HEBREW WORD STUDY – FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS – PASHA’ פשע Pei Shin Ayin

Proverbs 28:13: “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”

In our study verse, the word compassion is used for racham. I am not saying this is wrong but only that we do not get the whole picture of racham when you consider its root meaning is the womb or the love a mother has for a newborn child who has not had the chance to break her heart.

The word for transgression is pasha’ which is different from the word for sin chatah. Chatah means literally to miss the mark. Aveira means transgressions which are the violation of a law or code of conduct and avone is the word for sin in the sense of crossing a line. Psaha’ is often rendered as transgressions or sins. It seems most of our modern translations opt for the word sin. Yet, pasha in its Semitic root has the idea of a violation of trust. The best English word is betrayal, but that really does not tell the full story of pasha’ for pasha’ is more than just a betrayal, it is used for someone who misuses a relationship or possession. In the context of this verse, it is misusing your relationship with God. In other words, you need a relationship with God before you can commit a transgression.

I read about a 28 years old stripper who married a 92-year-old man. She said it was true love. The man was worth a couple hundred million dollars. I am sure that had nothing to do with it. But if it did, she would be transgressing that man, using her relationship with him, suggesting to the man and the world that he loved him when all she wanted was to use this relationship to gain his estate.

So, does a person have to be fully aware of the fact that they are using God for their own advantage to be committing a transgression? Proverbs talk about concealing a transgression. If you conceal your transgressions are you really aware that you are transgressing. I mean this woman marrying a 92-year-old millionaire maybe a real airhead who was convinced in her own mind that she was in love with the man. Is she transgressing? Maybe the old boy is really dummy and knew her motives were not pure but liked the idea of having a 28 old airhead waiting on him and had no problem with her keeping his millions after he passes, he won’t need it. But with such an agreement she is still covering up truth from the rest of the world.

The word conceal in Hebrew is kasah which means to cover, withdraw from sight. It is also the word for a throne or elevated seat. The purpose of a throne or elevated seat is to create an illusion of superiority. A judge sits on a chair that is elevated above everyone else. A King sits on a throne which is elevated above everyone who enters the throne room. A preacher preaches from a pulpit that is elevated above the rest of the congregation. They don’t do this to be seen by everyone, they do it to cover something up. It is to cover up the fact that the one in the seat or platform is somehow superior to those who are watching. It just has a psychological effect on people. You are not being secretive, that is the word kanaph. This concealment is not meant to be secretive but to create an illusion of superiority, social or moral while covering up a fact that everyone knows, that you are just a normal person like everyone else but you have been granted certain authority and your physical elevation is just a way of acknowledging this special authority like a judge given authority in law or a king granted authority to dictate to people.

This woman marrying a 92-year-old man might have an agreement that they would not be true lovers, that she is after his money and he may agree to it but she is still transgressing if she tries to convince his and her family and the public that it is a marriage of love and not convenience.

The answer may lie in the use of the word racham at the end of this verse. A person who transgresses someone will not prosper. That word prosper is teslach which means to move forward rapidly. To advance one status and standing.

Recently a high profile politician tried to advance her status and position by pushing back on a charged leveled against her by saying that she would never do such a thing because she was a good Catholic and her faith was very important to her. Yet, the public record shows she is not only proabortion but pro late-term abortion and is passionate about it. The Catholic Church condemns abortion and will excommunicate anyone who participates in an abortion. They will even refuse communion to someone who votes for a legislator who supports abortion. The facts show she is not a good Catholic by opposing a key position of the church and being condemned by church leadership. That would be transgressing, for she was just using the church and her claim to faith as a means to advance her personal position.

If she were indeed a woman of faith Scripture is saying that she would not tsalach or move forward in her faith and her relationship with God until she confesses her transgression of hypocrisy to Him and forsakes that line of defense. Then she will be eligible to find racham. God still ‘ahav’s loves her, but she will not have that love that brings her back to womb where she has never broken God’s heart. To invoke God’s Names to advance your own personal agenda is breaking God’s heart as it would anyone lover who discovers his beloved only loves him for his wealth or influence.

People of great wealth, influence, and/or fame are extremely cautious of people who express loyalty and faithfulness to them. They are more sensitive than the average person to what we would call pasha’s or in our colloquial language – fair-weather friends.