Four Who Listened and the Reward of the Open Ear

"But whoever listens to me shall dwell secure, and shall be at ease" (Proverbs 1:33). There are four kinds of listeners. There is one who listens and loses, one who listens and gains, one who does not listen and loses, and one who does not listen and gains. One who listened and lost: this is Adam, of whom it is said, "Because you listened to the voice of your wife" (Genesis 3:17). And what did he lose? "For dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (there, 3:19). One who listened and gained: this is our father Abraham, of whom it is said, "In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice" (Genesis 21:12). And what did he gain? "For through Isaac shall offspring be called yours" (there). One who did not listen and gained: this is Joseph, "and he did not listen to her, to lie beside her" (Genesis 39:10). And what did he gain? "And Joseph shall lay his hand upon your eyes" (Genesis 46:4). Those who did not listen and lost: this is Israel, "but they did not listen to me, nor incline their ear" (Jeremiah 7:26). And what did they lose? "Those for death, to death; and those for the sword, to the sword" (Jeremiah 15:2). Rabbi Levi said: the ear is to the body as the wick-spout [funnel] is to the vessels. Just as with a wick-spout, when it is filled the vessels beneath it are filled and all of them feel it, so too "incline your ear and come to me; listen, that your soul may live" (Isaiah 55:3).