THE SONG OF THE MOUSE
The mouse sing of Hashem’s justice in removing the thoroughly wicked from society.
[Song 75] Mouse (Ch. 5)
עַכְבָּר אוֹמֵר. אֲרוֹמִמְךָ יְיָ כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא־שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי׃ (תהלים ל ב)
וְעַכְבָּר אוֹמֵר. וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כׇּל־הַבָּא עָלַי כִּי־אֱמֶת עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲנִי הִרְשָֽׁעְתִּי׃ (ע"פ נחמיה ט לג)
And the Mouse says, “I shall exalt you, Hashem, for you have impoverished me, and you have not let my enemies rejoice over me.”
And the Mouse concedes, “You are just for all that comes upon me, for you have acted truthfully, and I have been wicked.”
Commentary
The mouse breeds prolifically in every environment and is the most notorious
of household pests. The Talmud terms it “wicked” because, although it has
basic animal intelligence, it will nibble on and destroy clothing with no benefit
to itself. If it sees abundant food, it calls its fellow mice to join in its plunder.
When it is caught, it sings of the deservedness of criminals’ punishment.
If a Jew stumbles on a sin, he readily admits guilt and resolves to prevent a
reoccurrence. If a calamity befalls him, he declares it to be a gift of atonement
and moves on. A Jew turns sinfulness into righteousness and misery into praise.
Even his very admission of guilt is a heavenly song.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
In times of the Bais Hamikdash, nobody slept a night whilst tainted with sin. The bi-daily Korbanos atoned for
them. Even these days, Teshuva and atonement are readily available. Throughout the year, a Jew lives with regular
confession, constant intent of repentance, and a clean record. If a calamity befalls him, he declares it to be a gift
of atonement and moves on. About a Talmid Chacham it is said that even if one witnessed him performing a sin,
one may not consider him a sinner on the following day because he surely repented wholeheartedly before going
to sleep. Even the simplest of Jews never have more than one layer of the grime of sin, since every Yom Kippur
they are cleansed from body to soul.
A Jew turns sinfulness into righteousness and misery into praise. Even his confession is a heavenly song.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.