| { | |
| "title": "Midrash Mishlei", | |
| "language": "en", | |
| "versionTitle": "merged", | |
| "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/Midrash_Mishlei", | |
| "text": [ | |
| [ | |
| "[1] (Proverbs 1:1): \"The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel\" - Rabbi Tanhum ben Hanilai began and said: (Job 28:12): \"But wisdom - where can it be found? And where is the place of understanding?\" - This refers to Solomon, who fasted for forty days, so that God would grant him a spirit of wisdom and understanding, and he wandered around and sought after it. God said to him (1 Kings 3:5): \"Ask, what shall I give you?\" He replied, 'Master of the Universe, I ask of You neither silver nor gold, but wisdom alone,' as it is written (1 Kings 3:9): \"Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people.\" God answered him and said, 'Since you asked for neither silver nor gold, wisdom and knowledge are given to you as a gift.' Moreover, wisdom preceded the Torah, as it is written (Psalms 111:10): \"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.\" There we learned (Mishnah Avot 3:17): \"Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no proper conduct.\" And since his wisdom preceded, the scripture said about him (1 Kings 3:3): \"And Solomon loved the Lord\"; it teaches that Solomon's wisdom was a gift. \"And where is the place of understanding?\" - Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: Wisdom and understanding are one, where there is wisdom there is understanding, and where there is understanding there is wisdom. And since he fasted for forty days and sought wisdom, God did not withhold his reward, as it is written (1 Kings 5:26): \"And the Lord gave wisdom to Solomon,\" and it is written: (1 Kings 5:11): \"And he was wiser than all men\" - this refers to Adam the first, as it is written about Solomon (Proverbs 30:2): \"For I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man\"; \"than Ethan from the East\" - this is Abraham, as it is written (Isaiah 41:2): \"Who raised up one from the east, He calls him to His foot\"; \"Heman\" - this is Moses, as it is said (Numbers 12:7): \"Not so, My servant Moses, in all My house he is faithful\"; \"Calcol\" - this is Joseph, as it is written (Genesis 47:12): \"And Joseph sustained his father, and his brothers\"; \"Darda\" - this refers to the generation of the desert, who were of exceptional knowledge; \"the sons of Mahol\" - this is David, whom God forgave for that sin. \"And his name was among all the nations around\" - this refers to Solomon, whose name went from one end of the world to the other. ANOTHER interpretation: \"And wisdom, from where can it be found?\" - this refers to the Queen of Sheba, who heard of his wisdom, said 'I will go and see if he is wise or not', and from where do we know that she heard his wisdom? It is written (1 Kings 10:1): \"And the Queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, and she came to prove him with hard questions.\" What are \"hard questions\"? Rabbi Jeremiah Bar Shalom said: she asked him 'Are you Solomon, about whom I heard, and about your kingdom, and about your wisdom?' He replied 'Yes.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you one thing, will you answer me?' He replied (Proverbs 2:6): \"For the LORD giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.\" She asked him a riddle 'What are the seven that go out, the nine that enter, the two that pour, and the one who drinks?' He answered her 'Certainly, the seven days of menstruation go out, the nine months of pregnancy enter, two breasts pour, and the baby drinks.' She said to him 'You are a great sage, but if I ask you another thing will you answer me?' He replied 'For the LORD giveth wisdom', She asked him 'What is it, a woman said to her son: your father - my father, your elder - my husband, you - my son, and I - your sister?' He answered her 'Certainly, these are Lot's two daughters.' And another example she did: she brought before him children of one height and one garment, and said to him 'Distinguish for me from these males and females.' He hinted to his eunuch, and brought him nuts and shells, and began to scatter them before them; males, who were not ashamed, took them in their garments, and females, who were ashamed, took them in their handkerchiefs. He said to her 'These are males and these are females.' She said to him 'Son, you are a great sage!'. And another example she did: she brought circumcised and uncircumcised, said to him 'Distinguish for me the circumcised from the uncircumcised'; he immediately hinted to the high priest and opened the Ark of the Covenant, the circumcised among them bowed down to half their height, and not only that but their faces were filled with the radiance of the Divine Presence, and the uncircumcised among them fell on their faces, he immediately said to her 'These are uncircumcised and these are circumcised.' She said to him 'Where did you get that from?' He said to her 'From Balaam, for it is written (Numbers 24:4): \"He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling but with opened eyes\", if he had not fallen - he would not have seen anything.' And if you don't want to learn from Balaam, come and learn from Job: at the hour when the three friends of Job came to comfort him, he said to them (Job 12:3): 'I have a heart like you; I am not inferior to you,' 'I am not inferior to you.' At that hour it was said to him (1 Kings 10:7): 'I did not believe the words until I came and my eyes saw, and behold, the half was not told to me; you have added wisdom and goodness to the hearing that I have heard; happy are your men, happy are these your servants who stand before you always and hear your wisdom; may the Lord your God be blessed who desired you, to place you on the throne of Israel and so on, and