איוב, פרק ל״ד, פסוק א׳

Even though Elihu is already in the middle of a speech, he suddenly begins anew. This deliberate pause signals a transition to a completely different topic [אלשיך, מצודת דוד]. In his earlier remarks, he focused on distancing humanity from sin. Now, he opens a separate discussion centered entirely on the issue of reward and punishment. The brief stop in his speech is intentional, creating a necessary space between two distinct subjects. It gives the listener a chance to carefully reflect on the previous concept before moving on to the next [מצודת דוד].

As he enters this new phase of his argument, Elihu addresses the wise men using a vivid comparison to highlight the role of the intellect. He explains that just as the physical sense of taste easily tells the difference between sweet and bitter foods, the listening ear functions in a similar way. Guided by a person's mind, the ear does not merely hear words; it actively evaluates different concepts and arguments, sorting through them to recognize the truth [תקות אנוש].