Midrash Mishlei Reader

[1] (Proverbs 1:1): "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel" - Rabbi Tanhum ben Hanilai began and said: (Job 28:12): "But wisdom - where can it be found? And where is the place of understanding?" - This refers to Solomon, who fasted for forty days, so that God would grant him a spirit of wisdom and understanding, and he wandered around and sought after it. God said to him (1 Kings 3:5): "Ask, what shall I give you?" He replied, 'Master of the Universe, I ask of You neither silver nor gold, but wisdom alone,' as it is written (1 Kings 3:9): "Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people." God answered him and said, 'Since you asked for neither silver nor gold, wisdom and knowledge are given to you as a gift.' Moreover, wisdom preceded the Torah, as it is written (Psalms 111:10): "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." There we learned (Mishnah Avot 3:17): "Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no proper conduct." And since his wisdom preceded, the scripture said about him (1 Kings 3:3): "And Solomon loved the Lord"; it teaches that Solomon's wisdom was a gift. "And where is the place of understanding?" - Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: Wisdom and understanding are one, where there is wisdom there is understanding, and where there is understanding there is wisdom. And since he fasted for forty days and sought wisdom, God did not withhold his reward, as it is written (1 Kings 5:26): "And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon," and it is written: (1 Kings 5:11): "And he was wiser than all men" - this refers to Adam the first, as it is written about Solomon (Proverbs 30:2): "For I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man"; "than Ethan from the East" - this is Abraham, as it is written (Isaiah 41:2): "Who raised up one from the east, He calls him to His foot"; "Heman" - this is Moses, as it is said (Numbers 12:7): "Not so, My servant Moses, in all My house he is faithful"; "Calcol" - this is Joseph, as it is written (Genesis 47:12): "And Joseph sustained his father, and his brothers"; "Darda" - this refers to the generation of the desert, who were of exceptional knowledge; "the sons of Mahol" - this is David, whom God forgave for that sin. "And his name was among all the nations around" - this refers to Solomon, whose name went from one end of the world to the other. ANOTHER interpretation: "And wisdom, from where can it be found?" - this refers to the Queen of Sheba, who heard of his wisdom, said 'I will go and see if he is wise or not', and from where do we know that she heard his wisdom? It is written (1 Kings 10:1): "And the Queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, and she came to prove him with hard questions." What are "hard questions"? Rabbi Jeremiah Bar Shalom said: she asked him 'Are you Solomon, about whom I heard, and about your kingdom, and about your wisdom?' He replied 'Yes.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you one thing, will you answer me?' He replied (Proverbs 2:6): "For the LORD giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." She asked him a riddle 'What are the seven that go out, the nine that enter, the two that pour, and the one who drinks?' He answered her 'Certainly, the seven days of menstruation go out, the nine months of pregnancy enter, two breasts pour, and the baby drinks.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you another thing will you answer me?' He replied 'For the LORD giveth wisdom', She asked him 'What is it, a woman said to her son: your father - my father, your elder - my husband, you - my son, and I - your sister?' He answered her 'Certainly, these are Lot's two daughters.' And another example she did: she brought before him children of one height and one garment, and said to him 'Distinguish for me from these males and females.' He hinted to his eunuch, and brought him nuts and shells, and began to scatter them before them; males, who were not ashamed, took them in their garments, and females, who were ashamed, took them in their handkerchiefs. He said to her 'These are males and these are females.' She said to him 'Son, you are a great sage!'. And another example she did: she brought circumcised and uncircumcised, said to him 'Distinguish for me the circumcised from the uncircumcised'; he immediately hinted to the high priest and opened the Ark of the Covenant, the circumcised among them bowed down to half their height, and not only that but their faces were filled with the radiance of the Divine Presence, and the uncircumcised among them fell on their faces, he immediately said to her 'These are uncircumcised and these are circumcised.' She said to him 'Where did you get that from?' He said to her 'From Balaam, for it is written (Numbers 24:4): "He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling but with opened eyes", if he had not fallen - he would not have seen anything.' And if you don't want to learn from Balaam, come and learn from Job: at the hour when the three friends of Job came to comfort him, he said to them (Job 12:3): 'I have a heart like you; I am not inferior to you,' 'I am not inferior to you.' At that hour it was said to him (1 Kings 10:7): 'I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes saw, and behold, the half was not told to me; you have added wisdom and goodness to the hearing that I have heard; happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand before you always and hear your wisdom; may the Lord your God be blessed who desired you, to place you on the throne of Israel and so on, and he made you king to do justice and righteousness.' It was said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' and it was said about David 'justice and righteousness,' from where? Because it is written (2 Samuel 8:15): 'David administered justice and righteousness to all his people,' and it is said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' the Scripture tells us that the wisdom of Solomon is equal to the wisdom of David, and the wisdom of David is equal to the wisdom of Solomon. Alternatively, 'Where can wisdom be found?' - this teaches that Solomon was searching for where wisdom is found. Rabbi Eliezer says: in the head, Rabbi Joshua says: in the heart. As it is said (Psalms 4:1): 'You have given joy in my heart,' and it is written (Proverbs 27:11): 'Be wise, my son, and gladden my heart.' And why was wisdom given in the heart - because all the organs depend on the heart. Solomon said: I am doing as my father opened, who opened with his wisdom with the first letters and ended with the middle letters: [opened] with the head - because it is written (Psalms 1:1): 'Happy is the man who does not walk,' and he ended in the middle - as it is said (Psalms 150:6): 'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.' In the beginning, I open in the middle, and I end at the end: I open from the place where wisdom is given, where is it - in the heart, and where is the heart given - in the middle. It turns out you are saying that David caught on to Rabbi Eliezer's words, and Solomon to Rabbi Joshua's words. And not only that, but the heart is in God's hands, as it is written (Proverbs 21:1): 'The king's heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills.' And since Solomon saw that wisdom is given in the heart, he said: I am beginning from the place where wisdom was given, for he says 'The proverbs of Solomon.' 'The son of David' - what son of David, and don't all know that he is the son of David?! Rather, everything he did, he did in honor of David. 'King of Israel' - and don't all know that he is the King of Israel?! Rather, what he did, he did for the honor of Israel."

