Proverbs 4:10 Midrash: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Vayikra Rabbah

(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day [beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days].” This text is related (to Prov. 4:10), “Heed, my child, and take in (rt.: lqh) my words,” and (in Prov. 2:1), “treasure my commandments.” I have charged you with many takings (rt.: lqh) in order to benefit you.⁸¹Lev. R. 30:13. I told you (in Numb. 19:2), “’And let them bring (rt.: lqh) you a red cow.’ Was it possibly for My sake? No. I only did it in order to cleanse you. Is it not so written (in vs. 19), ‘And the clean person shall sprinkle it [upon the unclean person]?’ I told you (in Exod. 25:2), ‘And let them take (rt.: lqh) for Me a priestly share,’ so that I might dwell among you.” It is so stated (in vs. 8), “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.’” He, as it were, spoke a difficult thing to them, “Take Me that I may dwell among you.” “And take a priestly share” is not written here, but “And let them take (for)⁸²Since “for Me” can sometimes be understood as a direct object, the midrash is understanding the verse to mean: LET THEM TAKE ME AS A PRIESTLY SHARE. Me a priestly share.” [It is] I, [whom] you are taking.” “I said to you (in Exod. 27:20), ‘And let them bring unto you pure olive oil.’ Do I need your light? It is simply to preserve your souls, since the soul is likened to a lamp, where it is stated (in Prov. 20:27), ‘A person's soul is a lamp of the Lord.’ And now when it says (in Lev. 23:40), ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day,’ it is not because it is necessary for Me, but in order to benefit you.” (Lev. 23:40:) “A beautiful tree fruit, branches of palm trees, boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook.” What is the nature of these four species?⁸³Lev. R. 30:12. Some of them produce fruit and some of them do not produce fruit. “A beautiful tree fruit, the branches of the palm trees.” These are the righteous, [because they have good works, which are like these plants that have fruit]. “Boughs of dense trees and willows of the brook.” These are the average Israelites. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “All of you join together to become a single group, so that there not be leftovers among my children. If you have done so, I will be exalted upon you.” And so the prophet says (in Amos 9:6), “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds His celestial vault upon earth.” Now when is He exalted? When they become a single group (agudah), as stated (ibid., cont.), “and founds His celestial vault (agudah) upon earth.”

(Lev. 23:40:) AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES ON THE FIRST DAY < BEAUTIFUL TREE FRUIT, BRANCHES OF PALM TREES, BOUGHS OF DENSE TREES, AND WILLOWS OF THE BROOK; AND YOU SHALL REJOICE BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD FOR SEVEN DAYS. > This text is related (to Prov. 4:10): HEED, MY CHILD, AND TAKE IN (rt.: LQH) MY WORDS. The Holy One said: I have charged you with a lot concerning acquisitions (rt.: LQH) in order to benefit you.⁹²Tanh., Lev. 8:17; Lev. R. 30:13. I told you (in Numb. 19:2): < SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, > AND LET THEM BRING (rt.: LQH) YOU A RED COW. Was it possibly for my sake? No. < It was > only in order to cleanse you. Is it not so written (in vs. 19): AND THE CLEAN PERSON SHALL SPRINKLE IT [UPON THE UNCLEAN PERSON]? I told you (in Exod. 25:2): < SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,] AND LET THEM TAKE (rt.: LQH) FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE, so that I might dwell among you. It is so stated (in vs. 8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM. He, as it were, spoke a difficult thing to them: Take me that I may dwell among you. "And take a priestly share" is not written here, but AND LET THEM TAKE (FOR)⁹³Since “for me” can sometimes be understood as a direct object, the midrash is understanding the verse to mean: LET THEM TAKE ME AS A PRIESTLY SHARE. ME A PRIESTLY SHARE. < It is > I, < whom > you are taking. I said to you (in Exod. 27:20): AND LET THEM BRING UNTO YOU < PURE > OIL OF < BEATEN > OLIVES. Do I need your light? It is simply to preserve your souls, since the soul is likened to a lamp, where it is stated (in Prov. 20:27): A PERSON'S BREATH IS A LAMP OF GOD.⁹⁴The Masoretic Text uses the divine name here. And now when it says (in Lev. 23:40): AND YOU SHALL TAKE FOR YOURSELVES ON THE FIRST DAY, it is not because it is necessary for me, but in order to benefit you.

Rabbi Yehuda opened in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, "'Listen my son and take my words' (Proverbs 4:10). Many takings have I commanded you in order to give you merit. I said to you (Numbers 19:2), 'and you will take to you a pure red cow.' [Was it] maybe for My sake? But rather it was for your sake, to purify you, as it is written (Numbers 19:19), 'And the pure one will sprinkle on the impure one.' I said to you (Exodus 25:2), 'and they shall take an offering for Me' in order that I will dwell among you: 'And make for Me a sanctuary' (Ibid., verse 8). As if it were possible, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'take Me and I will dwell among you' - it does not say, 'and they shall take an offering,' but rather, 'and they shall take (for) Me:' they are taking Me. I said to you (Leviticus 24:2), 'and they shall take to you pure olive oil.' And do I need your light - behold, it is written (Daniel 2:22), 'and light dwells with Him?' But rather to give you merit and to atone for your souls which is compared to a candle, as it is stated (Proverbs 20:27), 'The candle of God is the soul of a man, it searches all of the chambers of the innards.' And now that I have said to you, 'And you shall take for yourselves on the first day,' it is to give you merit, so that I will bring down the rain for you. Hence Moshe warned Israel, 'And you shall take for yourselves on the first day.'"