RAV SHAUL AND THE HIGH
PRIEST HANANIAH (ANANIAS) (Acts 23:1-5)
1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have
lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on
the mouth.
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest
thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the
law?
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is
written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. (Acts 23:1-5)
whited wall - this Greek word we meet too in Matt. 23:27:
"whited" ("whited sepulchres")
In Hebrew there is a word "tzavua" which is translated as
"painted" as well as "hypocrite", "insincere"
etc.
("... Gemara's teaching that one who slaughters an animal on Shabbat is
liable for the act of painting (i.e., painting the skin of the animal with the
animal's blood). The word "tzavua" / "painted" also means
"hypocrite." (Likkutei Torah http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5765/shemini.html))
Why did rav Shaul answer to the high priest so? Because of the high priest
violated Torah:
”One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin,
in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of
three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” (Deut. 19:15)
We see Hananiah hadn't right to give the orders alone.
It is possible too that rav Shaul wanted to draw attention to the similar
words of the prophet Ezekiel:
10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there
was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with
untempered morter:
11 Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall:
there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall;
and a stormy wind shall rend it.
12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the
daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in
my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great
hailstones in my fury to consume it.
14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter,
and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be
discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof:
and ye shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezek. 13:10-14)