[2] (Proverbs 1:2): 'To know wisdom and discipline' - If [it's about] wisdom, why [mention] discipline? And if [it's about] discipline, why [mention] wisdom? Rather, if a person has wisdom, he can learn discipline, and if a person doesn't have wisdom, he cannot learn discipline. Alternatively, 'To know wisdom and discipline' - if a person has wisdom, the words of the Torah are entrusted to him, and if he doesn't have wisdom, the words of the Torah are not entrusted to him. 'To understand words of understanding' - a person must have understanding, to understand one thing from another."

[3] (Proverbs 1:3): 'To receive the instruction of intelligence, righteousness, justice, and equity' - Once a person has been appointed as a judge, he needs to understand how to vindicate the innocent and condemn the guilty. Alternatively, once a person has been appointed as a judge, he needs to understand how to scrutinize the law so that he does not sin and lead the world astray. For if he corrupts the judgment, he is sinning and causing the world to sin. But if he executes the judgment truthfully, he is found to be acting with justice, righteousness, and equity. What are these 'equities'? Just as a person walks in them without stumbling, so too, if he executes the judgment truthfully, he will not stumble on the Day of Judgment, and the ministering angels will advocate on his behalf.

[4] (Proverbs 1:4): 'To give prudence to the simple, etc.' - Solomon said: I was simple, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me prudence; I was a youth, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me discretion. Alternatively, 'to give prudence to the simple' - from how many years onward does a person need to have prudence? From the age of twenty and above. 'To the young man knowledge and discretion' - until how many years is a person considered a youth? Rabbi Meir says: until 25 years, Rabbi Akiva says: until 30 years. Rabbi Ishmael says: neither according to this opinion nor according to that, but until twenty years, for from twenty years and above his sins are considered against him, as it is said: 'from twenty years and above he will come to work service,' (What is 'service of service'? Resh Lakish says: there is no service except prayer, as it is said (Psalms 2:11): 'Serve the Lord with fear'), from the time he is considered for service - he is considered for transgression.

[5] (Proverbs 1:5): 'A wise man will hear, and will increase learning' - Rabbi Jeremiah said: If you see a wise man who becomes wiser in Torah, they will add Torah to his Torah, wisdom to his wisdom. 'And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels' - If a person understands on his own, he will go and study Torah, acquiring for himself life in this world and life in the world to come....

[6] To understand a proverb, and a figure of speech" - To understand a proverb - these are the parables of the Torah, and a figure of speech - this is the Torah itself, which is called a figure of speech, for it shields those who engage in it from the judgment of Gehenna in the future to come. Another interpretation: Why is it called a figure of speech? - Because anyone who mocks the words of Torah will have mockery added to him, as it is stated (Proverbs 3:34): "Surely He scorneth the scorners." "The words of the wise and their riddles" - If a person hears words of wisdom, he needs to bind them to his heart, as it is stated (Proverbs 6:21): "Bind them continually upon thy heart." "And their riddles" - Rabbi Levi said: Even their mundane conversation is weighed against the entire Torah.

[7] "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" - Rabbi Zera said: From here you learn that Solomon agreed with the opinion of his father David, as David said (Psalms 111:10): "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," and Solomon said: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, to say that wisdom and knowledge are equal. "Fools despise wisdom and instruction" - We learned there: (Mishnah Avot 4:8): "Rabbi Yosi says: Whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored by creatures, and whoever desecrates the Torah, his body is desecrated by creatures." Another interpretation: "Wisdom and instruction" - If instruction, why wisdom? And if wisdom, why instruction? Rather, if a person learns the words of the Torah and engages in them according to their needs, he has both wisdom and instruction; if not, they are despised, and he is called a fool. We learned there (Avot of Rabbi Nathan 24:6): "Because he does not labor in them, he will end up seeking the beginning of a chapter and not finding it, the beginning of a tractate and not finding it, the beginning of a section and not knowing even one verse, and regarding him Solomon said: (Proverbs 24:30): 'I went by the field of a lazy man, etc., and behold, it was all grown over with thistles, etc.', for if he forgets, he will end up declaring the impure pure and the pure impure, and regarding him Solomon said (Proverbs 24:31): 'It was all covered with weeds,' and if he engages in them according to their needs, they brighten and illuminate his face, as it is stated (Daniel 12:3): 'And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.'" "Therefore, Solomon foresaw with his wisdom and said (Proverbs 1:8): 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching': 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - What was given to you at Sinai regarding honoring your father; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - What was admonished to you at Sinai regarding honoring your mother. And if you do so, you will be found honoring both father and mother. Another interpretation: 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - This is the Written Torah; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - All that was explained to you at Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty in the Torah, regarding pure, pure, and regarding impure, impure, and regarding forbidden, forbidden, and regarding permitted, permitted, and if you do so - the words of the Torah are found to be a crown on your head and necklaces for your neck, as it is written (Proverbs 1:9): 'For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains about your neck' - as long as you make your voice heard in them, they become honey and milk under your tongue."

