Midrash sur L’Exode 15:25

R. Simon b. Lakish said: "Whoever studies the Torah will prevent affliction from coming upon him, for it is said (Job 5, 7.), And the sons of fire take up their flight. By Uf (flight) is meant nothing else but the Torah, as it is said (Pr. 23, 5.) When thou letteth merely thine eye fly over it (i.e., if you study the Torah by merely glancing over it with your eyes), it is no more, (you will easily forget it). And Reshef (fire) means nothing else but affliction, as it is said (Deu. 32, 24.) Devoured with evil spirits." "Aye." exclaimed R. Jochanan, "even the school children know this! for it is said, (Ex. 15. 2.5.) And he said, if thou wilt deligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord and wilt do what is riqht in His eyes, etc. But it means thus: Upon him who is capable of studying the Torah, but does not do so the Holy One, praised be He! will bring repulsive suffering which will greatly disturb him; for it is said (Ps. 39, 3.) I was dumb in deep silence, I was quite still even from speaking good, but my pain greatly disturbed me. By tob (good) is meant nothing else but the Torah, for it is said (Pr. 4, 2.) For good doctrine do I give, etc." R. Zeira, and some say, R. Chanina b. Papa, said: "Come and see that the custom of the Holy One. praised be He! is not like the custom of mortal men. The custom of mortal men is that if a man sell a valuable thing to his fellow-man, the seller is sorry and only the buyer is happy; but the custom of the Holy One, praised be He! is not so. He bestowed the Torah on Israel and He rejoiced, for it is said (Ib. 4, 2.) For good doctrine do I give thee." Raba, and according to others R. Chisda, said: "If a man see that troubles are coming unto him, let him search his deeds, for it is said, (Lam. 3, 40) Let us search through and examine our ways and let us return unto the Lord. If he has investigated and found nothing wrong, then let him attribute it to a neglect of the study of the Torah. for it is said (Ps. 94, 12.) Happy is the man whom Thou admonisheth, O Lord, and teacheth out of Thy Torah. But if he investigated and did not find [neglect of the study of the Torah] then it is known that his affliction is the cause of God's love, for it is said (Pr. 3, 12.) Because whomsoever the Lord loveth He admonisheth." Raba, in the name of R. Sechorah, who quoted R. Huna, said: "Whomsover the Holy One, praised be He! loveth. He afflicteth, for it is said (Is. 53, 10.) But the Lord was pleased to crush him through disease. We might think that, even if he does not accept the affliction with resignation. It is therefore said (Ib.) When his soul hath brought the trespass-offering, i. e., just as a guilt offering must come with his acknowledgement, so also must this be accepted with resignation. And if he accept it with love what will be his reward? Then shall he see (his) seed live many days, (Ib.) and moreover his learning shall endure with him, as is said (Ib.) And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." As to affliction, there is a difference of opinion between R. Jacob b. Ide and R. Acha b. Chanina. One holds that all such affliction which does not prevent one from studying the Torah is one of love, for it is said (Ps. 94, 12.) Happy is the man whom Thou admonisheth, O Lord, and teacheth from Thy Torah; and the other holds that such affliction which does not prevent one from praying is one which comes from love, for it is said (Ps. 66, 20.) Blessed he God who hath not removed my prayer nor His kindness from me. R. Abba, the son of R. Chiya b. Abba, said: "Thus said my father (R. Chiya) in the name of R. Jochanan; 'Both of these afflictions are the kind which come from love, for it is written (Pr. 3, 12.) Because whomsoever the Lord loveth He admonisheth; But what do we learn [from the passage] Thou teacheth him of the Torah. Do not read Tlamdenu (that he should be able to study the Torah); but read it Tlamdainu (Out of Thy Torah, Thou teacheth us) i. e., we learn from thine Torah [that one who is punished by God should be happy] namely, through the rule of a fortiori concerning the tooth and the eye; that if the loss of a tooth or an eye [stricken out by the master] which affects only one member of the human body, frees the slave, how much more then are afflictions, which affect the whole human body, capable of cleaning one of evil.'" And that is meant by R. Simon b. Lakish, for he said: "It is said Convenant (Brith) in connection with the word salt, and it is said Convenant (Brith) in connection with the word affliction. Covenant by salt — as it is written (Lev. 2, 13.) Thou shalt not suffer the salt of the covenant (Brith)! Covenant by affliction — as it is written (Deu. 28, 49.) These are the words of the covenant. (Brith) Just as the covenant of the salt was made to sweeten meat, so the covenant of affliction was made to cleanse man of all iniquities."

“It is the sound of my beloved knocking” – by means of Moses when he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight, I will emerge in the midst of Egypt” (Exodus 11:4). “Open for me” – Rabbi Yasa said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: My children, open for Me one opening of repentance like the eye of the needle, and I will open for you openings that wagons and carriages enter through it.
Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Ḥunya, and Rabbi Abbahu [said] in the name of Reish Lakish: It is written: “Desist, and know that I am God…” (Psalms 46:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your evil actions and know that I am God. Rabbi Levi said: Were Israel to repent even one day, they would be redeemed immediately and the son of David would come immediately. What is the reason? “For He is our God, and we are the people of His flock and the sheep under His hand; today, if you heed His voice” (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your wicked actions and repent in the blink of an eye, “and know that I am God.”¹⁵Earnest repentance, even for a very short time, will lead to redemption, which will itself cause widespread recognition of God.
“My sister [aḥoti]” – as they were stitched [nitaḥu] to Me in Egypt with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. That is what is written: “I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – this is the blood of the paschal offering. “I said to you, in your blood you shall live” – this is the blood of circumcision (Ezekiel 16:6).
“My love [rayati]” – as they fell in love [sheriu] with Me at the sea and said: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), “the Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). “My dove” – at Mara, as from there they were commanded and became distinctive through all the mitzvot, acts of charity, and good deeds, like the dove that is distinctive.¹⁶A dove recognizes its mate, distinguishing it from among the other doves. That is what is written: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). “My faultless [tamati]” – My wholehearted ones [tamuti], as they were wholehearted with Me at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: My twin [teomati], as it were; I am not greater than it and it is not greater that I am.¹⁷God is as assiduous regarding the honor of the righteous of Israel as He is of His own honor. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: My twin [teomati], just as with twins, if one has a headache his counterpart feels it. So too, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
“For my head is filled with dew” – on the basis of: “The earth quaked, the heavens dripped” (Psalms 68:9). “My locks, drops of night” – on the basis of what is stated: “The clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4).

Another interpretation (of Prov. 29:4): BY JUSTICE (mishpat) A KING SUSTAINS <THE LAND>. This refers to the Holy One. When he came to give Torah to Israel, he began with an ordinance (mishpat). What is written (in Exod. 15:25): THERE HE ESTABLISHED FOR THEM A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE, and <it was> here <that> Moses learned the ordinances which he taught Israel.