<HTML>In defense of R. Tzvi Grumet's "kaved" interpretation, I would first like
to note that the suggested "kevad lev" colloquialism is already attested
to in our medieval literature. For instance, Shmuel Hanagid, in his wine
song entitled "Hateda et pe'alay", writes the following (line 10):
V'yashavnu b'moshav tov v'ein bo / kevad lev vahafikonu zemamim
Here the phrase "kevad lev" describes the opposite of one who is merry
with wine; it contrasts with the "tov lev" which the Nagid often uses to
describe his fellow party-goers. It refers to those somber souls who have
not yet been uplifted by the wine, and could be properly translated, as
suggested, those with "heavy hearts".
Furthermore, the slew of pesukim which have been thrown out as disproofs
is, at least in part, unjustified.
1] The verse in Isaiah 6:10 was cited twice. This verse states, as cited
previously, "Hashmen lev haam hazeh veoznaiv hachbed". Note that the verb
"kaved" is here applied not to the heart, but to the ears. The heart
receives a different verb, hashmen, a subject of study in its own right.
Now, under normal circumstances, there may exist a license to pull from
one part of the verse and apply it to the entire general context.
However, what is currently under debate here is not the verb "kaved" by
itself, but the suggested colloquialism of "kaved lev". If the suggestion
is correct, the phrase "kaved lev" functions as an idiomatic phrase,
without any implied connections with the other "kaved" phrases or "lev"
phrases. Thus, this verse fails to provide any contradicting evidence.
2] The verses Yechezkel 2:4 and 3:7 were cited. However, while these
verses contain additional "lev" phrases ("hizkei lev" and "kishei lev",
respectively), they once again fail to bear upon the issue of "kaved lev"
as a unique colloquialism.
3] The verse in Shmuel I 6:6 is the one interesting prooftext, since it
provides the one other place in tanach where the "kaved lev" phrase is
used as a whole. And, although the usage here is motivated by word play
with previous verses (u'lay *yakel* et yado, u'netatem lelokei yisrael
*kavod*), it nevertheless bears directly upon our subject, since it is
explicitly compared to the usage is shemot ("ka'asher kibdu mitzraim et
libum"
. However, this source also fails to provide a solid disproof, for
R. Grumet's reading in Shemot is just as plausible here. Is the advice
here, "why should you harden your hearts", or "why should you make your
hearts heavy (= you will regret this)"? As with Shemot, the essential
assertion remains the same ("don't do it"
, but the full speech-act
effected by this unique idiom remains open.
Avi Shmidman
Doctoral Student, Bar Ilan University</HTML>