he made you king to do justice and righteousness.' It was said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' and it was said about David 'justice and righteousness,' from where? Because it is written (2 Samuel 8:15): 'David administered justice and righteousness to all his people,' and it is said about Solomon 'justice and righteousness,' the Scripture tells us that the wisdom of Solomon is equal to the wisdom of David, and the wisdom of David is equal to the wisdom of Solomon. Alternatively, 'Where can wisdom be found?' - this teaches that Solomon was searching for where wisdom is found. Rabbi Eliezer says: in the head, Rabbi Joshua says: in the heart. As it is said (Psalms 4:1): 'You have given joy in my heart,' and it is written (Proverbs 27:11): 'Be wise, my son, and gladden my heart.' And why was wisdom given in the heart - because all the organs depend on the heart. Solomon said: I am doing as my father opened, who opened with his wisdom with the first letters and ended with the middle letters: [opened] with the head - because it is written (Psalms 1:1): 'Happy is the man who does not walk,' and he ended in the middle - as it is said (Psalms 150:6): 'Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.' In the beginning, I open in the middle, and I end at the end: I open from the place where wisdom is given, where is it - in the heart, and where is the heart given - in the middle. It turns out you are saying that David caught on to Rabbi Eliezer's words, and Solomon to Rabbi Joshua's words. And not only that, but the heart is in God's hands, as it is written (Proverbs 21:1): 'The king's heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wills.' And since Solomon saw that wisdom is given in the heart, he said: I am beginning from the place where wisdom was given, for he says 'The proverbs of Solomon.' 'The son of David' - what son of David, and don't all know that he is the son of David?! Rather, everything he did, he did in honor of David. 'King of Israel' - and don't all know that he is the King of Israel?! Rather, what he did, he did for the honor of Israel.\" ", | |
| "[2] (Proverbs 1:2): 'To know wisdom and discipline' - If [it's about] wisdom, why [mention] discipline? And if [it's about] discipline, why [mention] wisdom? Rather, if a person has wisdom, he can learn discipline, and if a person doesn't have wisdom, he cannot learn discipline. Alternatively, 'To know wisdom and discipline' - if a person has wisdom, the words of the Torah are entrusted to him, and if he doesn't have wisdom, the words of the Torah are not entrusted to him. 'To understand words of understanding' - a person must have understanding, to understand one thing from another.\"", | |
| "[3] (Proverbs 1:3): 'To receive the instruction of intelligence, righteousness, justice, and equity' - Once a person has been appointed as a judge, he needs to understand how to vindicate the innocent and condemn the guilty. Alternatively, once a person has been appointed as a judge, he needs to understand how to scrutinize the law so that he does not sin and lead the world astray. For if he corrupts the judgment, he is sinning and causing the world to sin. But if he executes the judgment truthfully, he is found to be acting with justice, righteousness, and equity. What are these 'equities'? Just as a person walks in them without stumbling, so too, if he executes the judgment truthfully, he will not stumble on the Day of Judgment, and the ministering angels will advocate on his behalf.", | |
| "[4] (Proverbs 1:4): 'To give prudence to the simple, etc.' - Solomon said: I was simple, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me prudence; I was a youth, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me discretion. Alternatively, 'to give prudence to the simple' - from how many years onward does a person need to have prudence? From the age of twenty and above. 'To the young man knowledge and discretion' - until how many years is a person considered a youth? Rabbi Meir says: until 25 years, Rabbi Akiva says: until 30 years. Rabbi Ishmael says: neither according to this opinion nor according to that, but until twenty years, for from twenty years and above his sins are considered against him, as it is said: 'from twenty years and above he will come to work service,' (What is 'service of service'? Resh Lakish says: there is no service except prayer, as it is said (Psalms 2:11): 'Serve the Lord with fear'), from the time he is considered for service - he is considered for transgression.", | |
| "[5] (Proverbs 1:5): 'A wise man will hear, and will increase learning' - Rabbi Jeremiah said: If you see a wise man who becomes wiser in Torah, they will add Torah to his Torah, wisdom to his wisdom. 'And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels' - If a person understands on his own, he will go and study Torah, acquiring for himself life in this world and life in the world to come....", | |
| "[6] To understand a proverb, and a figure of speech\" - To understand a proverb - these are the parables of the Torah, and a figure of speech - this is the Torah itself, which is called a figure of speech, for it shields those who engage in it from the judgment of Gehenna in the future to come. Another interpretation: Why is it called a figure of speech? - Because anyone who mocks the words of Torah will have mockery added to him, as it is stated (Proverbs 3:34): \"Surely He scorneth the scorners.\" \"The words of the wise and their riddles\" - If a person hears words of wisdom, he needs to bind them to his heart, as it is stated (Proverbs 6:21): \"Bind them continually upon thy heart.\" \"And their riddles\" - Rabbi Levi said: Even their mundane conversation is weighed against the entire Torah.", | |
