Midrash sobre Proverbios 6:32

Our Rabbis were taught: Adam was created on the eve of Sabbath, and why? In order that the Minim shall not say that he (Adam) was a partner to the Lord, in the creation of the world. Another explanation is, if he becomes overbearing, it may be said to him: "The mosquito has been created before thee." Still another explanation is that he should enter immediately [after being created] into a meritorious act [the Sabbath]. According to others that he shall partake of the Sabbath meal immediately. This may be likened unto a frail king who built a palace. After he finished it, he prepared a banquet and then he invited the guests, as it is said (Prov. 9, 1-4) Wisdom hath built her house; she hath hewn out her seven pillars. She hath killed her cattle; she hath mingled her wine; she hath set in order her table. She hath sent forth her maidens; she invited [her guests] upon the top of the highest places of the town. Wisdom hath built her house. This refers to the nature of the Holy One, praised be He! who has created the whole world with wisdom. Seven pillars, refers to the seven days of the creation. Killed her cattle, etc., refers to the seas, the rivers, and all what was necessary for the world. She hath set in order her table, refers to the trees and grass. She sent forth her maidens, refers to Adam and Eve. Upon the top of the highest places: Rabba b. b. Chana propounded a contradiction: It is written On the top of the height, and it is also written (Ib. 14) On the chair in the high places, i.e., first they were placed on the top, and thereafter on a chair, (Ib. 9, 16) Who is thoughtless, let him turn in hither, and as for him who lacks understanding. The Holy One, praised be He! said: "Who made a fool of Adam the First? The woman who told him, etc., as it is written (Ib. 6, 32) Who so committed adultery with a woman lacketh sense." R. Maier used to say: "The dust of which Adam was made was collected from all parts of the world, as it is said (Ps. 139, 16) My undeveloped substance did thy eyes see; and it is written, (Zech. 4, 10) They are the eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro through the whole earth."

(Numb. 5:12:) “If anyone has his wife go astray (tisteh).” Our masters have taught, “The adulterers do not commit adultery, until a spirit of madness (shetut)³¹In the unpointed Hebrew text, shetut and tisteh appear to have the same root. enters them. Thus it is stated (ibid.), ‘If anyone has his wife go astray.’” [Here] we have learned about the woman. Where is it shown about the man? Where it is stated (in Prov. 6:32), “The one who commits adultery with a woman is has no sense (literally, is lacking heart).”³²Cf. Numb. 9:6. Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.” This text is related (to Jer. 23:24), “If someone hides in secret places, [shall I not see him?]” See, is it not already written (Psalms 16:3), “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the bad and the good.”³³Numb. R. 9:9. And so too is it written (in Zech. 4:10; cf. II Chron. 16:9), “the eyes of the Lord; they roam around all the earth.” [So] what do we learn to say (in Jer. 23:24), “Shall I not see Him (ar'ennu)?” [Interpret these words³⁴In the Hebrew text this question and the one which follows each consists of the one word, ar’ennu. as follows:] Shall I not show him (ar'ennu) to the people and publish his works? (Jer. 23:24, cont.), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.” I fill the realms above and the realms below, as stated (Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” Another interpretation of (Jer. 23:24), “[If someone hides in secret places], shall I not see him? It is comparable to an architect³⁵Gk.: architekton; cf. Lat.: architectus. The parable appears in Numb. R. 9:1; Gen. R. 24:1. [who] went out as a katarikos (tax official) over a certain province. The inhabitants of the province began hiding their silver and gold within the very caves [that he had built]. The architect said to them, ‘I built the province, and I made the hidden treasuries. Will you hide [anything] from me?” Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, has said to adulterers, “Will you hide yourselves from me?” [It is as in (Jer. 23:24),] “If someone hides in secret places, I have created you and made your every cavity (mehilim mehilim).” [It is so stated (in Deut. 32:18),] “but you forgot the God who generated you (meholelekha).” Nothing will be useful to you, wherever you hide yourselves, because (according to Jer. 17:10:) “I the Lord search the heart, probe the kidneys, to render to each according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” I am the one who brings (rt.: qrb) you to judgment, as stated (in Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near (rt.: qrb) unto you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers […].” Therefore, you shall not go astray after the evil drive, so that none of you have his wife go astray, according to what is stated (in Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:12), “If anyone (literally, if a man a man) [has his wife go astray].” [These words are] to teach you that she is going astray and being false with two, with the “Man of war” (as in Exod 15:3) above and with her man (husband) below.³⁶Numb. R. 9:2. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to her, “You lie to your husband, can you perhaps lie to Me? A parable: To what is the matter comparable?³⁷Numb. R. 9:9. To someone who was imprisoned within two houses, one inside the other. Now two guards were there, one on the inside and one on the outside. [The prisoner] opened [the door of] the inner [house] and left, and the guard did not notice him. When he came to leave the outer one, [the guard] did notice him. He seized him and said to him, “At that [guard] on the inside you laughed, but at me you cannot laugh.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, has said to the adulterous woman, “At your husband you laugh, but at me you cannot laugh. Rather I sit and laugh at My creatures.” It is so stated (in Ps. 2:4), “The One sitting in the heavens shall laugh […].

(Numb. 5:12:) IF ANYONE HAS HIS WIFE GO ASTRAY (tisteh). Our masters have taught: The adulterers do not commit adultery, until a spirit of madness (shetut)³⁶In the unpointed Hebrew text, shetut and tisteh appear to have the same root. enters them.³⁷Tanh., Numb. 2:5. Thus it is stated (ibid.): IF ANYONE HAS HIS WIFE GO ASTRAY. <Here> we have learned about the woman. Where is shown about the man? Where it is stated (in Prov. 6:32): THE ONE WHO COMMITS ADULTERY WITH A WOMAN IS HAS NO SENSE (literally: IS LACKING HEART); <THE ONE WHO DOES SO DESTROYS HIS OWN LIFE>.³⁸Cf. Numb. 9:6.