Why the Righteous Flourish Like the Thorned Palm Tree

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bamidbar 17:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

[Another interpretation] (of Psalms 92:13): "The righteous one shall flourish like the palm." Just as this palm tree produces dates and produces thorns—everyone who seeks to steal the dates, the thorns prevail over him—so it is with the righteous: everyone who does not guard his soul from them is stricken. Why? Because their bite is the bite of a fox, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, and their hiss is the hiss of a serpent, and even all their words are like coals of fire (Avot 2:10).

Themes

RighteousnessAdam EveDavidPsalmsHumor

Biblical References

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