| "[7] \"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge\" - Rabbi Zera said: From here you learn that Solomon agreed with the opinion of his father David, as David said (Psalms 111:10): \"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,\" and Solomon said: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, to say that wisdom and knowledge are equal. \"Fools despise wisdom and instruction\" - We learned there: (Mishnah Avot 4:8): \"Rabbi Yosi says: Whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored by creatures, and whoever desecrates the Torah, his body is desecrated by creatures.\" Another interpretation: \"Wisdom and instruction\" - If instruction, why wisdom? And if wisdom, why instruction? Rather, if a person learns the words of the Torah and engages in them according to their needs, he has both wisdom and instruction; if not, they are despised, and he is called a fool. We learned there (Avot of Rabbi Nathan 24:6): \"Because he does not labor in them, he will end up seeking the beginning of a chapter and not finding it, the beginning of a tractate and not finding it, the beginning of a section and not knowing even one verse, and regarding him Solomon said: (Proverbs 24:30): 'I went by the field of a lazy man, etc., and behold, it was all grown over with thistles, etc.', for if he forgets, he will end up declaring the impure pure and the pure impure, and regarding him Solomon said (Proverbs 24:31): 'It was all covered with weeds,' and if he engages in them according to their needs, they brighten and illuminate his face, as it is stated (Daniel 12:3): 'And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.'\" \"Therefore, Solomon foresaw with his wisdom and said (Proverbs 1:8): 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching': 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - What was given to you at Sinai regarding honoring your father; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - What was admonished to you at Sinai regarding honoring your mother. And if you do so, you will be found honoring both father and mother. Another interpretation: 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - This is the Written Torah; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - All that was explained to you at Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty in the Torah, regarding pure, pure, and regarding impure, impure, and regarding forbidden, forbidden, and regarding permitted, permitted, and if you do so - the words of the Torah are found to be a crown on your head and necklaces for your neck, as it is written (Proverbs 1:9): 'For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains about your neck' - as long as you make your voice heard in them, they become honey and milk under your tongue.\"", | |
| "[8] \"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent!\" - Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: From whom did Solomon learn? From the wisdom of his father David, who said (Proverbs 13:21): \"Sinners are pursued by evil.\" Therefore, Solomon foresaw with his wisdom and said, \"My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.\" If they say, 'So-and-so is rich; let's go and kill him and take his money,' do not listen to them, because all their thoughts are for evil. And if you do so, you will be found to be fulfilling all the commandments in the Torah, and whoever fulfills one commandment is as if he fulfilled the entire Torah, and whoever saves one soul from Israel is as if he saved a whole world, and whoever destroys one soul from Israel is as if he destroyed a whole world. Moreover, his sins are hidden from him for the future to come.", | |
| "[9] \"If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause'\" - These are the brothers of Joseph, who were lurking and saying, 'When will the end come, and we will kill him?' And when he came to them, they began to say to one another, 'This is the hour; this is the season,' and the Divine Presence (Shechinah) was jesting and saying, 'Woe to them for the blood of this righteous one.' Therefore, it is said, \"We will lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.\" And of them all, none wanted to save him except Reuben, as it is said, \"Reuben heard, and he saved him from their hand.\" He said to them, 'Come, and I will give you advice,' They said to him, 'What advice are you giving us?' He said to them, 'Let us throw him into the pit while he is alive, and our hand will not be upon him,' From where [do we learn this]? As it is stated: (Proverbs 1:12): \"We will swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit\" - that he went down to the pit in his innocence, and he did not know what they were going to do to him. Rabbi Levi ben Zavdai said: \"Who lowered [Joseph] into the pit from among all his brothers? You must say it was Simeon and Levi, as it is said (Genesis 49:6), 'Into their council let my soul not enter.' But Reuben intended to save him and return him to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:22), 'That he might save him from their hand, to restore him to his father.' (Genesis 37:29): 'And Reuben returned to the pit' - where was he? Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah [disagreed]: Rabbi Judah said, 'The burden of the household was thrust upon him, and as soon as he was free from his burden, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him. This is the meaning of \"And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and he tore his clothes.\"' Rabbi Nehemiah said, 'He was occupied in his sackcloth and fasting over the incident that occurred, and he did not turn [from it], and as soon as he was free from his sackcloth and fasting, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him, as it says \"And Reuben returned to the pit, etc.