Chapter 25, Verse 11

Chapter 25, Verse 11 - “Golden apples on silver platter are like words said in their proper place.”

Questions
1)What type of words are we referring to?
2)What does it mean to be in their proper place. How can words be in the improper place?
3)What is the relevance of Golden apples on a silver platter?

Let us first approach the golden apples. It is a pretty reasonable to conclude that golden apples are meant to be viewed, and is a valuable decoration. Therefore, we must approach the apple analogy as though we are the viewers or observers. What observations can we make:

Golden apples are more valuable than the silver platter itself. Our intuition tells us that the material (gold and silver) is significant. What should interest us is the platter. The platter is the “proper place” for
the apples which we really care about. So what role does the material of the platter play?
What if the platter was also gold?
What if the golden apples were on a paper plate?
Improper Presentation – The viewers Perspective

Gold Platter
If the platter were gold, then instead of the apples being our focal point, the presentation as a whole grabs our attention (consequence 1). Since the platter is worth just as much as the apple, why should we be interested in the apples themselves? Assuming that we want the viewer to appreciate the apples, we will have totally failed.

The cause for the failure is that we drowned out that which is most important, by focusing too much on the context and the presentation.
Example - a teacher complained that when she was trying to teach her students fractions, she decided to order pizzas for the kids to play with. Instead, the kids ended up focusing on the pizza too much, and did not get the message that the teacher was trying to convey.
Example 2- Have you seen those fancy commercials where you have no idea what the advertised product is?

Drowning out an idea being presented by “surrounding it with too much other stuff” seems to be one way that words can be said in their improper place.

Paper Platter
If the platter were paper, it would be hard for the viewer to take the apples seriously. Nothing valuable is ever presented in such a way, so why shouldn't the viewer disparage the value of the apples?
In this case, the mistake was that not enough context was given. People simply cannot appreciate an image or an idea that comes with limited context.
Example- When learning Gemarah, reading Rashi straight will not seem very interesting or to yield much insight. However if before going to Rashi, you can understand the problem in the Gemarah that needs to be addressed, and then seeing how Rashi answers, then the ideas will be much more meaningful and clear. Without the proper context, Rashi's insight is minimized.




Here, there are two consequences that are the flip side of one idea.
1)The paper platter means that the object or the idea presented must be not very valuable (psychological)
2) No one is even prepared to see such a valuable apple on such a plate, so their mind will not be able to comprehend it.

The analogy with an idea presented on a “paper platter” is another way that words can be said in their improper place.

The improper Presentation – The presenters perspective

Why would someone present an idea in one of these two ways?
Golden Platter- The presenter has lost himself in his own presentation. The golden apple on the golden platter wont attract attention to the apple, but at least it will a “wow” from people who will be impressed with the whole image. The presenter does not seem to be wholly secure with the idea itself so he decides to drown it out by its context. He projects his insecurity's in his presentation

Ironically, the presenter will get the greatest consequence. The teacher was insecure in her ability to present fractions to her students, ordered pizzas, only to find that the kids were more interested in the pizza than in what she was teaching them. This was her insecurity, her fear realized (bad teacher sticker)
simply because she acted on her insecurity in the first place.

Paper Platter- The presenter is suffering from what seems to be, the opposite condition. He is arrogant in believing in the greatness of his idea. Everybody must be thinking and seeing the way I am, and will surely appreciate what I have to say. Why not present it with a paper platter, because everybody should see how great the golden apple is. The standard for the presentation is his mind. Since my mind is the center of all (unconscious) everybody must understand me.

Here too, the consequence will be great. People will disparage his presentation, and the presenter will feel disparaged. In a way, he will suffer more, because he has always taken his greatness for granted. It will be painful when reality opens up before his eyes, completely contrary to what he has believed.

Conclusion
This pasuk is a lesson for all who wish to present any sort of idea. A person must present the idea with proper context, but must be careful not to get caught up in his own presentation. If he follows the middle path, placing the golden apple on the silver platter, then people will appreciate the idea and praise the presenter. However, such a presentation will only be possible, if the presenter is able to get away from his ego.