Quotation sobre I Reyes 2:14

ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חדש באחד לחדש AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE FORTIETH YEAR, IN THE ELEVENTH MONTH, ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH, [MOSES SPAKE] — This tells us that he reproved them only shortly before his death (Jewish tradition holds that Moses died on the seventh day of the twelfth month; cf. Megillah 13b). From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who reproved his sons only shortly before his death. He said, “Reuben, my son, I will tell you why I have not reproved you for your unfitial conduct during all these years: it was in order that you should not leave me and go and join Esau, my wicked brother". — And on account of four things one should not reprove a person except shortly before one's death: that one should not reprove him and again have to reprove him; and that his fellow whom he reproves should not, when he afterwards happens to see him, feel ashamed before him, etc.; as it is set forth in Siphre. And similarly, Joshua reproved Israel only shortly before his death (cf. Joshua 24:1—29), and so, too, Samuel, as it is said, (I Samuel 12:3) “Behold, testify against me", and so, also, David reproved his son Solomon only shortly before his death (cf. 1 Kings 2:1—9).

And this is the letter which the above-mentioned Rabbi sent from the Holy Land to Castile, when his son was staying before the kind (in his service):- May God bless you, and preserve you from sin and punishment. Behold, our master, King David, bore a son, wise and of understanding, like unto whom there was never one before or after. Nevertheless he said to him (1 Kings ii. 2): 'And keep the charge of the Lord thy God,' etc. He also said to him: 'And thou, my son, know the God of thy father' (1 Chron. xxviii. 9). Now, my son, if thou wilt measure thyself with Solomon, thou wilt find thyself a worm, - not a man, merely an insect, nevertheless, if thou wilt seek God, he will make thee great; and if thou wilt forsake him, thou wilt be turned out and forsaken. My son, be careful that thou readest the Shema morning and evening, as well as that thou sayest the daily prayers. Have always with thee a Pentateuch written correctly, and read therein the Lesson for each Sabbath...