\" ' Not only that, but once they sold him, the Divine Presence (Shechinah) mocked them and said to them (Isaiah 55:8), 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, etc.,' not with the thought that you think, 'nor your ways my ways,' and not in the way that you say, for if there were not a decree from before Me, your counsel would be nothing. (Proverbs 1:13): 'All precious substance shall we find, our houses shall be filled with spoil' - this is the sale of Joseph, who was a precious son to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:3), 'For he was the son of his old age,' he was found to sustain them, as it is written (Genesis 45:5), 'For God sent me before you to preserve life.' 'Our houses shall be filled with spoil' - that they filled their houses with silver and gold from Joseph's treasures. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: The ten martyrs were drawn [to their deaths] only by the sin of selling Joseph. Rabbi Avin said: You must say that ten were exacted from every generation, and still, that sin persists. (Proverbs 1:14): 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - when Joseph sat down, he took the key and was calling out: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Dan and Naphtali - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Gad and Asher - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; and he went back and hit with the key and said: Benjamin is an orphan, and I am an orphan, it is fitting for an orphan to sit with an orphan, 'One purse shall be ours' - for they all ate at one table at the banquet. How did he do it? He gave each one one portion, and to Benjamin five portions, how? He took his portion, and Benjamin's portion, and Ephraim's portion, and Manasseh's portion, and the portion of Asenath, Joseph's wife, and gave it to Benjamin, as it is said (Genesis 43:34): 'And he took and sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs, and they drank and were merry with him.' Rabbi Shmuelai said in the name of Rabbi Isaac from Magdala: From the day that Joseph separated from his brothers he did not taste the taste of wine until that day, as it is written (Genesis 49:26), 'And the crown of the head of his brothers' Nazirite.' Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said: They also did not taste the taste of wine, as it is said, 'And they drank and were merry with him.' Another explanation, 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - this is the Torah, which was the lot of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and given to Israel; 'One purse shall be ours' - at the time when they stood at Mount Sinai and said (Exodus 24:7), 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear.'\"", | |
| "[10](Proverbs 1:15): \"My son, do not walk in the way with them\" - this refers to the nations of the world, as it is said of them (Leviticus 20:23): \"And you shall not walk in the customs of the nations.\" \"Hold back your foot from their path\" - so as not to worship their idolatry, as it is said (Exodus 34:14): \"For you shall not bow down to another god.\" (Proverbs 1:16): \"For their feet run to evil\" - this refers to idolatry, \"and they make haste to shed blood\" - to teach you that anyone who worships idolatry is as if he sheds blood.", | |
| "[11] (Proverbs 1:17): \"Indeed, in vain is the net spread\" - against whom did Solomon say this verse? Against the evil eye. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: Even birds and fish recognize the evil eye, and they do not enter into their trap, therefore it is said \"in the eyes of every winged creature.\" (Proverbs 1:18): \"And they lie in wait for their own blood\" - these are the evil eyes. \"They ambush their own souls\" - these are the slanderers. Who caused them this? They caused it to themselves, and not only to their souls did they cause, but to all that they have, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:19): \"So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain, it takes the life of its owner.\" Alternatively, \"So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain\" - a parable to a man who took a hook and threw it into the sea, and saw a great fish, thought it was nothing, swallowed it and was caught. If it had sensed it, would it have lost its life at all?! Therefore it is said \"it takes the life of its owner\", so everyone who takes a bribe has nothing in his hand, loses the money, and in the end, he loses his soul. Rabbi Yochanan said: Anyone who steals from his friend even the value of a small coin, the Scripture considers it as if he takes his soul from him, as it is said \"So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain, it takes the life of its owner.\"", | |
| "[12] (Proverbs 1:20): \"Wisdom calls aloud in the street\" - When a wise person sits and engages in Torah, all sing after him, saying 'Blessed is he who has merited learning Torah.' \"She raises her voice in the public squares\" - these are the Torah scholars, who are pleasant and sit in synagogues and study houses, and make their voices heard in words of Torah. (Proverbs 1:21): \"At the head of the noisy streets she cries out\" - just as the sea roars with its waves, so do the Torah scholars. When they sit and explain the words of Torah, they are loud and passionate, and more than that, all of them are pleasant before the Almighty, as it is said (Song of Songs 2:14): \"for your voice is sweet, and your appearance is pleasant.\" \"At the entrance of the city gates, she speaks her words\" - even a wise person who sits at the city gates and at the gate of the country and engages in words of Torah, is not ashamed of passersby, not before kings, nor before officials, as it is said (Psalms 119:46): \"I will speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be put to shame.\" Alternatively, \"she speaks her words\" - when a person comes before him in judgment, he says to the deserving 'deserving' and to the liable 'liable', both the poor and the rich.", | |
