Midrash Mishlei Reader

"Discipline your son while there is hope" (Proverbs 19:18). Rabbi Yishmael said: Great is the Torah, for it is greater than the priesthood and than the kingship, for kingship is acquired through thirty qualities, and the priesthood through twenty-four, but the Torah is acquired through forty-eight things; and these are they: through settledness of mind, through attentiveness of the ear, through orderly speech, through cheerfulness of face, and a good heart, through understanding, and through wisdom; knowing one's place, and acquiring for oneself a companion, and being exacting in one's study, and reflecting upon one's tradition, and saying of the impure "impure" and of the pure "pure," and of the yes "yes" and of the no "no"; and reporting a matter in the name of the one who said it, and bearing the yoke together with one's fellow, and judging him favorably, and receiving the sages, and loving the give-and-take of the sages, and rejoicing in one's study, and not being arrogant in rendering decisions, and not deciding the law in the presence of one's teacher, and not sitting in the place of one who is greater than oneself, and loving people, and loving rebukes, and acknowledging the truth, and engaging in the give-and-take of one's tradition, and disciplining one's son in the study of Torah. Then he has hope and a future, as it is said, "Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not set your soul on putting him to death" (Proverbs 19:18). And Rabbi Yishmael said: Discipline him with the words of Torah, so that you may save him from the judgment of Gehinnom in the time to come. Rabbi Yohanan said: Whoever is a Torah scholar, and his son is a Torah scholar, and his grandson is a Torah scholar - Torah never again ceases from his descendants, as it is said, "They shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring's offspring, says the LORD, from now and forever" (Isaiah 59:21). What is "says the LORD"? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am a guarantor in this matter. What is "from now and forever"? Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: From here onward, the Torah goes around seeking its lodging place.

... R’ Huna said: the Messiah is called by seven names, and they are – magnified, Our Righteousness, Shoot, Consoler, David, Shiloh, and Eliyahu. Magnified from where? As it says, “May his name be forever; before the sun, his name will be magnified…” (Tehillim 72:17) Our Righteousness from where? As it says, “…and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Yirmiyahu 23:6) Shoot from where? As it says, “…Behold a man whose name is the Shoot…” (Zechariah 6:12) Consoler from where? As it says, “For the Lord shall console Zion…” (Yeshayahu 51:3) David from where? As it says, “…and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his seed forever.” (Tehillim 18:51) Shiloh from where? As it says, “…until Shiloh comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples.” (Bereshit 49:10) Eliyahu from where? As it says, “Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord…” (Malachi 3:23)

"Wine is a scoffer, strong drink is riotous" (Proverbs 20:1). Rabbi Ze'ira said: These are the words of Torah, which are likened to wine, as it is said, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine I have mixed" (Proverbs 9:5). And everyone who scoffs at the words of Torah is called a scoffer. "Wine is a scoffer, strong drink is riotous." Rabbi Yohanan said: All kinds of drink are good for a dream except for wine. Why? If one is worthy, it gladdens him, and if not, it desolates him. It gladdens him, as it is written, "Wine gladdens the heart of man" (Psalms 104:15). If he is not worthy, it desolates him, as it is written, "Wine is a scoffer, strong drink is riotous, and whoever errs through it shall not become wise."

"The terror of a king is like the roaring of a young lion" (Proverbs 20:2). Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon said: These thunders, when they go out into the world, shake the whole world. If the thunders are so, the vengeance of the Holy One, blessed be He, all the more so. Another interpretation of "the roaring of a young lion": Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: This young lion, when it cries out with its voice, a person who hears its voice is afraid. If the young lion is so, the roar of the Holy One, blessed be He, all the more so. Rabbi Levi said: Seven names were given to the lion, and these are they: ari, kefir, lavi, layish, shahal, shahatz. Ari, as its plain meaning, for all are afraid of it. Kefir, for everyone who sees it denies [kofer] his own life. Lavi, for it snatches [hotef] the hearts [levavot] of human beings. Layish, for the flesh of human beings is as nothing [ke-lo yesh] in its teeth. Shahal, for all gnash [shohel] before it. Shahatz, for it sharpens [meshahetz] with its teeth. Another interpretation of "the roaring of a young lion": Rabbi Yohanan said: Come and see, that even the prophets made a fence for their words, as it is said, "A lion has roared; who will not fear?" (Amos 3:8). Could it be that His voice was only like the voice of the lion alone? You say: Who placed a voice in the lion, was it not He? And why is it described to His creatures in this way? So that the ear may bend and be able to hear. And so it says, "And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters" (Ezekiel 43:2). Could it be that His voice was only like the sound of many waters? You say: Who placed a voice in the waters, was it not He? And why is it described to His creatures in this way? So that the ear may bend and be able to hear. And so it says, "And Mount Sinai was altogether in smoke" (Exodus 19:18). Could it be only like the smoke of a furnace? Is it not said, "And the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick gloom" (Deuteronomy 4:11)? And why is it described to His creatures in this way? So that the ear may bend and be able to hear. Another interpretation of "the roaring of a young lion": Rabbi Yishmael said: Come and see the power and might of the Holy One, blessed be He, for everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world He fixed into the throne of His glory. He created the human, the eagle, the ox, and the lion, and fixed them into the throne of His glory; and when the Omnipresent roars, the throne of His glory trembles. Why? Because the likeness of a lion is fixed in it. Therefore it is said, "The terror of a king is like the roaring of a young lion."

