"It's on your head!"
This expression is often hurled at a person about to do something that we suspect will fail with miserable consequences, conveying that it will be their responsibility.
This is used in several places, among them in the episode when King David takes to task the Amalekite proselyte for killing King Shaul, דמך —Your blood, על ראשך — is on your head, holding him accountable for the crime.
The notion appears earlier in the episode of the blasphemer, who cursed G-d is to be stoned after 'all those who heard shall lean their hands על ראשו — upon his head'.
This unusual process is solely employed in this one instance. All other sinners undergoing capital punishment do not require any placing of hands upon their heads prior to their execution.
Rashi adds that the placing of their hands upon his head is a prelude to a declaration made to the blasphemer, "Your blood is on your own head, we are not to be punished for your death, for you brought this on to yourself!"
Why the emphasis on 'his head'?
Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say his blood 'is on his own hands'?
Rav Shlomo Esulin suggests that the story of the blasphemer is unfortunately a familiar one.
There are malcontents who never self-reflect and blame everyone else for their misfortune. The blasphemer, an unfortunate child born from an abusive Egyptian taskmaster who took advantage of his mother, fathering him, sought an identity and a place among the tribe of Dan. They said he was not entitled as he lacked patrilineal descent from this tribe. He blamed them for his troubled state. Taking his case to the court of Moshe, he was told that destiny is controlled by one force, G-d, we must accept His will. The blasphemer criticized Moshe as wrong. He refused to accept responsibility for his future, making do with his situation, he cursed the G-d Who had abandoned him.
One whose angry frustration disallows one to take ownership of one's life, wallowing in bitter accusations the world is against him, can never crawl out of that pain.
It is to this discontented one that we declare, "No my friend, the blood is on your own head, we are not to blame, nor will we be held accountable for it."
The devoted disciple of Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzato, Rav Moshe David Valli, directs us to the translation of Unkelos on the word המקלל — the blasphemer, who translates it as, ית דארגיז — the one who caused anger.
He goes on to explain that when one 'blows his lid' with anger it has the capacity to create negative reverberations for others. The placing of the hands on his head symbolizes our containing the anger upon his head alone, preventing it from encompassing others with its force. By asserting firmly this principle, that man must take ownership for whatever comes one's way, we keep the lid on this poisonous force.
We say each morning a blessing when covering our heads, עוטר ישראל בתפארה — Who crowns Israel with splender.
Tiferes — splendor, is the attribute Tiferet which is the desire to connect and form a meaningful relationship with another. Tiferet, therefore, listens to feedback from the other person before deciding what and how to give. Tiferet is called the attribute of truth, due to its ability to overcome bias and personal perceptions and discover the ideal method of connectivity and resolution.
It is the key to quashing frustrated anger that stifles us and coaxes us to blame others.
Perhaps the covering of our heads, instilling humble recognition of G-d above us, is the lid that keeps our emotions contained.
Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai in the Zohar teaches about the poison called anger. It is tantamount to worshipping idols, because in lashing out especially towards others, it leaves G-d out of the equation.
With the cognizance of His orchestration of all that transpires in life, we can aspire to achieve that marvelous 'splendor' that dissipates anger in its presence.
About Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai it is sung in the famous piyyut, Bar Yochai: חבוש על ראשך פארך — an aura of splendor bound eternally upon your head.
When we keep 'our lids on' our we are assured to live joyously. If we can't, we are told that the consequence will be 'blood on our own heads!
In the merit of striving to gain that glorious splendor, may Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai keep us away from the negative forces of anger.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