| "[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.'\"" | |
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| "\"Go and observe the ant lazybones!\" (Proverbs 6:6). Rabbi Yehudah ben Padyah says: The wicked will one day come before the Holy One and say: \"Master of the World, let us rest and we will make teshuvah before you.\" The Holy One responded to them: \"idiots of the world, the world that you see yourselves in is like living on erev Shabbat, whereas the world as it is on Shabbat. If you don't prepare for Shabbat on erev Shabbat, what will you eat? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like being on dry land, whereas the world as it is already is immersed in the sea. What are you going to eat when you're at sea if you haven't prepared when you had time on the land? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like an entrance way to a home, whereas the world as it is already exists within the living room. If a person doesn't prepare to unlock the door, how will he enjoy the comforts of home? Another example might be that the world in which you see yourselves is like a warm sunny day, whereas the world as it is experiences a downpour of rain. If you haven't sowed, reaped, or harvested your field when it was sunny and warm, how will you sustain yourself when it rains?" | |
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| "<b>Wisdoms have built her house (Proverbs 9:1):</b> This is the Torah that has created all of the worlds; <b>it hewed out pillars seven</b> which is hewed from the seven firmaments and given to people. Another [understanding] - <b>Wisdoms have built her house:</b> The Holy One, blessed be He said, \"If a man merits and studies Torah and wisdom, he is considered in front of Me as if he stood up entirely all of the world; <b>it hewed out pillars seven</b> these are seven lands - if a man merits and sustains it, he inherits seven lands, and if not, he is divided among seven lands. <b>She prepared her meat, she mingled her wine (Proverbs 9:2):</b> Rabbi Abahu said, \"This is Esther the Queen, as at the time that trouble came to Israel in the days of Mordekhai, what did she do? She set up a meal for Achashverosh and Haman the evildoer and she got him very drunk with wine, and the evildoer thought to himself that she was granting him honor and he did not know that she opened a trap for him - from that which she got him drunk with wine, she acquired her people forever; <b>she even prepared her table</b> that she set herself up a table in this world and in the world to come. And what is that? That is the good name that she acquired in this world and in the world to come; since all of the holidays are to be nullified in the future but the days of Purim will not be nullified, as it is stated (Esther 9:28), 'And these days of Purim will not be rescinded from the Jews.'\" Rabbi Elazar said, \"Also Yom Kippur will forever not be nullified, as it is stated, 'And it will be to you for an everlasting statute to atone for the Children of Israel from all of their sins once a year.'\" Another [understanding]: <b>she even prepared her table:</b> This is the Torah, that sets up a table for one who is involved with it, in this world and in the next world, as it is stated (Ezekiel 41:22), \"and He spoke to me, 'This is the table that is in front of the Lord.'\" Another [understanding]: <b>she even prepared her table:</b> It once happened that Rabbi Akiva was imprisoned in jail and Rabbi Yehoshua the Garsi, his student, was serving him. [On] the eve of the holiday, [the latter] departed from him and went to his house. Eliyahu came and stood at the entrance of his house. He said to him, \"Peace be unto you, my teacher.\" He said [back] to him, \"Peace be unto you, my teacher and master.\" He said to him, \"Is there nothing that you require? He said to him, \"I am a priest and I have come to tell you that Rabbi Akiva has died in jail.\" Immediately they both went to the jail and found the opening of the gate of the jail open and the minister of the jail was sleeping and all of the people that were in the jail were [also] sleeping; and they lay Rabbi Akiva on the bed and went out [with him]. Immediately Eliyahu, may he be remembered for the good, attended to him and took him on his shoulders. And when Rabbi Yehoshua the Garsi saw this, he said to Eliyahu, \"My teacher, did you not say to me, I am Eliyahu [the] priest, and a priest is forbidden to become impure through [contact with a dead [body]!\" He said [back] to him, \"It is enough for you, Rabbi Yehoshua, my son, God forbid - as there is no impurity from the righteous, and also not from their students.\" And they carried him the whole night until they reached the mansion house of Caesarea. And when they reached there, they went up three steps and went down inclines and a cave opened in front of them and there they saw a chair and a bench and a candelabra. And they laid down Rabbi Akiva on the bed and left. And when they went out, the cave sealed and the lamp on the candelabra became lit. And when Eliyahu saw this, he opened and said, \"Happy are the righteous and happy are those that toil in the Torah and happy are those that fear God - as covered and hidden and reserved for you is a place in the Garden of Eden in the future to come. Happy are you Rabbi Akiva, that you should find a resting place prepared for you at the time of your death. That is why it is stated, 'she even prepared her table.'\" And it also once happened with Rabban Gamliel, that the elders were reclining [to eat] with him and Tabi, his servant, was standing to serve him. Rabbi Elazar ben Azariya said, \"Woe is to you Canaan that you obligated your children [to servitude], whether they be righteous or whether they be evil.