[8] "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent!" - Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: From whom did Solomon learn? From the wisdom of his father David, who said (Proverbs 13:21): "Sinners are pursued by evil." Therefore, Solomon foresaw with his wisdom and said, "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent." If they say, 'So-and-so is rich; let's go and kill him and take his money,' do not listen to them, because all their thoughts are for evil. And if you do so, you will be found to be fulfilling all the commandments in the Torah, and whoever fulfills one commandment is as if he fulfilled the entire Torah, and whoever saves one soul from Israel is as if he saved a whole world, and whoever destroys one soul from Israel is as if he destroyed a whole world. Moreover, his sins are hidden from him for the future to come.

[9] "If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause'" - These are the brothers of Joseph, who were lurking and saying, 'When will the end come, and we will kill him?' And when he came to them, they began to say to one another, 'This is the hour; this is the season,' and the Divine Presence (Shechinah) was jesting and saying, 'Woe to them for the blood of this righteous one.' Therefore, it is said, "We will lurk secretly for the innocent without cause." And of them all, none wanted to save him except Reuben, as it is said, "Reuben heard, and he saved him from their hand." He said to them, 'Come, and I will give you advice,' They said to him, 'What advice are you giving us?' He said to them, 'Let us throw him into the pit while he is alive, and our hand will not be upon him,' From where [do we learn this]? As it is stated: (Proverbs 1:12): "We will swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit" - that he went down to the pit in his innocence, and he did not know what they were going to do to him. Rabbi Levi ben Zavdai said: "Who lowered [Joseph] into the pit from among all his brothers? You must say it was Simeon and Levi, as it is said (Genesis 49:6), 'Into their council let my soul not enter.' But Reuben intended to save him and return him to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:22), 'That he might save him from their hand, to restore him to his father.' (Genesis 37:29): 'And Reuben returned to the pit' - where was he? Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah [disagreed]: Rabbi Judah said, 'The burden of the household was thrust upon him, and as soon as he was free from his burden, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him. This is the meaning of "And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and he tore his clothes."' Rabbi Nehemiah said, 'He was occupied in his sackcloth and fasting over the incident that occurred, and he did not turn [from it], and as soon as he was free from his sackcloth and fasting, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him, as it says "And Reuben returned to the pit, etc." ' Not only that, but once they sold him, the Divine Presence (Shechinah) mocked them and said to them (Isaiah 55:8), 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, etc.,' not with the thought that you think, 'nor your ways my ways,' and not in the way that you say, for if there were not a decree from before Me, your counsel would be nothing. (Proverbs 1:13): 'All precious substance shall we find, our houses shall be filled with spoil' - this is the sale of Joseph, who was a precious son to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:3), 'For he was the son of his old age,' he was found to sustain them, as it is written (Genesis 45:5), 'For God sent me before you to preserve life.' 'Our houses shall be filled with spoil' - that they filled their houses with silver and gold from Joseph's treasures. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: The ten martyrs were drawn [to their deaths] only by the sin of selling Joseph. Rabbi Avin said: You must say that ten were exacted from every generation, and still, that sin persists. (Proverbs 1:14): 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - when Joseph sat down, he took the key and was calling out: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Dan and Naphtali - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Gad and Asher - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; and he went back and hit with the key and said: Benjamin is an orphan, and I am an orphan, it is fitting for an orphan to sit with an orphan, 'One purse shall be ours' - for they all ate at one table at the banquet. How did he do it? He gave each one one portion, and to Benjamin five portions, how? He took his portion, and Benjamin's portion, and Ephraim's portion, and Manasseh's portion, and the portion of Asenath, Joseph's wife, and gave it to Benjamin, as it is said (Genesis 43:34): 'And he took and sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs, and they drank and were merry with him.' Rabbi Shmuelai said in the name of Rabbi Isaac from Magdala: From the day that Joseph separated from his brothers he did not taste the taste of wine until that day, as it is written (Genesis 49:26), 'And the crown of the head of his brothers' Nazirite.' Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said: They also did not taste the taste of wine, as it is said, 'And they drank and were merry with him.' Another explanation, 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - this is the Torah, which was the lot of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and given to Israel; 'One purse shall be ours' - at the time when they stood at Mount Sinai and said (Exodus 24:7), 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear.'"

[10](Proverbs 1:15): "My son, do not walk in the way with them" - this refers to the nations of the world, as it is said of them (Leviticus 20:23): "And you shall not walk in the customs of the nations." "Hold back your foot from their path" - so as not to worship their idolatry, as it is said (Exodus 34:14): "For you shall not bow down to another god." (Proverbs 1:16): "For their feet run to evil" - this refers to idolatry, "and they make haste to shed blood" - to teach you that anyone who worships idolatry is as if he sheds blood.

[11] (Proverbs 1:17): "Indeed, in vain is the net spread" - against whom did Solomon say this verse? Against the evil eye. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: Even birds and fish recognize the evil eye, and they do not enter into their trap, therefore it is said "in the eyes of every winged creature." (Proverbs 1:18): "And they lie in wait for their own blood" - these are the evil eyes. "They ambush their own souls" - these are the slanderers. Who caused them this? They caused it to themselves, and not only to their souls did they cause, but to all that they have, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:19): "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain, it takes the life of its owner." Alternatively, "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain" - a parable to a man who took a hook and threw it into the sea, and saw a great fish, thought it was nothing, swallowed it and was caught. If it had sensed it, would it have lost its life at all?! Therefore it is said "it takes the life of its owner", so everyone who takes a bribe has nothing in his hand, loses the money, and in the end, he loses his soul. Rabbi Yochanan said: Anyone who steals from his friend even the value of a small coin, the Scripture considers it as if he takes his soul from him, as it is said "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain, it takes the life of its owner."