"Who can say, I have purified my heart" (Proverbs 20:9). May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed forever and to all eternity, for purity and holiness are His, and He searches hearts and kidneys, and He purifies Israel. Solomon said: David my father said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the worlds! "Create for me a pure heart, O God" (Psalms 51:12). He asked improperly, and when he knew that he had asked improperly, he went back and said, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (Psalms 51:4). What did the Holy Spirit answer him? It said to him: David, since you have lowered yourself over the request you made, I give you a pure heart. The Holy Spirit also said of him, "The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). When Solomon saw that David had lowered himself, he too said, "Who can say, I have purified my heart, I am cleansed from my sin." What reward did he take for this? "And Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king" (1 Chronicles 29:23). Now is there a person who can sit on the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He? Rather, just as the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, rules over the whole world, so Solomon ruled over the whole world, as it is said, "For he had dominion over all the region beyond the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza" (1 Kings 5:4). Now are not Tiphsah and Gaza set right next to each other? Just as a person goes out from Tiphsah and travels to the east, and from the east to the west, and from the east to the north, and from the north to the south, circling and rising until he comes up to Gaza, so Solomon went and ruled and circled the whole world from beginning to end. Rabbi Yose the Galilean said: Why did Solomon merit all this? Because he did not raise up his mind and his heart before the Holy One, blessed be He. And are these not matters of inference from minor to major? If Solomon, the father of wisdom and the father of prophecy, because he lowered himself, merited to rule from one end of the world to the other, then other people all the more so. From here the sages said: Happy is the person who lowers himself and does not raise himself up, so that he may merit before the Holy One, blessed be He.

"The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He desires" (Proverbs 21:1). Rabbi Yishmael says: Channels of water in the hand of the LORD. Just as this water, when you put it into a vessel you turn it to any side you wish, so when a mortal of flesh and blood rises to kingship, his heart is placed in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He. If the world is worthy, the Holy One, blessed be He, turns the heart of the king to good decrees; but if the world is found guilty, the Holy One, blessed be He, turns his heart to evil decrees. And every single decree that he issues from his mouth does not go out at the start except from before the Holy One, blessed be He. And therefore it is said, "He turns it wherever He desires."

"To do charity and justice" (Proverbs 21:3). Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: Everyone who does charity and justice, Scripture accounts it for him as though he had offered before Me burnt offerings and sacrifices, as it is said, "is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" (Proverbs 21:3). Rabbi Yirmiyah said: Every day on which there is charity and justice in the world is more beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He, than burnt offerings and sacrifices, as it is said, "is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice." "A gift in secret subdues anger" (Proverbs 21:14). Rabbi Yohanan said: Everyone who gives charity in secret, the Holy One, blessed be He, will subdue the Angel of Death, who is called "anger," away from him and from the members of his household. Rabbi Levi said: Greater is the reward of the one who gives charity than of the one who takes it, for the one who gives it gives it for the sake of charity, but the one who takes it does not know whether he is worthy of it or not. There we learned (Mishnah Pe'ah 8:9): "One who has fifty zuz and does business with them, this one shall not take." And everyone who does not need to take and yet takes will not die of old age until he comes to need other people; and everyone who needs to take and does not take will not depart from the world until he shares of his own with others, and so it says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:7). "He who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor" (Proverbs 21:21). Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: Everyone who pursues charity, he will have children who are masters of charity, masters of Torah, and masters of aggadah. Masters of charity, from where? As it is written, "[He who pursues charity will find] charity." Masters of Torah, from where? It is written here "[He who pursues charity will find] life," and it is written there, "For it is your life and the length of your days" (Deuteronomy 30:20). Masters of aggadah, from where? It is written here "[He who pursues charity will find] honor," and it is written, "The wise shall inherit honor" (Proverbs 3:35).