\" Rabbi Yishmael said, \"We have found greater than this - Avraham was the great one of the world who served the Canaanites.\" Rabbi Tarfon said, \"We have found greater than this - the High priest serves Israel on Yom Kippur.\" Rabban Gamliel said to them, \"You have left over the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He, and you are dealing with the honor of flesh and blood? The Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, makes the wind blow, makes the sun shine, brings down the rain, makes the due appear, makes the plants grow and sets up a table in front of each and every [person], as it is written, (Psalms 23:5), 'Set a table in front of me.' And why [does He do] so much? In the merit of Torah. Therefore Shlomo prophesied and said, 'she even prepared her table.'\" Rabbi Nechemiah said, \"Come and see how great is the honor of Torah: It is not enough for them, for the sages, that He prepares a table for them, but it [even] adds wisdom to their wisdom. This is what is written (Proverbs 9:9), 'Give to a wise man, and he will become even wiser; inform a righteous one, and he will increase in teaching' - If you see a Torah scholar for whom words of Torah are beloved, give him wisdom and he will become even wiser; 'inform a righteous one, and he will increase in teaching' - that since he destroys his soul to hear words of Torah, it also adds fear [of God] to him.\"" | |
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| "... 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)" | |
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| "[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. " | |
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| "\"Four are among the tiniest on earth, and yet they are the wisest of the wise\" (Proverbs 30:24) these relate to the various empires and monarchs. \"Ants are a folk without power, and yet they prepare food for themselves in summer\" (Proverbs 30:25). This refers to the Empire of Babylon. As it is written \"Behold the land of Chaldea. This is the people that has ceased to be. Assyria founded it to station ships\" (Isaiah 23:13). \"The badger is a folk without strength, and yet it makes its home in the rock\" (Proverbs 30:26). This refers to the Persian-Median Empire. And what is the meaning of \"and yet it makes its home in the rock?\" This refers to Ahasuerus and Cyrus who sought to rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. \"The locusts have no king, and yet they all march forth in formation\" (Proverbs 30:27). This refers to Alexander the Macedonian, for he overtook the entire world as locusts fly through the air. \"You can catch the lizard in your hand, and yet it is found in royal palaces\" (Proverbs 30:28). This refers to Edom (i.e., the Roman Empire), for of all the small creatures, none are despised like it. And so it is written \"And I hated Esau\" (Malachi 1:3). And what is the meaning of \"and yet it is found in royal palaces?\" This also refers to Edom (i.e., Roman Empire), for they destroyed the Holy Temple. \"You can catch the lizard in your hand\" Said Rabbi Jeremiah, this is Edom the wicked nation, for everything established there in Israel is now destroyed and forgotten." | |
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| "...Rabbi Ishmael said, the same night that Solomon had completed the Temple, he married the daughter of Pharoah and there was a great celebration in the Temple. And the celebration of the Daughter of Pharaoh rose above the celebration of the Temple. As it is said, “That it is always so that people flatter the king”. In that moment God thought of destroying it [the Temple] as it says (Jeremiah 32:31) “The city has aroused My anger and My wrath from the day it was built until this day; so it must be removed from My sight.” And Rabbi Levi said, regarding the Morning Sacrifice that was coming close to the fourth hour. What did the Daughter of Pharoah do? She made a certain sheet [and placed it above his bed], and placed on it stars and planets, and every time that Solomon would try to wake up, he would see these stars and planets and would return to sleep for another four hours. Rabbi Levi said, on that day the Morning Sacrifice came close to being sacrificed in the fourth hour. [and regarding that hour it was taught: there was a situation in which the Morning Tamid was sacrificed in the fourth hour nad the people of Israel were saddened, for it was the day of the Inaugration of the Temple and they could not carry out the sacrifice because Solomon was asleep, and they were afraid of waking him because of the fear of the Kingship. They went and told Bat-Sheva his mother, and she went and woke him up and rebuked him, as it is written, “rebuke that his mother rebuked him” ...", | |
| "<b>\"A valiant woman, who can find\" (Proverbs 31:10):</b> That is the Torah; \"and further than pearls (<i>peninim</i>) is her price\" - as it was 'in front of Me and inside (<i>lefanim</i>)' and Moshe merited to bring it down to earth. \"Her husband puts his confidence in her, and lacks no 'booty'\" - that there is nothing lacking in it. Another explanation: \"A valiant woman, who can find\" - They said, \"There was a story about Rabbi Meir who was sitting and expounding in the study hall on Shabbat afternoon, when two of his sons died. What did his mother do? She placed both of them on the bed and spread a sheet over them. At the end of Shabbat, Rabbi Meir came home from the study hall. He said to her, 'Where are my two sons?' She said [back], 'They went to the study hall.' He said to her, 'I scanned the study hall and I did not see them.' They gave him the cup of Havdalah and he separated [the days of the week with the closure of Shabbat]. He repeated and said, 'Where are my two sons?' She said, 'They went elsewhere and they are coming now.' She placed food in front of him