Solomon, the Yod, and Pharaoh's Crown Demand to Moses

Another interpretation: "For oppression makes a wise man foolish" (Ecclesiastes 7:7). The dealings in which Solomon engaged, with matters that were not necessary, led him astray, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [his wives turned away his heart after other gods]" (I Kings 11:4). Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: It would have been better for him had he raked out gutters, and this verse had not been written about him. And what are these matters? "The words of Agur son of Jakeh, the burden; [the utterance of the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal]" (Proverbs 30:1). Why was his name called Agur? Because he gathered up the Torah. "Son of" (ben)—because he understood it (bin). "Jakeh" (Yakeh)—because he disgorged it (heki). What is "to Ithiel" (le-Iti'el)? That the Holy One, blessed be He, wrote in His Torah, "He shall not multiply wives for himself" (Deuteronomy 17:17), so that his heart not turn away. Solomon said: I will multiply, and I do not fear that his heart will turn away. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: The yod went up and prostrated itself before the Holy One, blessed be He. It said before Him: Master of the World, have You written one letter in Your Torah in vain? Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught: The book of Deuteronomy went up before the Holy One, blessed be He. It said before Him: Master of the World, here is Solomon seeking to uproot a yod from me, for You wrote in me, "He shall not multiply horses for himself," "He shall not multiply wives for himself," "and silver and gold he shall not greatly multiply for himself" (Deuteronomy 17:16–17). Whence did he multiply horses? As it is said, "And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses" (I Kings 5:6). Whence did he multiply wives? As it is said, "And he had seven hundred wives, princesses" (I Kings 11:3). He multiplied silver and gold, as it is said, "And the king made silver [as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones]" (I Kings 10:27). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it: By your life, Solomon and a hundred like him shall be nullified, but one letter shall not be nullified. And what caused Solomon to come to this? The dealing with matters in which there was no need. Thus, "For oppression makes a wise man foolish." And do not say Solomon alone, but even Moses, at the hour when he went to Pharaoh. What is written? "And afterward Moses and Aaron came [and said to Pharaoh]" (Exodus 5:1). Rabbi Hiyya bar Rabbi Abba said: It was Pharaoh's reception day, and all the kings came and crowned him, for he was the mighty ruler of the world. And Moses and Aaron were standing at the palace gate. They came in to Pharaoh and said to him: Two elders are standing at the gate of your palace. He said to them: Are there crowns in their hands? They said to him: No. He said to them: Let them come last. They came in to Pharaoh. He said to them: What do you seek? They said to him: "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us to you," and He said to us that we should say to you, "Send out My people that they may serve Me in the wilderness" (Exodus 7:16). He said to them, "Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?" (Exodus 5:2)—and He did not know enough to send me a crown of His own, but comes to me with words. "Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?"