Why does the Psalm describe evil people as those who "walk
around"? What is the exalted thing that is unappreciated and scorned?
And what is the connection between the two parts of the verse?
The Cabalists distinguished between two different realms: the realm of
Circles, and the realm of Straight Lines.
The natural world is a world of Circles. The heavenly bodies are
spherical, rotating and revolving in space. There is no right or wrong,
just constant movement along the never-ending cycles and gears of natural
processes.
The purpose of the world, however, is its moral perfection. This is the
realm of Straight Lines. When man, possessing free will, chooses the
correct path, he acquires wisdom and perfection for himself and for all of
creation. The realm of Straight Lines is one of linear progression, of
purpose, of right and wrong.
The Sages wrote that this verse refers to prayer. Prayer is that
exalted value which many people belittle and scorn. Why isn't prayer
properly appreciated? Because these people view the world through the
viewpoint of Circles. They see just the natural, amoral aspect of the
universe. In a world ruled by the laws of Nature, what good is it to pray?
Can prayer change God's Will? Why should praying influence the outcome of
natural processes?
That is why the psalm describes the wicked as 'walking around'. They
follow along the cycles of the natural world, perceiving the universe as a
place of unfeeling, unforgiving laws of nature and fate.
But the enlightened comprehend the world in terms of a realm of
Straight Lines. There exists a purpose and a moral direction to the world.
We are to achieve the goal of universal perfection via proper application
of free choice. In such a world, the efficacy of prayer is clear. Prayer
is highly effective in refining and elevating the individual's inclination
and choice, and is thus an integral part of the purposeful world of
Straight Lines.
[Ayn Aya I:26 on Berachot 6]
"The wicked walk around; people scorn
the exalted." [Ps 12:]
Circles and Straight Lines