[12] (Proverbs 1:20): "Wisdom calls aloud in the street" - When a wise person sits and engages in Torah, all sing after him, saying 'Blessed is he who has merited learning Torah.' "She raises her voice in the public squares" - these are the Torah scholars, who are pleasant and sit in synagogues and study houses, and make their voices heard in words of Torah. (Proverbs 1:21): "At the head of the noisy streets she cries out" - just as the sea roars with its waves, so do the Torah scholars. When they sit and explain the words of Torah, they are loud and passionate, and more than that, all of them are pleasant before the Almighty, as it is said (Song of Songs 2:14): "for your voice is sweet, and your appearance is pleasant." "At the entrance of the city gates, she speaks her words" - even a wise person who sits at the city gates and at the gate of the country and engages in words of Torah, is not ashamed of passersby, not before kings, nor before officials, as it is said (Psalms 119:46): "I will speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be put to shame." Alternatively, "she speaks her words" - when a person comes before him in judgment, he says to the deserving 'deserving' and to the liable 'liable', both the poor and the rich.

[13] (Proverbs 1:22): "'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?' - These are the generation of the wilderness; 'and scoffers delight in their scoffing' - These are the congregation of Korah; 'and fools hate knowledge' - This refers to the wicked kingdom that did not accept the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of Torah. (Proverbs 1:23): 'Turn to my reproof' - These are Israel, whom Moses rebuked for the Golden Calf incident. 'Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you' - When he explained to them the Mishnah Torah. 'I will make my words known to you' - This teaches that he made known to them the particulars and explanations of the Torah, purity and impurity, prohibition and permission. (Proverbs 1:24): 'Because I have called and you refused' - This is the Holy One, Blessed be He, who sounded His voice to Israel, and they sinned against Him again, as it is said (Exodus 16:28): 'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?' Another interpretation: 'Because I have called' - This is Moses, who was calling them words of Torah, and they were not believing, as it is said 'How long do you refuse?' Another interpretation: 'Because I have called' - This is Jeremiah, who was calling to Israel in Jerusalem to repent, and they did not believe him, as it is said (Zechariah 7:11): 'But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, etc.' 'I have stretched out my hand, and no one regards' - This is Gabriel, whose hand was stretched out over Jerusalem for six and a half years, with coals in his hand, and he wished to throw them in anger, but he waited for them to repent, and they did not heed. Another interpretation: 'I have stretched out my hand, and no one regards' - This is the Holy One, Blessed be He, whose hand was stretched out for six and a half years that they might return in repentance, but they did not return. Until when? Rabbi Jeremiah said: Until His anger returned, as it is said (Hosea 14:5): 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger is turned away from him.' (Proverbs 1:25): 'But you have ignored all my counsel' - This is Moses, who was advising Israel, and they would turn away from him and cancel his counsel. 'And would have none of my reproof' - This is Jeremiah, that every reproof and reproof that he was reproving Israel, they were scorning him and ridiculing him. Jeremiah said to them: By your lives, a day is coming, just as you were ridiculing me and playing with me, to mock and ridicule you, from where? From what is written after it: (Proverbs 1:26): 'I also will laugh at your calamity,' and it says: (Proverbs 1:27): 'When your fear comes as destruction, etc.' (Proverbs 1:28): 'Then they will call me, but I will not answer' - And why all this? Rabbi Ishmael said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them through my prophets (Isaiah 55:6): 'Seek the Lord while He may be found,' by your lives, a day will come when you will call Me, and I will not answer you, the proof is 'Then they will call me, but I will not answer,' and why all this - (Proverbs 1:29): 'Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.' (Proverbs 1:30): 'They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof' - said the Holy One, Blessed be He: I said to you through my prophets (Ezekiel 33:11): 'Turn back, turn back from your evil ways,' by your lives, a day will come when I will punish you according to your ways, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:31): 'Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, etc.' And why all this: (Proverbs 1:32): 'For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, etc.' But whoever listens to my words of Torah, I will seat him in tranquility and security, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:33): 'But whoever listens to me will dwell securely.'"

(Proverbs 2:1): "My son, if you take my words and treasure up my commandments with you" - the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel at Mount Sinai: If you are worthy to treasure up and receive my Torah and to do it, I will rescue you from three calamities: from the war of Gog and Magog, from the birth-pangs of the Messiah, and from the judgment of Gehinnom. "And treasure up my commandments with you" - if you are worthy to treasure up the words of Torah, I will satisfy you from the hidden good that I have treasured up for the time to come, as it is said (Psalms 31:20): "How abundant is your goodness, which you have treasured up for those who fear you [and worked for those who take refuge in you, before all people]." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will make known to the nations of the world in the time to come all that goodness with which I do good to you, on condition that you incline your ears to the words of Torah. This is what is written (Proverbs 2:2): "To make your ear attend to wisdom, etc." How so? (Proverbs 2:3): "For if you call out to understanding."

