindle the fire and blow it into a fierce blaze, and behold, from the intense heat, the bellows have already burned up. Similarly, "the lead is consumed" - the lead that was combined with the silver, which is one of the impurities in silver, has already run out. It would therefore be expected that the silver should now emerge pure, for the bellows were scorched from their fire. Yet despite all this, the prophet says: "In vain does the refiner smelt." And why? "For the wicked are not separated" - it is impossible to separate the wicked, because it is entirely dross, "all have turned aside, together they have become depraved." The waste within them and the corruption in them is entirely dross. And even though the lead is consumed, and one would think it should now be clean, the prophet says: far from it, "the wicked are not separated" - the impurities are still attached, and the waste remains inside and has not separated from it. And why? Because in truth there is no silver here at all. For each one felt like silver next to his fellow - that one is copper, this one is tin, that one is lead, this one is iron, and what am I? Silver. The prophet tells him: take them and refine them, and even after all the lead is consumed, which is the cheapest and basest metal among them, you will see that you still have no refined silver. Why? Because this entire mixture, in which each one is a different type of waste, forms a complete mass of refuse, and there is no silver here.
Radak explains differently: Since he compared them to copper and iron, and the blacksmith makes vessels from them through fire - melting them down and fashioning vessels, and likewise the silversmith melts the silver to fashion a vessel, while the blower blows the fire with bellows to refine the silver - the bellows here is an allegory for the prophet. The prophet is the blower who blows from his throat, for when a person speaks he expels air from his throat. And what happened to this bellows? It burned up. "The bellows are scorched from their fire" - from their fire the bellows was already burned. This throat, which is supposed to refine, rebuke, and purge their impurities, has become hoarse and scorched from the blower's constant exertion; from shouting and shouting and blowing, his throat became parched. And behold, from so much blowing the lead is consumed, yet the inferior silver still has not melted. This comes to hint that Israel commits wicked deeds, and the prophet speaks to them early and late until his throat is hoarse, yet "the wicked are not separated" - they still persist in their corruption and perversity; his throat is parched, and nothing has changed.
Rejected Silver
כֶּסֶף נִמְאָס קָרְאוּ לָהֶם כִּי־מָאַס יְהֹוָה בָּהֶם׃ - Rejected silver they are called, for Hashem has rejected them.
"Rejected silver" - silver that cannot be refined through any amount of labor. "They are called" - as we have explained, it is dross silver. And although each one spreads his hooves to declare, "I am pure," in truth they do not belong to Hashem and are not pure, and Hashem has no desire for them, "for Hashem has rejected them." That being so, despite how each presents himself as righteous next to his fellows, know that it is not so; rather, all of them are dross, together they have become corrupted, and therefore upon all of them will fall the very decree Hashem has designated for them.
In Summary:
In this part of the chapter, Yirmiyahu describes the impending catastrophe: stumbling blocks about which no one warns his fellow out of malice, the Chaldean nation arriving from the north and many nations gathering to it from the ends of the earth, a cruel enemy with bow and spear and war-trained horses, "terror on every side" driving everyone indoors, and mourning as for an only child with not even the comfort of shared grief. At the end of the chapter, the prophet reaches the root of the matter: a generation in which every faction is "a rebel among rebels," slandering the other while considering itself pure silver, when in reality one is copper and the other iron - all of them dross. The prophet is the tester and the bellows, his throat parched from constant rebuke, but "in vain does the refiner smelt, for the wicked are not separated," and therefore "rejected silver they are called, for Hashem has rejected them." And the great moral lesson emerging from here: a person does not become pure silver by criticizing the defects of his fellow, but rather by examining and refining himself.