Midrash Mishlei turns to Korah Beyond the Firmament.
There's hope! (Proverbs 1:23) offers a chance for redemption: "Turn to my reproof." The Midrash interprets this as referring to the Israelites who were rebuked by Moses after the sin of the Golden Calf. And the promise? "'Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you' - When he explained to them the Mishnah (the earliest code of rabbinic law) Torah." The Mishnah Torah refers to Moses's detailed explanation of the Torah, including all its intricacies of ritual purity (taharah) and impurity (tumah), what's permitted (mutar) and forbidden (assur).
What happens when the call to return isn't heeded? (Proverbs 1:24) states: "Because I have called and you refused." The Midrash sees multiple layers of meaning here. First, it's the Holy One, Blessed be He, whose voice went unheeded, leading to the people's continued sin. As we find in (Exodus 16:28), "'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?'" But it's also Moses, calling the people to Torah, and they simply didn't believe. And it's also Jeremiah, pleading with Jerusalem to repent, as (Zechariah 7:11) says: "But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder.."
Then comes a chilling image: "I have stretched out my hand, and no one regards." One interpretation says this refers to the angel Gabriel, his hand extended over Jerusalem for six and a half years, holding fiery coals, waiting for them to repent. Imagine that – divine patience stretched to its limit. The Midrash also suggests that it is the hand of the Holy One, Blessed be He, extended for the same agonizingly long period, hoping for their return.
But what happens when that patience runs out? Rabbi Jeremiah says it lasts until His anger returns. As (Hosea 14:5) says, "'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger is turned away from him.'"
The Midrash then intensifies the consequences. (Proverbs 1:25), "'But you have ignored all my counsel… And would have none of my reproof'" is linked to Moses and Jeremiah, their wisdom rejected, their warnings scorned. Jeremiah even prophesizes that the scoffers will themselves be mocked in the future. (Proverbs 1:26-27) warns: "'I also will laugh at your calamity,'... 'When your fear comes as destruction.'"
Rabbi Ishmael emphasizes the urgency, quoting (Isaiah 55:6): "'Seek the Lord while He may be found.'" A day is coming, he warns, when calls for help will go unanswered, as (Proverbs 1:28) makes clear: "'Then they will call me, but I will not answer.'" Why? Because, as (Proverbs 1:29) tells us, "'Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.'"
The Holy One, Blessed be He, pleads through the prophets, as (Ezekiel 33:11) states: "'Turn back, turn back from your evil ways.'" But if they don't, (Proverbs 1:31) warns: "'Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way.'" The Midrash concludes with a stark choice. (Proverbs 1:32): "'For the waywardness of the naive will kill them.'" But there’s a promise too, a promise of safety and security. (Proverbs 1:33): "'But whoever listens to me will dwell securely.'"
So, what do we take away from this? The Midrash Mishlei isn't just a history lesson. It's a constant reminder that the choices we make today echo throughout eternity. Will we be among those who learn from the past, who heed the call of wisdom, or will we repeat the mistakes of those who came before us? The choice, as always, is ours.
[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.'"