"If you seek it like silver" - Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If a person does not go after the words of Torah, they will never go after him. A parable: a person who has merchandise - if a person does not go after it, it does not go after him. There we have learned (Mishnah Avot 4:18): "Rabbi Nehorai says: Exile yourself to a place of Torah, and do not say that it will come after you, and do not rely on your own understanding." Therefore: "If you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasures" - these are the words of Torah, which search and descend to the depths of the abyss. So too, if a person searches after them, through that he merits wisdom and understanding: (Proverbs 2:5): "Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, etc." - if a person runs after a commandment and the words of Torah, they are found before him; therefore it is said "and you will find the knowledge of God." Rabbi Yirmeyah said: But has it not already been said (Daniel 4:22): "and to whomever he wishes he gives it"? But if a person desires the words of Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives it to him, as it is said (Proverbs 2:6): "For the LORD gives wisdom." Another interpretation of "For the LORD gives wisdom" - that he adds wisdom to the wise, as it is said (Daniel 2:21): "He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding." "From his mouth come knowledge and understanding" - that he grants the opening of the mouth to a person, as it is said (Exodus 4:11): "Who placed a mouth in man, or who makes one mute or deaf or seeing or blind - is it not I, the LORD?" It does not say "Is it not I, Moses," but rather "Is it not I, the LORD." Another interpretation of "From his mouth come knowledge and understanding" - the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Jeremiah 15:19): "If you bring forth the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth" - the mouth that breathed a soul into the first man. From here Rabbi Meir expounded: Anyone who is able to bring forth words of Torah from the vile is reckoned like that mouth which gave knowledge and understanding.

(Proverbs 2:7): "He treasures up sound wisdom for the upright" - Rabbi Eliezer asked Rabbi Yehoshua, "Tell me, what is this verse?" He said to him: "My son, from the moment a person is formed in his mother's womb, that very Torah which he is destined to learn is treasured up for him; therefore it is said, 'He treasures up sound wisdom for the upright.' " "A shield to those who walk in integrity" - just as this shield protects a person, so too the Torah protects all who occupy themselves with it.

(Proverbs 2:8): "To guard the paths of justice" - if a person is appointed to judgment, he must guard the paths of justice. "And he will keep the way of his pious ones" - if he does so, his ways are kept safe from descending to the depths of Gehinnom. From here they said: Everyone who sits in judgment, two things are bound to him, and these are they: the sword and Gehinnom - the sword above him and Gehinnom beneath him. If he is worthy and renders the judgment according to its truth, he is not handed over into their power; and if not, he is handed over into their power: (Proverbs 2:9):

(Proverbs 2:9): "Then you will understand righteousness and justice" - inasmuch as he sits in judgment, he must understand how to vindicate the righteous one and to condemn the wicked one; and inasmuch as he does so, the words of Torah become before him like level paths. And not only that, but he acquires a good name in this world and in the world to come; therefore it is said "and equity, every good course." Another interpretation of "and equity" - inasmuch as the words of Torah become before him like level paths, he does not stumble over them. Another interpretation of "every good course": there is no "good" except Torah, as it is said (Proverbs 4:2): "For I have given you a good acquisition, my Torah - do not forsake it." If he forsakes them, they forsake him; if he guards them, they guard him and keep him.

(Proverbs 2:10): "For wisdom will enter your heart" - if you have acquired the words of Torah, they keep you; "and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul" - that they make pleasant you and your soul and your knowledge, as it is said (Proverbs 9:12): "If you are wise, you are wise for yourself." If you have labored in the words of Torah, I have a good reward to give you; and if you have been idle from the Torah, you have many idle ones against you. (Proverbs 2:11): "Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you" - if you have placed your neck under the yoke of Torah, it will guard you, as it is said (Proverbs 6:22): "When you walk, it will lead you" - in this world; "when you lie down, it will watch over you" - at the hour of death; "and when you awake, it will converse with you" - in the time to come.

(Proverbs 2:12): "To save you from the evil way" - if you have occupied yourself with the words of Torah, they are able to save you from the evil way. Why? Because they are like a double-edged sword, as it is said (Psalms 149:6): "and a double-edged sword in their hand." Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah: Rabbi Yehudah says: "double-edged" (pifiyot) like a sword that consumes from its two sides; and Rabbi Nehemiah says: "double-edged" (pifiyot) means that they [the laws] are written on this side and on that side. And so it is with the Torah: laws before it and laws after it. Before it - from where? As it is said (Exodus 15:25): "There he set for him a statute and a judgment, and there he tested him." After it - from where? As it is written (Exodus 21:1): "And these are the judgments that you shall set before them." "From a man who speaks perversities" - this is the wicked Pharaoh. At the time when Moses would come in to him, he would speak with him in words of perversity. How so? When the decree [plague] would come upon him, he would say to Moses, "Go, remove the decree from upon me, and I will send out Israel." And Moses would seek mercy until he removed the decree; and once Pharaoh saw that it had ceased, he would reverse his ways and say (Exodus 5:2): "I do not know the LORD, and I also will not send out Israel." Therefore it is said "from a man who speaks perversities."

(Proverbs 4:23): "Above all guarding, guard your heart" - that you should not be afraid of the words of Torah. Why? Because "from it flow the issues of life" - to teach you that from the words of Torah flow life for the whole world.

(Proverbs 4:24): "Remove from yourself crookedness of mouth" - this is evil speech, which is as severe as the shedding of blood. "And put the deviousness of lips far from you" - that you should not speak with your fellow one thing with the mouth and another in the heart.

(Proverbs 4:25): "Let your eyes look straight ahead" — at the time when you stand in prayer, direct your eyes and your heart toward your Father in heaven. If you have done so — "and let your eyelids look straight before you."

(Proverbs 4:26): "Weigh the path of your foot" — at the time when you go to the house of study. If you have done so — "then all your ways will be firmly established."

(Proverbs 4:27): "Turn neither to the right nor to the left; remove your foot from evil" — Rabbi Yose the Galilean said: Be careful with the words of Torah, that you turn from them neither to the right nor to the left. "Remove your foot from evil" — from the way of the wicked. Another interpretation of "Turn neither to the right nor to the left": Rabbi Keritzpi said: Be careful with the words of the sages, that you turn from them neither right nor left. "Remove your foot from evil" — that you not walk in the way of the heretics.

