THE SONG OF THE WOLF
The wolf sings of Hashem’s strict justice towards criminals, and how crime does not pay.
[Song 72] Wolf (Ch. 5)
זְאֵב אוֹמֵר. עַל כָּל דְּבַר פֶּשַׁע עַל שׁוֹר עַל חֲמוֹר עַל שֶׂה עַל שַׂלְמָה עַל כָּל אֲבֵדָה אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר כִּי הוּא זֶה עַד הָאֱלֹהִים יָבֹא דְּבַר שְׁנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר יַרְשִׁיעֻן אֱלֹהִים יְשַׁלֵּם שְׁנַיִם לְרֵעֵהוּ: (שמות כב ח)
The Wolf is saying: “For every matter of iniquity, for the ox, the donkey, the lamb, the garment, for every lost item about which he says, 'This is it,' the matter of both of them shall come before the judge; he who the judge finds guilty shall pay double to the other.”
Commentary
Wolves are the most notorious predators of livestock. They attack like a band of
thieves, preferring the darkness of the night
and employing tactics of trickery. They possess aggressive and brazen natures, sometimes attacking even when not hungry
. They sing however of Hashem’s justice – upon wolves – when the
shepherds strike back at the them. Their song is the Torah law regarding a shepherd
from whom livestock were stolen, that the thief must repay doubly.
Although outright wolf-like theft may be unthinkable to us, the fruitlessness of
crime is a lesson with innumerable applications. Whenever we abstain from all too
common questionable gains, we turn the wolf’s wail into a Divine song.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
The Knaf Renanim explains that the wolf himself is punished for his theft. Even if he is not caught the first time by
the shepherds he will be caught subsequently and then pay “double”, accounting for the past theft as well. The
song is about that which the wolf steals and is punished and is a lesson for all thieves.
The Zimras Hashamayim Vhaaretz explains the song somewhat differently. If a person suffers a loss he should
realize that it is from the hand of Hashem who is disciplining him and possibly taking away from his ill-gotten
gains. One way in which Hashem does so is via wild animals and especially through the wolf. One who steals is
aptly stolen from by the wolf, who, like the covert thief, steals mostly at night and is scared of man but not of
Hashem. He may even have to pay “double” similar to a thief. One measure for the damaging of the victim and
another for his benefit or intended benefit from the theft.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.