"A wise man scales the city of the mighty" (Proverbs 21:22): "the city of the mighty" is the heavens, which are the city of the angels; "a wise man scales" is Moses, who ascended to the heavens; "and brings down the strength in which it trusted" is the Torah. And from where do we know that the ministering angels are called mighty? As it is said, "mighty in strength, who do His word" (Psalms 103:20). And from where do we know that Moses ascended on high? As it is said, "And Moses went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). And from where do we know that the Torah is called strength? As it is said, "The LORD will give strength to His people" (Psalms 29:11). Another interpretation of "And Moses went up to God": Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said: Before the Torah was given, "The heavens are the heavens of the LORD" (Psalms 115:16) — neither could these go down nor could these go up. A parable of a king who married off his daughter and set decrees, and said, "Let the sons of Rome not go down to Syria, and the sons of Syria not go up to Rome." When he married off his daughter, he lifted the decree of the proclamations. So, before the Torah was given from the heavens, "The heavens are the heavens of the LORD"; once the Torah was given, "And Moses went up to God," "And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai" (Exodus 19:20). It was taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: "And Jethro the priest of Midian heard" (Exodus 18:1) — what report did he hear that he came? He heard of the war of Amalek and came, for it is written beside it; these are the words of Rabbi Yehoshua. Rabbi Eliezer of Modi'in says: He heard of the giving of the Torah and came, for at the hour when the Torah was given to Israel, all the kings of the earth trembled in their palaces, as it is said, "and in His palace all of it says, Glory" (Psalms 29:9). At that hour all the kings of the nations of the world gathered before Balaam the wicked. They said to him: "Balaam, what is the nature of this, that the whole world is quaking? Perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, is bringing a flood of water upon the world to destroy it?" He said to them: "Fools of the world! The Holy One, blessed be He, already swore that He would not bring a flood of water upon the world, as it is said, 'For this is like the waters of Noah to Me' (Isaiah 54:9)." They said to him: "Perhaps He is not bringing a flood of water, but He is bringing a flood of fire?" He said to them: "Neither a flood of water nor a flood of fire; He is giving Torah to His people, as it is said, 'The LORD will give strength to His people.'" When they all heard this matter from his mouth, each one of them went to his place.

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23). Rabbi Ishmael said: This teaches that a person's death and a person's life are placed in nothing but the tongue. If one is worthy and guards it, it gives him life; and if not, it puts him to death. And so it says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).

"A name is to be chosen over great wealth; good favor over silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1). Come and see how weighty a good name is in the world, for even if a person has a thousand gold dinars and has not acquired a good name, he has acquired nothing. And so it says, "For they are a graceful wreath for your head" (Proverbs 1:9). "Good favor" - there is no "good" except Torah, as it is said, "For I have given you a good teaching" (Proverbs 4:2), and it is written, "My fruit is better than fine gold, than pure gold" (Proverbs 8:19).

"The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, wealth and honor and life" (Proverbs 22:4). Rabbi Hanin said: If a person is worthy to acquire humility and the fear of the LORD, he is worthy to acquire wealth and honor and life. And if not - "Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked" (Proverbs 22:5); and everyone who is shrewd, "he who guards his soul keeps far from them."

"Train up a youth according to his way" (Proverbs 22:6). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Joshua differed. Rabbi Eliezer says: If you have trained your son in words of Torah while he is still a youth, he keeps growing in them, as it is said, "Even when he grows old he will not depart from it." And Rabbi Joshua says: It is like this cow that has not learned to plow, and is hard to handle in the end; and like this vine-shoot, which has its place while it is still moist - and once it has hardened on you, can you still bend it? "Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth; the rod of discipline removes it from him" (Proverbs 22:15). Rabbi Zevida said: The rod of Torah removes it from him. If a person is worthy of the rod of discipline, well and good; and if not, then the lashes of the court. This is what the proverb says: "To the wise, a hint; to the fool, a fist." If a person is worthy, then there is the rod of Torah; and if not, then the rod of the kingdom. There we have learned (Mishnah Avot 3:5): "Rabbi Nehunya ben ha-Kanah says: Whoever takes upon himself the yoke of Torah, they remove from him the yoke of the kingdom."

"Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise" (Proverbs 22:17). If you have entered the study house and seen sages sitting and occupying themselves with the discussion of Torah, incline your ear and listen to their words, in order that you may keep them, as it is said, "For it is pleasant if you keep them in your belly" (Proverbs 22:18). "That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made it known to you this day, even to you" (Proverbs 22:19). Solomon said: I have made my wisdom known in this world so that it may be preserved for the generations.

"Have I not written for you noble things [shalishim] in counsels and knowledge?" (Proverbs 22:20). Bar Hunya said: read it as "in them [bam] counsel and knowledge." "Shalishim" - as in the meaning of "yesterday and the day before [shilshom]" (Exodus 21:29). Another interpretation: "shalishim" means warriors, as in the meaning of "and captains [shalishim] over all of it" (Exodus 14:7). Another interpretation of "shalishim": Rabbi Ishmael said: Every matter of the Torah is threefold. The Torah is in three parts - Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Its letters are threefold - alef, mem, tav, spelling emet [truth]. And the tribe was threefold - Reuben, Simeon, Levi - and its letters are threefold, lamed, vav, yod. And there were three siblings - Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. And he was hidden for three, as it is said, "and she hid him three months" (Exodus 2:2). Israel is threefold - priests, Levites, and Israelites. And it was the third month, as it is said, "in the third month after the children of Israel went out" (Exodus 19:1). The holiness is threefold [Holy, holy, holy]. Rabbi Levi said: From this you have learned that every deed of that day was threefold; therefore it says, "Have I not written for you threefold things." "In counsels and knowledge" - this teaches that through it the Holy One, blessed be He, taught counsel and knowledge to Moses, and wrote it for him in truth, and made it known to him in truth, and gave it to him in truth, so that he might go and make it known and let it be heard by Israel in truth, as it is said, "to make known to you the certainty of the words of truth, that you may return words of truth to those who sent you" (Proverbs 22:21).