(Proverbs 5:1): "My son, attend to my wisdom" — attend to the words of Torah at the time when you learn them; "incline your ear to my understanding" — at the time when you hear them. (Proverbs 5:2): "That you may preserve discretion, and that your lips may guard knowledge" — if you have learned in order to preserve, and if you have heard in order to guard.

(Proverbs 5:3): "For the lips of a strange woman drip honey" — my son, beware of a harlot, that she not mislead you with the words of her lips. "And her mouth is smoother than oil" — that she not lead you astray after her voice. (Proverbs 5:4): "But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword" — Rabbi Eliezer asked Rabbi Yehoshua, "This expression, 'sharp as a two-edged sword,' what is it?" He said to him, "My son, just as the sword devours from both sides, so the harlot destroys a person's life, from the life of this world and from the life of the world to come." What is written after it: (Proverbs 5:5): "Her feet go down to death" — for she brings a person down in this world to the depth of death; and what is the depth of death? These are evil torments. "Her steps take hold of Sheol" — for even though he is judged with torments in this world, he is not saved from the judgment of Gehinnom in the time to come. (Proverbs 5:6): "Lest you weigh the path of life" — my son, do not abandon the path of life, lest you stumble after the ways of the harlot. Why? "Her ways wander, and you do not know it." But if you have listened to the words of Torah and to the sayings of my mouth, you will never stumble.

(Proverbs 5:7): "And now, children, listen to me" — what is the listening? (Proverbs 5:8): "Keep your way far from her." And why? (Proverbs 5:9): "Lest you give your vigor to others" — for she causes your splendor and the splendor of the Divine Presence to be taken from you. "And your years to a cruel one" — for you are handed over to a cruel angel. (Proverbs 5:10): "Lest strangers be filled with your strength" — for cruel angels are destined to take their fill of you in Gehinnom. "And your toils be in the house of a foreigner" — for you are regarded by them as a foreign man. And not only that, but you are destined to groan at your end over what you did, as it is said: (Proverbs 5:11): "And you will groan at your end," and what will you say? (Proverbs 5:12): "And you will say, How I hated discipline," and so forth, (Proverbs 5:13): "and I did not listen to the voice of my teachers," (Proverbs 5:14): "I was well-nigh in every evil in the midst of the assembly and congregation." Who caused this for you? The evil upbringing in which you were raised.

(Proverbs 5:15): "Drink water from your own cistern, and flowing waters from the midst of your own well" — how so? If a person wishes to learn Torah, let him not say, "I will learn from the far and afterward I will learn from the near," but rather let him learn from the near and afterward from the far.

(Proverbs 5:16): "Let your springs flow outward, streams of water in the open squares" — Rabbi Elazar said: If you have seen a generation to whom the words of Torah are precious, "let your springs flow outward"; but if not — (Proverbs 5:17): "let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you." Hillel the Elder says: At the time of gathering in, scatter; and at the time of scattering, gather in. At the time when you see that the Torah is precious to Israel and all rejoice in it — you, scatter; this is what is written (Proverbs 11:24): "There is one who scatters, and yet increases more." And at the time when you see that the Torah is forgotten by Israel and not all pay heed to it — you, gather it in, as it is said (Psalms 119:126): "It is a time to act for the LORD; they have made void Your Torah." Rabbi Meir says: "They have made void Your Torah" — "it is a time to act for the LORD."

(Proverbs 5:18): "Let your fountain be blessed" — from here they said: Happy is the man whose wife is from his own town, whose Torah is from his own town, whose livelihood is from his own town, and concerning him Scripture says, "Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: Happy is the man who has acquired wisdom, who has acquired for himself the words of Torah from his youth, as it is written, "and rejoice in the wife of your youth." And from where do we know that this expression is an expression for Torah? From what is written: (Proverbs 5:19): "a loving hind and a graceful doe [let her breasts satisfy you at all times, with her love be ravished continually]." (Proverbs 5:20): "And why should you be ravished, my son, with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a foreign woman?" — better for you to embrace the breasts of Torah, which bring you to merit, than to embrace the bosom of a foreign woman, who brings you to guilt.

(Proverbs 5:21): "For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD" — let a person not say, "I will go and commit a transgression, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not see me." Why might he think so? Because He is in heaven and you are on the earth. Yet even so, know: "the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD." Another interpretation of "For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD": if a person goes to do a matter of commandment, that commandment is reckoned to his account; and if he goes to do a matter of transgression, that transgression is reckoned to his account. "And He weighs all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21) — from here the Sages said (Mishnah Avot 2:1): "Know what is above you: an eye that sees, and an ear that hears, and all your deeds are written in a book."

(Proverbs 5:22): "His own iniquities shall trap the wicked man" — just as a person spreads a net and catches fish from the sea, so his iniquities spread a net for the sinner to trap him; therefore it is said, "His own iniquities shall trap the wicked man." "And he shall be held fast by the cords of his sin" (Proverbs 5:22) — just as with this woman, her transgressions are recalled only at the hour of her birth-pangs, so a person's iniquities are recalled only at the hour when he comes to the pangs of Sheol; therefore it is said, "And he shall be held fast by the cords of his sin." [The word for "cords" plays on the "pangs" of childbirth and of death.]

(Proverbs 5:23): "He shall die for lack of discipline" — he shall die in his iniquity, because he did not heed words of discipline. "And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray" (Proverbs 5:23) — he did not wish to wander in words of Torah [to immerse himself and lose himself in study]; now, in the greatness of his folly, he shall go astray.

