Midrash sobre Proverbios 7:26

R. Aba in the name of R. Huna, quoting Rab, said: "What is the meaning of the verse (Pr. 7, 26) She hath cast down many wounded, yea, a mighty host are all her slain, i.e., she hath cast down many wounded, refers to an immature disciple, who decides questions; a mighty host are all her slain, refers to a matured scholar, who is fit to do so and does not." And until what age [is one considered immature]? Till he reaches his fortieth year. But did not Raba decide questions [although he only lived forty years]? It was because there was no greater scholar than he. And whose leaves do not wither. R. Acha b. Ada in the name of Rab, and according to others, R. Acha b. Abba in the name of R. Hamnuna, quoting Rab, said: "Whence do we infer that even the gossip of a scholar is to be studied? The passage reads, And whose leaf doth not wither."

What does it mean "a minor whose maturity months were not complete?" In Babylon it was explained that it refers to a scholar who would challenge his teachers R Abba said: "This refers to a scholar who has not reached maturity and occupies himself with deciding lawful questions; for R. Abba said in the name of Rab: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Pr. 7, 26) For she hath cast down many wounded; yea a mighty host are all her slain; i.e., for she hath cast down many wounded, refers to a scholar who has not reached maturity and who renders decisions; yea, a mighty host are all her slain, refers to a scholar who although he has reached maturity desires not to render decisions.'" (Ib., b.) Until what years is a man termed premature? Until forty years. Is this so? Behold, Raba rendered decisions before forty years. The former refers only when there is an equal to him in town.

Another matter, “all matters are wearying” – matters of heresy exhaust a person. There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer, who was apprehended for the purpose of heresy.⁶³He was apprehended by heretics in order to force him to concede to their beliefs. The governor took him and brought him up to the platform to judge him. He said to him: ‘Rabbi, is it appropriate for a great person like you to engage in these idle matters?’⁶⁴The reference is to the Oral Torah. He said to him: ‘I consider the judge trustworthy.’ [The governor] thought that he said it regarding him, but [in fact, Rabbi Eliezer] said it in reference to Heaven. [The governor] said to him: ‘Since you trusted me, although I [still] say what I have believed: [How] is it possible that these academies would be [so] mistaken [as to believe] in these idle matters, [but nonetheless] the verdict is that you are exonerated.’
After Rabbi Eliezer was exonerated [and allowed to descend] from the platform, he was distressed that he had been apprehended for the purpose of heresy.⁶⁵He did not understand why this had happened to him. His students entered to console him, but he did not accept it. Rabbi Akiva entered to him and said to him: ‘Rabbi, did, perhaps, one of the heretics ever say something before you and you found it pleasant?’ He said to him: ‘Yes, by Heaven, you reminded me. Once I was ascending in the upper marketplace of Tzippori, and a person approached me, and his name was Yaakov of the village of Sikhnaya, and he said to me one matter in the name of so-and-so⁶⁶Some say this is a reference to Jesus. and it brought me pleasure. That matter was: ‘It is written in your Torah: “You shalt not bring the fee of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:19). What are they?’ I said to him: ‘They are prohibited.’ He said to me: ‘They are prohibited for an offering, but is it permitted to destroy these [coins]?’⁶⁷Once they have been consecrated. I said to him: ‘If so,⁶⁸That they cannot be destroyed. what will he do with them?’ He said to me: ‘Let him make with them bathhouses and bathrooms.’⁶⁹For use in the Temple complex. I said to him: ‘You have spoken well,’ and a halakha⁷⁰That one must not engage in discourse with a heretic or accept his words. was temporarily concealed from me.
‘When he saw that I accepted his words, he said: ‘So said so-and-so: From repugnance it came, and to repugnance it should be expended,⁷¹The money came from payment to a harlot, and therefore should be used for repugnant matters, such as bathrooms. as it is stated: “For from the fee of a harlot she gathered them, and to the fee of a harlot they will return” (Micah 1:7). Let them be bathrooms for the multitudes,’ and it gave me pleasure. For that matter I was apprehended for heresy. Moreover, I violated what is written in the Torah: “Distance your way from her, and do not approach the door of her house” (Proverbs 5:8). “Distance your way from her,” this is heresy. “And do not approach the door of her house,” this is prostitution. Why? It is because: “For she has felled many wounded; abundant are all she has killed” (Proverbs 7:26).’
How far [must one distance oneself]? Rabbi Ḥisda said: Four cubits. For this, Rabbi Elazar ben Dama, son of the sister of Rabbi Yishmael, died. He was bitten by a snake, and Yaakov of the village of Sikhnaya came to cure him [through incantation] in the name of so-and-so, but Rabbi Yishmael did not allow him to do so. He said: ‘You are not permitted to do thus, ben Dama.’ [Ben Dama] said to him: ‘Allow me, and I will cite you proof from the Torah that it is permitted,’ but he did not manage to cite him proof before he died. Rabbi Yishmael rejoiced and said: ‘Happy are you, ben Dama, as your soul emerged in purity and you did not breach the boundary of the Sages, as anyone who breaches the boundary of the Sages, ultimately punishment befalls him, as it is stated: “One who breaches a fence, a snake will bite him” (Ecclesiastes 10:8).’ But was he not bitten [by a snake]? Rather, that a snake would not bite him in the future.⁷²Had he been cured from this snake bite, he would have thereby sinned and he would have in any event then received another snake bite that would have been incurable (Etz Yosef). What did he have in that regard?⁷³What proof did Rabbi Elazar ben Dama seek to bring? “That a man shall do and he will live by them” (Leviticus 18:5) – and not that he will die by them.⁷⁴This proves that one may violate most prohibitions in order to save a life (Yoma 85b).

Similarly, when Jethro’s daughters said to Him: “We thank you for saving us from the shepherds,” Moses replied: “It was the Egyptian whom I killed who actually was responsible for your rescue.” Therefore they said to their father: “It was an Egyptian,” in order to tell him that the man responsible for his coming to us was the Egyptian whom he had slain. And he said unto his daughters: “And where is he?” (ibid., v. 20). He said to them: “All that ye have told me concerning his drawing the water from the well and watering the flock is, indeed, a sign that he is a descendant of those who stood at the well, for the well recognized its master. Call him, that he may eat bread (ibid.), perhaps he will wed one of you,” as it is said: He knew not aught save the bread which he did eat (Gen. 39:6). And Scripture also says: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Prov. 9:17), and For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread (ibid. 6:26).

Variantly: R. Bana'ah says: If you learn words of Torah for their own sake, they are "life" for you, as it is written (Proverbs 4:22) "For they are life to him who finds them, and to all of his flesh healing; and if not, they kill you, as it is written "My taking (i.e., Torah) ya'arof as the rain," arifah" being killing, viz. (Devarim 21:4) "And they shall break (ve'arfu) there the neck of the heifer in the river-bed." And it is written (Proverbs 7:26) "For she (Torah) has taken many lives; the number of its victims is legion."