and he ate and blessed. After he blessed, she said to him, 'I have a question to ask you.' He said to her, 'Say your question.' She said to him, 'Rabbi, before today, a man came and deposited something with me, and now he is coming to take it. Should we return it to him or not?' He said, 'My daughter, one who has a deposit with him must return it to its owner.' She said to him, 'Were it not for your consent, I would not have given it to him.' What did she do? She grabbed his hand, brought him up to that room, had him approach the bed and took off the sheet from upon them. When he saw both of them dead and laying upon the bed, he began to cry and say, 'My sons, my sons, my teachers, my teachers - my sons in the way of the world, my teachers in that they would enlighten my eyes with their Torah.' At that time, she said to Rabbi Meir, 'Rabbi, is this not what I told you - do I not need to return the deposit to its Owner?' He said, '\"The Lord has given and the Lord has taken; may the name of the Lord be blessed\"' (Job 1:21).\" Rabbi Chanina said, \"With this thing, she consoled him and his mind became composed - that is why it states, 'A valiant woman, who can find.'\" Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said, \"On account of what did the sons of Rabbi Meir become liable and die at one time? Because they were accustomed to leaving the study hall to sit with food and drink.\" Rabbi Yochanan said, \"Even with trifling matters - as when the Torah was given to Israel, he only warned them about the words of Torah, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 26:16), 'This day the Lord, your God, commands you to do.'\" ", | |
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| "<b>Many women have done well (Proverbs 31:29):</b> Adam, the first man, was commanded about six commandments. Noach [was additionally commanded] about [not eating] a limb from a live animal. Avraham about circumcision. Yitschak was educated with [these] eight [commandments]. Yaakov [was additionally commanded] about [not eating] the sciatic nerve. Yehudah about levirate marriage. [The people of] Israel about two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments corresponding to the two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a man - each and every limb says to man, \"I plead of you to do this commandment with me\" - and three hundred and sixty-five negative commandments corresponding to the three hundred and sixty-five days of the solar [year] - and each and every day says to man, \"I plead of you not to do this sin on me.\" \"Grace is false, beauty is illusory\" (Proverbs 31:30) - the grace of Noach was false, as it states (Genesis 6:8), \"But Noach found grace in the eyes of the Lord.\" Rabbi Levi said, \"Only in his generation [did he find grace].\" \"Beauty is illusory\" - illusory was the beauty of Adam, the first man. Rabbi Shimon ben Manassia said, \"The ball of Adam, the first man's heel would dim the sun. And do not wonder - it is customary in the world that when a man makes two salver vessels, one for himself and one for his household, which does he make [nicer], is it not his? So [too], Adam, the first man, was created to serve in front of the Holy One, blessed be He; and the sun was created to make light for the creatures. And if the ball of his heel was such, the contour of his face, all the more so.\" \"A woman that has fear of the Lord, she is to be praised\" - this is Moshe. \"Give of the fruit of her hand\" (Proverbs 31:30) - Rabbi Yose bar Yirmiyah said, \"Why did he compare the prophets to women? Rather, just like [a] woman is not embarrassed to claim the needs of the home from her husband, so [too] were the prophets not embarrassed to claim the needs of Israel from in front of the Holy One, blessed be He.\" The Holy One blessed be He said, \"My sons, be involved in Torah [study] day and night, and I will count it for you as if you hold up the heavens and the earth,\" as it states (Joshua 1:8), \"Let not this book of the Torah cease from your mouth, but meditate upon it day and night\"; and it states (Joshua 1:9), “Did I not command you, 'Be strong and resolute; do not be terrified or dismayed'\"; and it states (Ezra 3:11), \"with praise and thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His kindness upon Israel is forever, and the people raised a great shout with praise to the Lord, for the foundation of the House of the Lord had been laid\"; (Proverbs 23:23) \"Acquire truth\"; (Proverbs 5:17) \"They will be yours alone\"; (Proverbs 9:9) \"Give to a wise man, and he will grow wiser\"; (Proverbs 9:11) \"For through me your days will increase, and years of life be added.\" Another interpretation: \"A woman of valor who can find?\" - this is [the meaning] of what the verse states (Psalms 92:15), \"In old age they still produce fruit, etc.\" - corresponding to Avraham and Sarah who were of the same measure concerning charity and acts of kindness; they were a good sign for the world. In this way, He does not prevent proper women from the righteous ones, [but] matches them. As so [too] do we find with the wife of Noach that her actions and his actions were of the same measure - that is why she merited with him and was rescued from the waters of the flood. \"Her husband puts his confidence in her\" - this is Sarah, our mother, as Avaraham grew rich on her account, as it states (Genesis 12:16), \"And he benefited Avraham for her sake.\" \"She bestows good to him, and not bad\" - this is Rivkah, our mother, who bestowed [good] to Yitzchak at the time that Sarah, his mother died. \"She seeks wool and flax\" - this is Leah, our mother, who received Yaakov with a pleasant countenance, as it is written (Genesis 30:16), \"And Yaakov came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, 'You are to sleep with me, for I have hired you, etc.'