(Proverbs 6:1): "My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow" — if you have mingled your seed with the seed of your fellow; "if you have struck your hands for a stranger [zar]" — meaning that you have served strange worship (idolatry). Just as idolatry is judged in Gehinnom, so too you will be judged in Gehinnom like it. Another interpretation of "My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow": these are Israel, at the hour they stood at Mount Sinai. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "If I give the Torah, will you keep it?" They said before Him, "Yes." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I ask of you guarantors." They said before Him, "Let the heavens and the earth be given to You." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "A thing that will pass away I do not ask of you, as it is said (Isaiah 51:6): 'For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke,' for they are destined to pass away." He said to them, "I have good guarantors — your children: if you keep the words of Torah, I keep them, and if not, I take them, as it is said (Hosea 4:6): 'And you have forgotten the Torah of your God; I also will forget your children.'" At that hour Israel received the Torah and gave their children as guarantors. And from where do we know that Israel are called children? As it is said (Exodus 4:22): "Israel is My firstborn son" — for they brought forth good deeds first [bikkeru, a play on bekhori, "firstborn"] before Mount Sinai. "If you have struck your hands for a stranger" — if you have forgotten the Torah that I gave you with the right hand, on the Day of Judgment I turn cruel toward you [reading zar, "stranger," as akhzar, "cruel"]; therefore it is said, "if you have struck your hands for a stranger." Another interpretation of "if you have struck your hands for a stranger": He said to them, if you have merited and kept My Torah that I gave you with the right hand — well and good; and if not, on the Day of Judgment you are reckoned as strangers before Me; therefore it is said, "if you have struck your hands for a stranger." (Proverbs 6:2): "You are snared by the words of your mouth" — the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to say to Israel: since you have forgotten My Torah, from your own mouth I judge you on the Day of Judgment. Did you not say before Me (Exodus 24:7), "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will hear"? Where is that doing and hearing? Therefore it is said, "You are snared by the words of your mouth." Another interpretation of "you are snared": you have stumbled by the words of your mouth and been caught by the words of your mouth. At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "My children, since you have afflicted yourselves in the subjugation among the nations, let this atone for that. But go and bring the merit of the fathers of the world who occupied themselves with this, and they will rescue you from the judgment of Gehinnom." And from where? For so it is written (Proverbs 6:3): "Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself." And the fathers of the world answer Israel and say to them: since you have been caught in the net of the Day of Judgment, you have nothing to do but to sit and occupy yourselves with words of Torah. Why? Because the Torah atones for iniquity. (Proverbs 6:4): "Give no sleep to your eyes" — from making repentance, for repentance and good deeds are a shield before calamity. Another interpretation of "Give no sleep to your eyes, etc." — from sitting in fasting. Why? Because fasting is close to repentance, as it is said (Joel 2:13): "And rend your heart and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God." If you do so — "for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in kindness, and relents from evil" (Joel 2:13). And all this for what reason? In order to be delivered from the judgment of Gehinnom. And concerning this Solomon explains by tradition (Proverbs 6:5): "Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler" — so that you not be ensnared in the decree of Gehinnom. Another interpretation of "and like a bird from the hand of the fowler" [yakush] — so that you not be ensnared and become stubble [kash] for the fire of Gehinnom, because the power of repentance reaches up to the Throne of Glory. His disciples asked Rabbi Akiva: which is greater — repentance or charity (tzedakah)? He said to them: repentance, for charity at times one gives to one who is unworthy, but repentance one does of oneself. They said to him: Rabbi, but have we not already found that charity is greater than repentance? Of Abraham it says (Genesis 15:6): "And He reckoned it to him as righteousness (tzedakah)," and in another place it says (Deuteronomy 6:25): "And it shall be righteousness (tzedakah) for us if we take care to do," and not only that, but David came and explained (Psalms 36:7): "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains."

"Go and observe the ant lazybones!" (Proverbs 6:6). Rabbi Yehudah ben Padyah says: The wicked will one day come before the Holy One and say: "Master of the World, let us rest and we will make teshuvah before you." The Holy One responded to them: "idiots of the world, the world that you see yourselves in is like living on erev Shabbat, whereas the world as it is on Shabbat. If you don't prepare for Shabbat on erev Shabbat, what will you eat? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like being on dry land, whereas the world as it is already is immersed in the sea. What are you going to eat when you're at sea if you haven't prepared when you had time on the land? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like an entrance way to a home, whereas the world as it is already exists within the living room. If a person doesn't prepare to unlock the door, how will he enjoy the comforts of home? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like a warm sunny day, whereas the world as it is experiences a downpour of rain. If you haven't sowed, reaped, or harvested your field when it was sunny and warm, how will you sustain yourself when it rains?

(Proverbs 6:12): "A base man, a man of iniquity, walks with a crooked mouth" — these are the masters of slander (lashon hara), whom the Holy One, blessed be He, likened to idolatry. For what reason? Because slander is as grave as idolatry. Rabbi Yehoshua says: it is comparable only to a shedder of blood, for it is written (Genesis 9:6): "Whoever sheds the blood of a man, by man shall his blood be shed." So too here: since he goes about and informs against people, it is as if he sheds his blood. And not only that, but Solomon in his wisdom cursed him and said (Proverbs 6:13): "He winks with his eyes, he shuffles with his feet, he points with his fingers"; (Proverbs 6:14): "perversities are in his heart, he devises evil at all times, he sends forth strife." What is written after it? A curse: (Proverbs 6:15): "Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; in an instant he shall be broken, and there shall be no healing."

