Welcome to NachDaily with Iyov, Perek 32.

This perek begins the end of Sefer Iyov. We have heard Iyov’s lengthy monologue to silence his friends. He was successful in debating them, because we no longer hear from them throughout the sefer. We will now hear from someone who until now hasn’t been mentioned. This is Elihu ben Barachel HaBuzzi m’mishpachas Ram.

Some background on Elihu:

Most Meforshim learn that Buz was the son of Avraham’s brother Nachor. The Ramban explains that Ram is an illusion to Avraham, whose original name was Avram. Ram also means “great” or “exalted” which is a reference to Avraham, who was a giant among men.

The Ramban also notes that Elihu is the only person in Sefer Iyov whose family is named to emphasize that he was related to Avraham, which is how he acquired his deep knowledge.

The Yerushalmi in Sotah 5:6 brings that Elihu is actually Yitzchak. He was called ben Barachel, “the son of who was blessed,” meaning that he was the son of Avraham who was blessed to have a child. HaBuzzi means that he would embarrass and put to shame all the houses of idol worship when he himself was brought as a sacrifice at the akeida. Mishpachas Ram alludes to Avraham being his father.

It should also be noted that Elihu is the youngest among all the other friends of Iyov, which is why he’s kept silent until now.

As the perek opens, Iyov’s 3 friends have stopped responding to him because they saw that he was “righteous in his own eyes” (verse 1). Elihu, who was the youngest present, became angry at both Iyov and his friends. His friends, because they weren’t able to answer Iyov properly, and Iyov for his accusations about how God runs the world.

Elihu had waited patiently to see how the debates would play out. Once he saw that Iyov’s friends had no response, he became enraged and began to speak amongst his elders.

Verse 6 says: “V’ya’an Elihu ven Barachel HaBuzzi, v’yomar Tsa’ir ani l’yamim v’atem yishishim, al kein zachalti va’ira meichavos deyi eschem – Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzzite spoke up and said: “I am young in age, while you are elderly, therefore, I cringed and was afraid to tell you my opinion.”

The Metsudos explains Elihu as saying that he had this response all along, but held back out of respect.

Elihu had rationalized that wisdom comes with age, but after seeing how the debates played out, he understood that wisdom had nothing to do with time or age. Wisdom comes straight from God, Who implants it directly into the soul of a person, allowing understanding. Older doesn’t mean wiser. Few attain wisdom.

This is an important lesson for all of us. Age and wisdom are not dependent on one another. Many people think that just because you have life experience and lived longer, that makes you wiser, and with age you will attain a certain level of knowledge and expertise. Elihu, however, is referring to true wisdom that Hashem gives a person which isn’t dependent on age. It’s a completely different type of intelligence. This is hopeful, because this type of wisdom is available to anyone regardless of age or life experience.

From verse 10 until the end of the perek, Elihu relates that he waited patiently and really tried to understand what everyone was saying, but no one was able to properly answer Iyov. Now that everyone is done, “I will express my opinion unabashedly. I will say my words with confidence and not change an iota of what I say because my words are God’s words.”

Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily when Iyov speaks as a spokesman for God.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.