אות - ריב

I heard in his name that he spoke about the matter of dispute and said: One might think — what does it matter if this one speaks about that one? But in truth, through dispute — through people contending against someone — they can, Heaven forbid, bring him down from his spiritual level. As our Sages o.b.m. said: they wanted to include even King Solomon, peace be upon him, among those [who have no share in the World to Come], etc., until David came and prostrated himself before them, etc. (Sanhedrin 104b). For they had the power to remove him, Heaven forbid, through their speech. And he said that this is what King David, peace be upon him, said: "Princes have pursued me without cause" (Psalms 119:161) — that is, great men and princes have pursued me, but I know it is without cause and they accomplish nothing at all through their dispute against me. And the sign is: "But my heart fears Your word" — that I fear Your word, meaning I have fear of Heaven and I do not fall from my level, Heaven forbid. And this is the sign that their pursuit is without cause — the aspect of "princes pursued me without cause."