(Proverbs 6:16): "These six the LORD hates, and seven are an abomination to His soul" — and these are the six that the Holy One, blessed be He, hates: "haughty eyes," "and a lying tongue," "and hands that shed innocent blood," "a heart that devises iniquitous thoughts," "feet that hasten to run to evil," "a false witness who breathes out lies and one who sends forth strife among brothers" (Proverbs 6:17 to 19). And these are the seven that are an abomination to His soul: idolatry, and forbidden sexual unions, and the shedding of blood, and slander (lashon hara), and everyone who flatters his fellow with words, and everyone who reports a thing not in the name of the one who said it — for (Mishnah Avot 6:6): "Everyone who reports a thing in the name of the one who said it brings redemption to the world," as it is said (Esther 2:22): "And Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai" — and everyone who reports a thing not in the name of the one who said it brings a curse to the world.

(Proverbs 6:20): "Guard, my son, the commandment of your father" — what is written after it? (Proverbs 6:21): "Bind them upon your heart always," etc. Why? (Proverbs 6:22): "When you walk it shall lead you" — in this world; "when you lie down it shall watch over you" — at the hour of death; "and when you awake it shall talk with you" — in the world to come.

There we learned: Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: make for yourself a lamp by whose light you may walk. And which is it? This is the light of Torah, as it is said (Proverbs 6:23): "For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light," etc. From here Rabbi Meir used to say: Happy is the person who has acquired Torah for himself. Why? Because it guards him from the evil way, as it is said (Proverbs 6:24): "To keep you from the evil way" — everyone who has understanding in him will be guarded by it. "From the smoothness of the alien tongue" — be careful of it, that it not lead you astray with its beauty, as it is said (Proverbs 6:25): "Do not covet her beauty in your heart, nor let her take you with her eyelids"; (Proverbs 6:26): "For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread, and a married woman hunts the precious soul." Rabbi Meir asked Elisha ben Avuyah, his teacher; he said to him: What is the meaning of "and a married woman hunts the precious soul"? He said to him: A common person, if he is caught in a transgression, there is no disgrace to him. Why? Because he says, "I am a commoner, and I did not know the Torah's penalty." But a scholar (chaver), if he is caught in a transgression, it is a disgrace to him, because he mixes words of purity with words of impurity. That Torah which was precious to him — he degrades it, for the unlearned say, "See a scholar who was caught in a transgression and degraded his Torah." Therefore it is said, "hunts the precious soul." Rabbi Abbahu said: What is "hunts"? That he is caught in this net. Rabbi Alexandrai said: What is "precious"? This is the Torah, as it is said (Proverbs 3:15): "She is more precious than rubies, and all your desires cannot equal her." Therefore it is said, "hunts the precious soul." He said to him: "Rabbi, what is the penalty of the married woman in the time to come?" He said to him: "My son, before you ask me about this, come and see what is written below in the matter: (Proverbs 6:27): 'Can a man take fire into his bosom and his garments not be burned?' etc.; (Proverbs 6:29): 'So is the one who goes in to his fellow's wife — none who touches her shall go unpunished.' It says here 'shall not go unpunished,' and it says there, concerning the profanation of the Name (Exodus 20:7): 'For the LORD will not hold guiltless the one who takes His name in vain.' Just as there it is all their wealth [that is forfeit], so too here 'shall not go unpunished' brings down all his merits." He said to him: "Rabbi, is there no remedy for him?" He said to him: "My son, once I was sitting before Ben Azzai, my colleague, and we were studying this passage; when we came to this verse, he said to me: 'Let him go and raise an orphan in his house, and let them learn Torah and occupy themselves with all the commandments, and his iniquities are atoned for in the world to come — on the condition that he not return to the transgression but do repentance.' I said to him: 'From where is the proof for this thing?' He said to me: 'It is written (Jeremiah 4:1): "If you return, O Israel, says the LORD, return to Me." Why? (Jeremiah 3:12): "For I am faithful, says the LORD; I will not bear a grudge forever."' I said to him: 'I already have another answer that is greater than this, as it is said (Hosea 14:3): "Return, O Israel, unto the LORD your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity" — even if you have denied the fundamental principle [of faith]. For if one who denies the fundamental principle the Holy One, blessed be He, receives in repentance, this one too the Holy One, blessed be He, receives in repentance.'" Rabbi Meir, his disciple, responded; he said to him: "Rabbi, do your own ears not hear what you are saying? If these the Holy One, blessed be He, receives in repentance, how much more so you, in whom is all the whole Torah! And why do you not do repentance?" He said to him: "Once I entered a synagogue and saw a child sitting before his teacher, and his teacher was having him read aloud (Psalms 50:16): 'But to the wicked God says: What right have you to recount My statutes and take My covenant upon your mouth?' And the pupil was answering and saying, 'But to Elisha God says: What right have you to recount My statutes and take My covenant upon your mouth?' When I heard this, I said, 'Upon Elisha the decree has been sealed from above.'" Rabbi Meir answered and said: "Rabbi, do repentance in this world, and I will stand in your decree, in your watch-post, on the Day of Judgment in the time to come!" Even so, he did not accept it upon himself. When he died, they came and said to Rabbi Meir: "Come and see the fire that is consuming on the grave of your teacher." At that hour Rabbi Meir spread his cloak (tallit) over the grave of his teacher, and he was adjuring the fire and saying (Ruth 3:13): "Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him redeem; and if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the LORD lives; lie down until the morning." "Stay this night" — in this world, which is all night; "and it shall be in the morning" — in the world to come, which is all light; "if he will redeem you, good, let him redeem" — this is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written (Psalms 145:9): "The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works"; "and if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the LORD lives!" When he mentioned over it the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, the fire was extinguished. From here the Sages said: Happy is the man who raises up disciples who seek mercy upon him.