(Proverbs 22:22): "Do not rob the poor because he is poor" - and why did Solomon need to mention "poor" twice? Rather, once a man is impoverished of his property - because once he has no property, his wisdom does not endure, as it is said (Ecclesiastes 9:16): "The wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heard." "Poor" of his very life, for he does not have a penny to live on, and through this his life is robbed from the world. Another interpretation of "Do not rob the poor": Rabbi Akiva said, the poverty of the poor man is enough for him; this is what the proverb says: "It is enough for the one in distress; leave him to his distress." "And do not crush the afflicted in the gate" (Proverbs 22:22) - Rabbi Simon said: at the time of his judgment, do not show him pity. Another interpretation: Rabbi Akiva said, there is no mercy in judgment. Another interpretation of "Do not rob the poor": Rabbi Chiyya said, seven names are given to the poor man, and these are they: ani, evyon, misken, dal, dakh, rash, makh. Ani (poor) - as it sounds; evyon (needy) - because he craves everything, he sees a thing and does not eat and does not drink; misken (wretched) - because he is endangered (mesukan) in his life; dal (impoverished) - because he is impoverished of his property; dakh (crushed) - because he is crushed (medukdakh) from place to place; rash (destitute) - because he is made destitute; makh (low) - because he is brought low to the lowest threshold. And is all this poverty not enough, but you would even rob him?! Therefore Solomon explained in his wisdom and said: "Do not rob the poor, because he is poor!" (Proverbs 22:23): "For the LORD will plead their cause" - Rab Hamnuna said: "For the LORD will plead their cause" - in this world, "and despoil of life those who despoil them" - in the world to come.

(Proverbs 22:28): "Do not move the ancient boundary that your fathers made" - Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: a custom that your fathers established, do not change it. For example: Abraham established the morning prayer, as it is written (Genesis 19:27): "And Abraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD." And Isaac established the afternoon prayer, as it is said (Genesis 24:63): "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening." And Jacob established the evening prayer, as it is said (Genesis 28:11): "And he came upon the place and lodged there because the sun had set." So that you not say, "I too will add another" - as it is said, "that your fathers made": only what your fathers made. Rabbi Yochanan said: your fathers did not make them for themselves alone, but they are made for all the generations.

(Proverbs 22:29): "Do you see a man skilled in his work?" - Come and see the wisdom of Solomon, who was skilled in the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, for he built the Temple in seven years [as it is said (1 Kings 6:38): "and he built it in seven years"], and his own house he built in thirteen [as it is said (1 Kings 7:1): "and his house Solomon built in thirteen years"]. Another interpretation of "Do you see a man skilled in his work": at the time when the Sanhedrin sought to count him among three kings and four commoners [who have no share in the world to come], the Shekhinah stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said before Him: 'Master of the worlds! "Do you see a man skilled" - they wish to count him among the obscure ones!' At that moment a heavenly voice went forth and said to them: "He shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before obscure ones" (Proverbs 22:29).

[1] (Proverbs 23:5): "When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings" - Rabbi Ishmael said: Three things have returned to their place: Torah, Israel, and silver and gold. Israel was across the river, as it is written (Joshua 24:2): "Joshua said to all the people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Your fathers lived beyond the River...''" And how do we know they returned to their place? It is said (Jeremiah 27:22): "They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I visit them, says the Lord." Silver and gold were from the land of Egypt, as it is said (Exodus 3:22): "Every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold," and how do we know they returned to their place? It is said (2 Chronicles 12:9): "So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house; he took everything. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made." The Torah was from heaven, as it is said (Deuteronomy 4:36): "Out of heaven He let you hear His voice," but when Israel sinned with the Golden Calf, the tablets were broken and the writing flew back to its place, as it is said, "When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens." Rabbi Yochanan said: Even though the tablets were broken, they were renewed, as it is said (Deuteronomy 10:1): "At that time the Lord said to me, 'Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the former ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood for yourself.'" And what was written on the first was written on the last, as it is said (Deuteronomy 10:4): "He wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments." Rabbi Eliezer asked Rabbi Joshua, "Rabbi, when were the first tablets given to Israel?" He said, "On Yom Kippur." He said, "Where is the proof?" He said, "Just as He did forty days the first time, so He did forty days the second time." He said, "Count from the day the tablets were broken until Yom Kippur, you find eighty days!" [He said,] "Forty that He waited on earth, and forty that He ascended to heaven and descended." He said, "Rabbi, what is the meaning of this verse: (Haggai 1:6): 'You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes'?" [He said,] "You have sown much, but harvest little - from the cessation of the Omer; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied - from the cessation of the showbread; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk - from the cessation of the libations; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough - from the cessation of the priestly garments; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes - from the cessation of the shekels." And he further said to him: "Rabbi, what is the meaning of this verse: (Habakkuk 3:17): 'Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls'?" [He said,] "Though the fig tree should not blossom - from the cessation of the firstfruits; and there be no fruit on the vines - from the cessation of the libations and wine offerings; though the yield of the olive should fail - from the cessation of the oil for lighting and anointing oil; and the fields produce no food - from the cessation of the continual and additional offerings; though the flock should be cut off from the fold - from the cessation of the sacrifices; and there be no cattle in the stalls - from the cessation of the peace offerings. But tomorrow, when the Temple will be rebuilt speedily in our days, what does he say? (Jeremiah 30:18): 'The city will be rebuilt on its ruin, and the palace will stand in its proper place, and from them will proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who celebrate,' and it is written: (Habakkuk 3:19): 'The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, with my stringed instruments.'"...

