Midrasch zu Hoschea 7:5

R. Simon b. Pazi lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 1, 1) Happy is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. If he hath not walked how could he stand, and if he did not stand how could he sit, and if he did not sit, how could he scorn? We must therefore say that it means as follows: If he had walked, he would finally have stood and if he had stood, he would finally have sat and scorned, and concerning scorning, the passage says (Pr. 9, 12) If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it." R. Elazar said: "He who scorns causes chastisement to be brought upon himself as it is said (Is. 28, 32) Now, therefore, be ye not scoffers, lest your bands be made strong." Raba said to the Rabbis (his disciples): "I beg you not to scorn so that chastisements shall not come upon ye." R. Ktina said: "Whoever scorns even his food becomes weaker, as it is said (Hos. 7, 5 [Because] he stretched out his hand with scorners." R. Simon b. Pazi lectured again: "What is the meaning of the passage, Happy is the man that hath not walked; i.e., happy is the man who walketh not to the theatres and circuses of the heathens. Nor stood in the way of sinners, i.e., who does not stand as a spectator at bestial contests (arranged by the Romans). Nor sat in the seat of the scornful, i.e., who never sat in bad company. And lest one say, 'Since I have not walked to the theatres and circuses, nor stood as a spectator at bestial contests, I may engage my time in sleeping,' therefore says the passage, But his delight is in the law of the Lord."

R. Chisda said in the name of Jeremiah b. Abba: "There are four classes that will not deserve to receive the Divine presence: the class of scorners, the class of liars, the class of hypocrites and the class of talebearers. The class of scorners, as it is written (Hos. 7, 5) The king joineth his hand with scorners; the class of liars, as it is written (Ps. 101, 7) He that speaketh false-hood shall not succeed before My eyes: the class of hypocrites, as it is written (Job. 13, 16) For a hypocrite cannot come before Him: the class of tale-bearers, as it is written (Ps. 5, 5) For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil cannot abide with Thee.

R. Chisda said in the name of R. Jeremia b. Aba: "What is the meaning of the passage (Prov. 24, 30-31) I went by the field of a slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down, i.e., the field of a slothful, etc., refers to Achaz; void of understanding, refers to Manasseh; with thistles, refers to Amon; was covered with nettles, etc., refers to Jehoiakim; broken down, refers to Zedekiah, in whose days the temple was destroyed." R. Chisda said again in the name of R. Jeremia b. Aba: "Four types will not receive the glory of the Shechina, viz., the scorners, the liars, the hypocrites, and the slanderers; the scorners, as it is written (Hos. 7, 5) He stretcheth out his hand with scorners; liars, as it is written (Ps. 101, 7) He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes; hypocrites, as it is written (Job 13, 16) That a hypocrite cannot come before Him, and slanderers as it is written (Ps. 5, 5) For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil shall not sojourn with Thee, i.e., Thou art righteous and therefore evil cannot abide with Thee."