Midrasch zu Mischlej 17:16

R. Samuel b. Nachman, in the name of R. Jonathan said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Prov. 17, 16) Wherefore is the purchase-money in the hand of a fool to acquire wisdom, seeing he hath no heart; i.e., woe to the scholars who study the Law, and have no fear of Heaven!" R. Janai proclaimed: "Woe to him who has no court, yet makes a gateway for it (who possesseth erudition but no fear of the Lord)." Raba said to his disciples: "I pray you, do not inherit a double Gehenna." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Deut. 4, 44) This is the law which Moses set; i.e., if he is worthy, it acts on him as a medicine of life; if not, it acts on him as a deadly drug." And this is the same that Raba has said: "To the deserving it is a medicine of life; to the undeserving it becomes a deadly drug." R. Samuel b. Nachmani said that R. Jonathan, pointed out the following contradictions: "It is written (Ps. 19, 9) The precepts of the Lord are upright, rejoicing the heart, and (Ib. 18, 31) The word of the Lord is tried (tried and rejoice are not harmonious); i.e., if he is worthy, he is rendered joyous; if not, he is molten to death." Resh Lakish said: "This we may infer from the same passages: If he deserves well, he is steeled for life; if not, he is molten to death." (Ib. 19, 10) The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. R. Nechunia said: "This refers to a man who studies the Law in purity." What is meant by purity? When he first marries, and then studies. (Ib. 8) The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. R. Chiya said: "The Torah itself is a trusted witness to testify on behalf of its students as to who practices what he studies and who does not."