\" Therefore she merited and kings and prophets came from her. \"She is like a merchant fleet\" - this is Rachel, our mother, who was embarrassed about [her lack of] children every day. Therefore she merited and a son came from her who was similar to a ship that is filled will all the good [found] in the world - so [was it with] Yosef, that the whole world survived from his merit and he supported the world in the years of famine. \"She rises while it is still night\" - this is Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh. She was a gentile and became a Jewess and they mentioned her name among the proper [women], since she took care of Moshe. Therefore she merited and entered the Garden of Eden in her lifetime. \"She sets her mind on a field and acquires it; [she plants a vineyard from the produce of her hand]\" - this is Yocheved, that from her came Moshe who is equivalent to all of Israel, which is called a vineyard, as it states (Isaiah 5:7), \"For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel.\" \"She girds her loins with strength\" - this is Miriam, as before Moshe was born, she said, \"In the future, my mother will give birth to the savior of Israel.\" Once he was born and the yoke upon them became heavier, her father got up and bopped her on the head. He said to her, \"Where is your prophecy?\" And he got up and spit in front of her face. And nonetheless, she exerted herself about her prophecy, as it is written (Exodus 2:4), \"And his sister stood from a distance.\" \"She advises (<i>taamah</i>) that her merchandise is good; [her lamp never goes out at night]\" - this is Channah who tasted (<i>taamah</i>) the taste of prayer, as it states (I Samuel 2:1), \"And Hannah prayed, 'My heart exults in the Lord, etc.'\" Therefore she merited and a son came from her that was the match of Moshe and Aharon, which would bring light to Israel like lamps, as it is written (Psalms 99:6), \"Moshe and Aharon among his priests, and Shmuel among the ones that call His name.\" And it is written about Shmuel (I Samuel 3:3), \"The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord.\" \"She sets her hand to the distaff\" - this is Yael, who did not kill Sisera with a weapon, but rather with a peg through the force of her hands. And because of what did she not kill him with a weapon? In order to fulfill that which it states (Deuteronomy 22:5), \"There shall not be the vessel of a man on a woman.\" \"Her palm she spreads out to the poor\" - this is the widowed woman of Tsarfat, who supported Eliyahu with bread and water. \"She is not worried for her home because of snow, for her whole home is dressed in crimson\" - this is Rachav the prostitute. When Israel came to destroy Yericho, she did not fear from them, because they give her a sign - (Joshua 2:18) \"this line of scarlet string.\" \"She makes covers for herself; [her clothing is linen and purple]\" - this is Batsheva, that from her came Shlomo, who was adorned with linen and purple and ruled from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. \"Her husband is known in the gates,\" - this is Michal, who saved David from death. \"She makes cloth and sells it\" - this is the mother of Shimshon, that through him Israel was saved. \"Strength and splendor are her clothing; [and she laughs to the last day]\" - this is Elisheva, the daughter of Aminadav, who saw four joyful events in one day: her brother [became] a prince; her husband, high priest; the brother of her husband, king; and her two children, young priests. \"She opens her mouth with wisdom\" - this is the wise woman who said (II Samuel 20:16), “Listen, listen! Please tell Yoav, 'Come over here and I will speak to you,'” who saved the city with her wisdom; and this was Sarach the daughter of Asher. \"She oversees the activities of her household\" - this is the wife of Ovadiah, who rescued her sons and they did not worship idolatry with Achav. \"Her children rise and declare her happy\" - this is the Shunamite, who is called a great woman (II Kings 4:8). And because of what? Because she pressed upon Elisha to eat. “Many women have done well, but you surpass them all” - this is Ruth the Moabitess, who came under the wings of the Divine presence. \"Grace is false, beauty is illusory\" - as she left her mother and her forefathers and her wealth, and came with her mother-in-law and accepted all of the commandments: the domain of Shabbat - \"to where you will walk, I will walk\" (Ruth 1:16); the prohibition of isolation with a man - \"and in that which you will lay, I will lay\"; the six hundred and thirteen commandments - \"your people is my people\"; idolatry - \"your God is my God\"; the four death penalties of the court - \"and in that which you will die, I will die\"; \"and there will I be buried\" - these are the two graveyards arranged for the court, one for the stoned and the burned, and one for the killed and the strangled. Therefore, she merited and David came from her, who gave pleasure with songs and praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore it is stated, \"Give of the fruit of her hand and let her works praise her in the gates.\" Be strong in ethical behavior, keep the Torah, and be rescued from the evil inclination." | |
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| "versions": [ | |
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| "Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology", | |
| "https://www.sefaria.org" | |
| ], | |
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| "Sefaria Community Translation", | |
| "https://www.sefaria.org" | |
| ] | |
| ], | |
| "heTitle": "מדרש משלי", | |
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| "Midrash", | |
| "Aggadah" | |
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| "sectionNames": [ | |
| "Chapter", | |
| "Verse" | |
| ] | |
| } |