[2] (Proverbs 23:24): "The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him" - Rabbi Ishmael said: Blessed is David, King of Israel, who merited to give birth to a wise son and to rejoice in his wisdom, therefore it is said "and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him." What is written after it - (Proverbs 23:25): "Let your father and your mother be glad" - Rabbi Akiva said: Even the Holy One, Blessed be He, and Wisdom rejoice in him: "Let your father" - this is the Holy One, Blessed be He; "and your mother" - this is Wisdom, as it is said (Proverbs 2:3): "For if you cry for discernment."

[3] (Proverbs 23:29): "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?" Rabbi Simon said: Come and see how harsh wine is, for thirteen woes [denoted by the hebrew letter vav in the Genesis verse below] are spoken about it at first impression, and these are: (Genesis 9:20-25): "- Noah began and planted a vineyard, and he drank from the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent, and Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and he told his two brothers outside, and Shem and Japheth took the garment, and they placed it upon both their shoulders, and they walked backward, and they covered the nakedness of their father, and their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness, and Noah awoke from his wine, and he knew what his small son had done to him, and he said, 'Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers.'" Solomon came and explained with his wisdom: "Who has woe?" - to one who is drunk; "Who has sorrow?" - woe to this one, woe to his fathers, as it says (Deuteronomy 21:18): "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son." "Who has strife?" - since he becomes drunk with his wine, he reveals a secret between a man and his friend, and he sends disputes. "Who has complaining?" - since he becomes drunk with his wine, he utters excessive complaints. "Who has wounds without cause?" - since he becomes drunk with his wine, he goes and inflicts a wound and bruise for no reason. Why? Because he has no judgment. "Who has redness of eyes?" - if a person merits and drinks according to his needs, it is sweet to his palate. Rabbi Ishmael expounded: (Genesis 49:12): "Red-eyed from wine" - give him wine, for it is pleasant to his palate. And to whom is it pleasant? Rabbi Eliezer says: to one who drinks according to his needs. Rabbi Joshua says: to an old man, as it is said (Genesis 49:12): "and white-toothed from milk." Rabbi Jeremiah said: Do not read "white-toothed" but "white of years": just as this milk soothes the mind of an infant, so does wine restore the mind of an old man. What is written after it? (Proverbs 23:30): "Those who linger over wine, who go to search for mixed wine." Rabbi Eliezer said: Woe to him who leaves the words of the Torah and rises early for wine, what is written after it? (Proverbs 23:31): "Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup" - Rabbi Yochanan said: "In the pocket" is written, and "in the cup" is read, and why is this? The buyer gives his eyes to the cup, and the seller gives his eyes to the pocket. What is written after it? (Proverbs 23:32): "In the end, it bites like a snake and stings like a viper" - just as the snake bites and kills, so does wine bite and kill, just as the viper distinguishes between death and life, so does wine distinguish between death and life.

(Proverbs 24:10): "If you slacken in the day of trouble, your strength is small" - Rabbi Abbahu said: anyone who slackens himself from the words of Torah has no strength to stand in the day of trouble. Rabbi Yitzchak said: anyone who slackens himself from the words of Torah is unable to answer in the day of trouble. Rabbi Levi said: "if you slacken" - in any case [whatever you slacken in, your strength will fail].

(Proverbs 24:23): "These also are for the wise: to show partiality in judgment is not good" - from here Solomon informed the wise so that they would not show partiality in judgment. Why? "Is not good." How so? If a wicked man was standing in judgment, and he was a man of wealth, do not show him favor in judgment because of his wealth, for all will curse him and say to him, 'Woe to this one who lost his life, and he shows him favor because he is a man of wealth,' as it is said (Proverbs 24:24): "He who says to the wicked, 'You are righteous' - peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him." But if he rebukes in judgment, he brings upon himself good blessings, as it is said (Proverbs 24:25): "But to those who rebuke it will be pleasant, and upon them will come a good blessing." What is written after it? (Proverbs 24:26): "He kisses the lips who gives a right answer." Rabbi Levi said: these are words of reproof; this is what is written (Proverbs 8:9): "They are all plain to one who understands, and right to those who find knowledge."

