תהלים, פרק נ״ח, פסוק ד׳

The roots of human evil and the question of whether moral flaws are born within us or learned over time stand at the center of this reflection. A harsh reality is presented regarding individuals whose wickedness and tendency to lie are not late choices, but rather a deep flaw planted within them from the very beginning of their existence.

The primary approach among commentators is that this description repeats the same core idea to emphasize the severity of the situation [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. These individuals are utterly corrupted, having become strangers to the rest of humanity and distancing themselves from God and the path of goodness. They stray from the right way, wandering directly onto a path of evil. According to this perspective, wicked people are alienated from God from the exact day they are born [המאירי, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. A clear example of this is Esau, who showed signs of wickedness and conflict while still inside his mother [רש״י]. This idea is further supported by a tradition about a pregnant woman who smelled food on the Day of Atonement. Despite being reminded of the holy nature of the day, she refused to control her cravings. She later gave birth to a highly corrupt individual, proving that moral alienation and wickedness can begin as early as the embryonic stage [תורה תמימה].

However, other commentators find a fundamental difference between the stages of early development, distinguishing between different types of sinners. This distinction rests on the physical difference between the time a child is still developing inside the mother and the moment they actually enter the world [מלבי״ם]. Based on this division, a comparison is made between ordinary wicked people who sin openly and hypocrites who speak lies. Humanity is not inherently created evil, as human nature naturally leans toward justice. Because of this, ordinary wicked individuals only stray from the right path after they are born. Their corruption is the result of environmental influences, bad society, and negative connections. In sharp contrast, those who speak lies suffer from a much deeper and more severe defect. Their tendency to deceive is neither accidental nor picked up from their surroundings. Instead, it is an intrinsic, natural, and deeply rooted trait that exists within them from before they even take their first breath in the world [מלבי״ם, אלשיך].