Will You Behold the Divine Presence?
Rabbi Yirmiyah bar Abba said:1 There are four groups (of people) that will never behold the Divine Presence: the jesters, the flatterers, the liars, and the slanderers. ''The jesters'', as it is written:2 ''He has removed His hand from the jesters.'' (Rashi interprets the verse to mean that G-d has withdrawn His hand from being together with the jesters.) ''The flatterers'', as it is written:3 ''A flatterer shall not come before Him.'' ''The liars'', as it is written:4 ''One who tells lies shall not remain in My sight.'' ''The slanderers'', as it is written:5 ''For You are not a G-d who has pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not dwell with You'' . (Rashi explains that ''evil shall not dwell with You...'' refers to the slanderers, as that Psalm continues:6 ''There is no propriety in their mouths...'') i.e. You, G-d, are righteous; evil shall not be present in Your dwelling. Our sages, of blessed memory, said:7 All jesting is prohibited, except jests made at the expense of idol worship (which is permitted), as it is written: ''And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, ...'' (KSA 30:6)
1) Sotah 42a.
2) Hoshea 7:5.
3) Job 13:16.
4) Psalms 101:7.
5) Psalms 5:5.
6) Verse 10.
7) Sanhdrin 63b.
8) I Kings 18:27.