(Proverbs 24:30): "I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a man lacking heart" - what of this field? If a man does not plow it and sow it, it brings up nothing but thorns and thistles; "and by the vineyard of a man lacking heart" - what of this vineyard? If a man does not hoe it and weed it, it brings up weeds. So too the disciple of the wise: if he does not engage in give and take in the words of Torah, in the end he seeks the opening of the chapter and does not find it, the opening of the tractate and does not find it. (Proverbs 24:31): "And behold, it had all gone up in thorns, nettles had covered its face, and its stone wall was broken down" - Rabbi Yochanan said: that he breached the fence of Torah. As long as words of Torah enter and find the chambers of the heart empty, they enter and dwell within it, and the evil inclination has no power over them, and no man can drive them out from within him. A parable of a king of flesh and blood who was walking in the wilderness, and found there a hall and great chambers; he entered and dwelt within them. So too the evil inclination: if it does not find words of Torah, it rules among them, and you cannot drive it out from within you.

"These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out" (Proverbs 25:1). Rabbi Levi said: For what reason did the men of Hezekiah king of Judah merit length of days? Because they were deliberate and settled the law carefully, as it is said: "Apples of gold in settings of silver, [a word fitly spoken]" (Proverbs 25:11). Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: What does Scripture mean to teach by "these also"? Rather, it teaches that they were deliberate in judgment and settled the law carefully, for whoever is impatient in judgment will in the end forget his words. So we find with Moses our teacher: because he was impatient for a moment, he forgot his words, and Eleazar answered in his place, as it is said: "And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who came to the battle: This is the statute of the Torah which the LORD commanded Moses" (Numbers 31:21). He commanded Moses our teacher, but me He did not command. "Which the men of Hezekiah copied out" - why is this said? For I might say: Proverbs and Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes were hidden away until they were written down. In Proverbs what does it say? "She is noisy and rebellious; her feet do not stay in her house; now she is in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she lies in wait" (Proverbs 7:11). In Song of Songs what does it say? "My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh that lies between my breasts; my beloved is to me a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi" (Song of Songs 1:13). In Ecclesiastes what does it say? "Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment" (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Rabbi Yohanan said: They sought to hide away the book of Ecclesiastes, for they found in it matters that incline toward heresy. Moses our teacher said: "You shall not go about after your own heart and after your own eyes, after which you go astray" (Numbers 15:39), and Solomon said: "Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes" (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Is the restraint loosened? Is there no law and no judge?! But once they found at the end of the verse "but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment," they said, 'Solomon spoke well.' Another interpretation: "which they copied out" - "copied out" means nothing other than "explained," as in the verse "And he moved from there to the mountain" (Genesis 12:8), and there is no need to cite "who removes mountains, and they do not know it" (Job 9:5). Are these not matters of an a fortiori argument? If Moses our teacher, father of the prophets and father of the sages, because he was impatient for a moment forgot his words, how much more so the rest of humankind. Ben Azzai says: You stood by your words - you fulfilled them.

"Clouds and wind but no rain - so is the man who boasts of a gift falsely" (Proverbs 25:14). Rabbi Levi said: For the sin of those who make vows in public and do not fulfill them, the heavens are restrained from sending down dew and rain. "A man who boasts of a gift falsely" - the Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is better for a person not to vow than to vow and not pay, as is made explicit by Solomon: "It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay" (Ecclesiastes 5:4).

"You have found honey; eat what is enough for you" (Proverbs 25:16) - this is Shimon ben Azzai; "lest you have your fill of it and vomit it up" - this is Shimon ben Zoma.

"A club and a sword and a sharpened arrow - so is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor" (Proverbs 25:18). Rabbi Abbahu said: Come and see how grave is the evil tongue, set against these three things, against the spears and the sword and the arrows. Just as the spear pierces and kills, so the evil tongue kills and slays; and just as the sword kills and slays, so the evil tongue kills and slays; and just as this arrow - one throws it and cannot bring it back - so the evil tongue kills and slays. And just as David cursed it, so Solomon cursed it: David said "May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks boastful things" (Psalms 12:4), and Solomon said "A club and a sword and a sharpened arrow."

"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink" (Proverbs 25:21). Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: Even though he rose early to kill you, if he comes hungry and thirsty into your house, feed him and give him drink. Why? "For you will be heaping coals upon his head, and the LORD will repay you" (Proverbs 25:22) - do not read "will repay you" [yeshallem lakh], but rather "will make him at peace with you" [yashlimennu lakh].

"Do not answer a fool according to his folly" (Proverbs 26:4) - what is written after it? "Answer a fool according to his folly" (Proverbs 26:5)! Rav Huna said: "Do not answer a fool according to his folly" - in a place where they know you and know him, "lest you become like him yourself," so that they not say, 'Come and see a wise man trading words back and forth with the fool.' "Answer a fool according to his folly" - Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: in a place where they do not know you and do not know him. Why? "Lest he be wise in his own eyes," so that they not say, 'Were he not under suspicion in the matters he speaks about, the wise man would not have stayed silent before him.'

(Proverbs 26:8): "As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool." Rabbi Alexandrai said: Anyone who apportions honor to a fool is like one who throws a stone to Merkulis [the pagan idol whose worship was performed precisely by hurling stones at it].

