Midrash for Proverbs 10:18

When R. Cahana became ill, the Rabbis sent R. Joshua, the son of R. Ide, with instructions to visit him and find out what his condition was. When he came, he found R. Cahana dead. He tore his clothes, then turned them towards his back, and returned weeping. "Is he dead?" they asked him. "You say it, I do not say it," was his reply, adding also (Pr. 10, 18) And he that spreadeth abroad an evil report is a fool.

(Numb. 13:2:) “Send men for yourself.”⁸The midrash here understands the verse in this more literal sense. This text is related (to Prov. 10:26), “Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy person to those who send him.” The spies were mighty ones, in that they spoke evil speech against the land, as stated (in Jer. 9:2), “For they have bent their tongues as a bow of falsehood, [and it is not for truth that they have grown mighty in the land.]” To what is the matter comparable?⁹Numb. R. 16:4. To a wealthy man who had a vineyard. Whenever he saw that the wine was good, he would say to his tenants, “Put it in my house”; but whenever he saw that it was sour, he would say to his tenants, “Put it in your houses.” So also here. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that the elders were worthy, he called them in His own name, as stated (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather me seventy men [from the elders of Israel].” When He saw that the spies were going to sin, he called them by Moses' name, as stated (in Numb. 13:2), “Send men for yourself.” (Numb. 13:2:) “Send men.” This text is related (to Prov. 26:6), “The one who sends a message through a fool is cutting off [his own] feet and drinking violence.” And were the spies fools? And has it not already been stated (in Numb. 13:2) “Send men (anashim).” And in every place that anashim is used, the men are righteous. Where is this shown? For so it says (in Exod. 17:9), “Then Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose men (anashim) for us.’”¹⁰Numb. R. 16:5. And so it says (in I Sam. 17:12), “and in the days of Saul the man (Jesse) had come to an elderly age among men (anashim).” And so it [also] says (in I Sam. 1:11), “and if you grant your handmaid the seed of men (anashim).” Now you are calling these [spies] fools (as in Prov. 26:6), “The one who sends a message through a fool?” But these were only called fools because they had uttered malicious slander against the land, as stated (in Prov. 10:18), “and the one who utters slander is a fool.” But nevertheless they had [once] been great human beings, although they had made themselves foolish. So it is on account of them that Moses says (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation, children with no loyalty to them.” Thus they were chosen from all of Israel at the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, and at the command of Moses, as stated (in Deut. 1:23), “Now the plan seemed good in My eyes; so I took [twelve men (anashim)] from you, one for each tribe.” From where do you say that they were righteous? See that Moses did not want to send them until he had consulted with the Holy One, blessed be He, over each and every one. When he had said [for each one], “So-and-so from such-and-such tribe,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “They are acceptable.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 13:3), “So Moses sent them from the Desert of Paran at the command of the Lord.” Then after that, at the end of forty days, they changed and made all that trouble. So they caused that generation to be afflicted with that punishment, as stated (in Deut. 32:20), “for they are a perverse generation.” Because when they were chosen, [they were] righteous. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 13:2, 16), “Send men for yourself […]. And these are the names of the men (anashim).”

[(Numb. 13:2:) SEND PEOPLE (anashim).]¹⁰Although the context of Numb. 13:2 shows that the anashim were all males, in a wider context anashim refers to both genders. In every place that anashim is used, the people are righteous, [for so it says (in Exod. 17:9): THEN MOSES SAID TO JOSHUA: CHOOSE MEN (anashim) FOR US.]¹¹Tanh., Numb. 4:4, cont.; Numb. R. 16:5. And so it says (in I Sam. 17:12): AND IN THE DAYS OF SAUL THE MAN (Jesse) HAD COME TO AN ELDERLY AGE AMONG HUMANS (anashim). And similarly does Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:11): AND IF YOU GRANT YOUR HANDMAID HUMAN (anashim) OFFSPRING. Now you are calling these <spies> fools (in Prov. 26:6): THE ONE WHO SENDS A MESSAGE THROUGH A FOOL! But these were only called fools because they had uttered malicious slander against the land, as stated (in Prov. 10:18): AND THE ONE WHO UTTERS SLANDER IS A FOOL. But nevertheless they had <once> been great human beings, although they had made themselves foolish. So it is on account of them that Moses says (in Deut. 32:20): FOR THEY ARE A PERVERSE GENERATION…. Thus they were chosen from all of Israel at the command of the Holy One and at the command of Moses, as stated (in Deut. 1:23): NOW THE PLAN SEEMED GOOD IN MY EYES; SO I TOOK <TWELVE MEN (anashim)> FROM YOU, <ONE FOR EACH TRIBE>. {Where is it shown?} [Hence] you <can> say that they were righteous in the eyes of Israel and in the eyes of Moses. In addition Moses did not want to send them until he had consulted with the Holy One over each and every one. [When he had said <for each one>:] So-and-so from [such-and-such tribe], the Holy One said to him: They are acceptable. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 13:3): SO MOSES SENT THEM FROM THE DESERT OF PARAN AT THE COMMAND OF THE LORD; [THEY ALL WERE PEOPLE (anashim) WHO WERE THE HEADS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL]. Then after that, at the end of forty days, they changed and made all that trouble. So they caused that generation to be afflicted with that punishment, as stated (in Deut. 32:20): FOR THEY ARE A PERVERSE GENERATION. Because when they were chosen, <they were> righteous. [Then they changed.] It is therefore stated (in Numb. 13:2): SEND PEOPLE (anashim).