Midrash for Proverbs 1:2

(Ibid. 20) "You shall not make unto Me gods of silver and gods of gold": R. Yishmael says: The likeness of My servants who serve before Me on high ("you shall not make unto Me.") Neither the likeness of angels nor the likeness of ofanim (heavenly creatures), nor the likeness of cherubs. R. Nathan says: "You shall not make (alongside) with Me," i.e., Do not say I will make a kind of image and I will bow down to it. And thus is it written (Devarim 4:15) "And you shall take great heed to your souls. For you did not see any likeness (on the day that the L rd spoke to you in the midst of the fire.") R. Akiva says: "You shall not do (i.e., deport yourselves) with Me" as others do with their gods. When good befalls them, they honor their gods, viz. (Habakkuk 1:16) "Therefore, he sacrifices to his "nets" (i.e., to his idols, which "net" him riches). And when evil befalls them, they curse their gods, viz. (Isaiah 8:21) "… and he will curse his king and his gods." But, as for you, if I bring good upon you, you give thanks, and when I bring afflictions upon you, you give thanks. And thus did David say (Psalms 116:3) "the cup of salvation shall I raise, and in the name of the L-td will I call" — (Ibid. 4) "Trouble and sorrow will I find, and in the name of the L rd shall I call." And thus, Iyyov says (Iyyov 1:21) "the L rd has given and the L rd has taken — Let the name of the L rd be blessed!" Both for the good and for the evil. What does his wife say to him? (Ibid. 2:9) "Do you still hold on to your innocence? Blaspheme G d and die!" He answers (Ibid. 10) "You speak as one of the lowly ones! The men of the generation of the flood, who were "ugly" in good (i.e., when good befell them), accepted distress perforce. But we, who were amiable in good, should we not be amiable in distress!" — wherefore he said "You speak as one of the lowly ones!" And, what is more, one should rejoice in affliction more than in good. For even if one were to bask in good all of his days, his transgressions would not be forgiven. Whereby are they forgiven? By afflictions. R. Eliezer says: It is written (Mishlei 3:11) "The chastisement of the L rd, my son, do not despise … (12) "For whom the L-=rd loves He chastises, as a father, the son whom he favors. What caused this son to conciliate his father? Afflictions. R. Meir says (Devarim 8:5) "And you shall know in your heart that just as a man chastises his son, the L rd your G d chastises you." R. Yonathan says: Beloved are afflictions. Just as a covenant is forged with the land (viz. Genesis 15:18), a covenant is forged with afflictions, viz. "the L rd your G d chastises you … (7) for the L rd your G d brings you to a good land." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Beloved are afflictions, for three goodly gifts were given to Israel and are desired by the nations of the world, and they were given to them only through afflictions — Torah, Eretz Yisrael, and the world to come. Torah, (Mishlei 1:2) "to know wisdom and chastisement, to comprehend words of understanding," and (Psalms 94:12) "Happy is the man whom you chastise, O L rd, and whom you teach from Your Torah." Eretz Yisrael, (Devarim 8:5) "… the L rd your G d chastises you … (7) for the L rd your G d brings you to a good land." The world to come, (Mishlei 6:23) "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah, light, and the way of life, the chastisements of mussar." Which is the way which leads a man to life in the world to come? Afflictions. R. Nechemiah says: Beloved are afflictions. Just as offerings conciliate, so, afflictions conciliate. What is written of offerings? (Leviticus 1:5) "and it shall conciliate for him to atone for him." What is written of afflictions? (Ibid. 26:43) "… and they shall conciliate for their sin." And, what is more, afflictions conciliate more than offerings do. For offerings are (effected) with one's money, and afflictions, with one's body. Once, R. Eliezer was sick, and four elders came to visit him: R. Tarfon, R. Yehoshua, R. Elazar b. Azaryah, and R. Akiva … R. Tarfon responded: "You are more beloved by Israel than the solar orb" … whence we derive that afflictions are beloved (see Sanhedrin 107b)

Torah — (Proverbs 1:2) "To know wisdom and mussar (chastisement)," and (Psalms 94:12) "Happy is the man whom You chastise, O L-rd, and whom You teach from Your Torah."