(Proverbs 26:18): "Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death" - Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: Anyone who sits and deceives his fellow with cruel words is as though he shoots arrows and death at him. (Proverbs 26:19): "So is the man who deceives his fellow and says, 'Was I not only joking?'" What is written after it? (Proverbs 26:20): "For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, strife falls silent." Just as with fire, in a place where there is no wood there is no fire, so too in a place where there is no slander, strife falls silent. What is written after it? (Proverbs 26:21): "Coal for embers and wood for fire, and a quarrelsome man for kindling strife."

(Proverbs 26:24): "With his lips an enemy disguises himself, and within himself he sets deceit." Rabbi Zeira said: From a person's words you can know whether he loves you or hates you. For so we find with Haman the wicked, who spoke with Mordecai with his mouth, while in his heart was his hatred for him, as it is said (Esther 6:7): "And Haman said in his heart, etc." And there is another verse as well (Esther 5:9): "And Haman was filled with rage against Mordecai." And so we find with Esau the wicked, who spoke with Jacob, while in his heart he hated him, as it is said (Genesis 27:41): "Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill my brother Jacob." There we learned: There are ten dotted places in the Torah. (Genesis 16:5): "May the LORD judge between me and you" - the yod of "and you" [u-veinekha, written defectively] is dotted, teaching that Sarah our mother was saying, 'Let Hagar return to her servitude,' while Abraham our father was saying, 'After we have made her a mistress, shall we turn back and enslave her again? This is a desecration of the name of Heaven.' If so, let the Omnipresent decide between my words and your words, as it is said (Genesis 21:12): "All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice" - just as the first matter concerned Hagar, so the second concerned Hagar. (Genesis 19:33): "And he did not know when she lay down and when she arose" - why is it dotted? It teaches that he did not know when she lay down, but he did know when she arose: in the lying down of the elder daughter and in the arising of the younger, teaching that one transgression drags along another. (Genesis 37:12): "And his brothers went to pasture their father's flock in Shechem" - the word "et" is dotted over it, teaching that they did not go to pasture but to eat and to drink. And the matter is an argument from minor to major: if at the time they went to eat and to drink there came forth from them sustenance for the world, then if they had gone to study Torah, how much more so. (Numbers 9:10): "Or on a distant journey" - it teaches that the journey was not distant, but only from the threshold of the Temple court and outward. (Numbers 3:39): "All those counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron counted" - "and Aaron" is dotted over it, teaching that Aaron was not part of the count. (Numbers 29:15): "And a tenth-part, a tenth-part" - the first "tenth-part" is dotted over it, teaching that it did not require two tenth-parts, but only a single tenth-part. (Numbers 10:35): "And it came to pass when the Ark journeyed" - it is dotted both before and after, [about which] Rabbi said: It was a book unto itself and was hidden away. (Numbers 21:30): "And we have laid waste up to Nophach which is up to Medeba" - it is dotted over it, teaching that they left a remnant there. (Deuteronomy 29:28): "The hidden things belong to the LORD our God, and the revealed things to us and to our children" - it is dotted over "to us and to our children," teaching that Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the worlds, regarding what is revealed we are commanded, but we are not commanded regarding what is hidden? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Even regarding what is revealed you are not able to stand. (Genesis 33:4): "And he fell upon his neck and kissed him, and they wept" - it is dotted over "and kissed him," teaching that it was not a real kiss of love, but of hatred. Rabbi Shimon ben Manasya said: And what was Esau the wicked thinking at that moment, in the category of one who loves or in the category of one who hates? You must say, in the category of one who hates. And so it says (Proverbs 21:1): "Streams of water, etc." Thus you have learned that he was speaking with Jacob with his mouth while hatred was in his heart, as it is said "and within himself he sets deceit." Rabbi Simon said: At the moment when Esau the wicked was pleading before his father and saying (Genesis 27:38): "Bless me, even me also, my father," it was in his [Isaac's] mind to bless him more than Jacob his brother. Immediately the Holy Spirit set him apart and said to him, 'Isaac, Isaac, do not trust in the entreaties of the wicked, as it is said:'

(Proverbs 26:25): "When he makes his voice gracious, do not trust him, for seven abominations are in his heart." What is the meaning of "for seven abominations are in his heart"? Rabbi Yochanan said: It teaches that the Divine Presence answered Isaac and said to him, 'It is revealed and known before Me that he is destined to destroy the Temple and to enslave the twelve tribes.' At that moment he blessed him with a light blessing. He said to him (Genesis 27:40): "And by your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve" - when? As long as they sit and occupy themselves with Torah. But if they are negligent in the words of Torah - "you shall break his yoke from off your neck." Immediately (Genesis 27:22): "and the hands are the hands of Esau" - if they are worthy, "the voice is the voice of Jacob," and if not, "the hands are the hands of Esau."

(Proverbs 27:2): "Let a stranger praise you and not your own mouth, an alien and not your own lips." Rabbi Avun said: It is a disgrace for a person to speak words of praise about his own name with his own mouth; rather, "an alien and not your own lips."

(Proverbs 27:17): "Iron sharpens iron" - this is Moses and Pharaoh the wicked, who struck against one another with words. Another interpretation: this is the staff of Aaron and the magicians of Egypt, who struck against one another with sorceries. Rabbi Zeira said: At the time Moses entered before Pharaoh, he [Pharaoh] said to him, 'Who sent you?' He said to him, 'The God of the Hebrews.' He said to him, 'And what did He say?' He said to him, 'Send out My people that they may serve Me.' He said to him, 'Is there then a god in the world whom I do not know? (Exodus 5:2): "I do not know the LORD!"' And he said to him, 'By your life, every deity that I know, each and every one has sent me a letter, but the god you mention has never in his days sent me a letter. Wait for me a little until I bring my register in which all the letters of kings are recorded.' Immediately he sent and brought his archive, and seventy scribes who knew the seventy languages, and they began reading the letters before him. Since they did not find the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, he said before him, 'Did I not say to you so - I do not know the LORD!' Immediately he sent and brought the sages of Egypt. He said to them, 'Have you ever in your days heard the name of the god of these people?' They said to him, 'So we have heard, that he is a son of sages and a son of the kings of old,' as it is said (Isaiah 19:11): "Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the wise counselors of Pharaoh, a brutish counsel; how can you say to Pharaoh, 'I am a son of sages, a son of the kings of old?'" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'Fools of the world, you have called yourselves sages and Me the son of sages? By your lives, I will destroy your wisdom from the world,' as it is said (Isaiah 29:14): "And the wisdom of its sages shall perish, and the understanding of its discerning ones shall be hidden." When Moses saw that he [Pharaoh] was reviling himself with words, he returned before the Almighty and said before Him, 'Master of the worlds, did I not say so before You at the outset (Exodus 4:13): "Send, I pray, by the hand of him whom You will send?" For he sits and reviles with words and says to me, "I do not know the LORD!"' He said to him, 'By your life, he has said "I do not know the LORD," but in the end he will know; and he says "and also I will not send Israel," but in the end he will send against his will.' A parable to a king who said to his servant, 'Go out and bring me a fish from the market.' He went and brought him a spoiled fish. He said to him, 'By decree, either eat the fish, or take a hundred lashes, or pay a hundred maneh.' He said to him, 'I will eat the fish.' He had not managed to eat it before he said, 'I will take the hundred lashes.' He was lashed up to sixty or up to seventy, and had not managed to finish the lashing before he said, 'I will pay a hundred maneh.' He is thus found eating the spoiled fish, taking the blows, and paying a hundred maneh. So it was done to the Egyptians: they were stricken, and they sent them out, and they gave their wealth. What caused this for them? Because they hardened themselves before the Omnipresent; therefore the Omnipresent hardened Himself all the more against them through Moses. Therefore it is said, "Iron sharpens iron."

"Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 27:18). Rabbi Levi said: If a person merits Torah in this world, he will eat its fruit in the World to Come. There we have learned (Mishnah Peah 1:1): "These are the things that have no fixed measure: the corner of the field [left for the poor], the first-fruits, the festival offering, acts of loving-kindness, and the study of Torah. And these are the things whose fruit a person eats in this world while the principal remains intact for him in the World to Come: honoring father and mother, acts of loving-kindness, making peace between a person and his fellow, visiting the sick, attentiveness in prayer, rising early to the house of study, and the study of Torah, which is equal to them all." Therefore it is said, "Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 27:18).

"As in water face reflects face" (Proverbs 27:19). Rabbi Chanina said: Does water then have a face? Rather, just as with this water, when a person places it in a vessel and gazes into it, it appears to you [reflecting your own face back], so too "the heart of a person to a person" [one person's heart is reflected in another's].

"Know well the faces of your flock, set your heart to the herds" (Proverbs 27:23). This is what Israel replies to the Holy One, blessed be He, saying before Him: 'Master of the worlds, You have known well the faces of Your flock in this world; set Your heart to the herds in the time to come!' And from where do we know that Israel are called "flock"? As it is said (Ezekiel 34:31): "And you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are man." And from where do we know that Israel are called "herds"? As it is said (Ezekiel 34:14): "In good pasture I will graze them, and on the high mountains of Israel will be their fold; there they shall lie down, etc." Another interpretation: "set your heart to the herds" - just as the shepherd grazes his herds flock by flock, each apart, so in the time to come Israel are destined to encamp camp by camp.

"Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity" (Proverbs 28:6) - this is Jacob; "than one crooked in his ways though he be rich" - this is Esau the wicked, who was created entirely like a hairy mantle, as it is said (Genesis 25:25): "all of him like a hairy mantle, and they called his name Esau."

"He who turns away his ear from hearing Torah" (Proverbs 28:9) - Rav Huna said: Anyone to whom the words of Torah are not beloved, "even his prayer is an abomination." Rabbi Chanin said: It is stated here "he who turns away his ear from hearing Torah," and elsewhere it says (Proverbs 21:13): "he who stops his ear from the cry of the poor" - just as there, "he too will call out and not be answered," so too here, "his prayer is an abomination."