Les Proverbes 2:4 Midrash : Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Sifrei Devarim & Midrash Tehillim

Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair began: “If you seek it like silver…” (Proverbs 2:4). If you seek matters of Torah like these hidden treasures, the Holy One blessed be He will not withhold your reward. This is analogous to a person, if he loses a sela or a kilarin²²This was a valuable ornament of gold inlaid with a jewel. in his house, he will kindle several lamps, several wicks, until he finds them. The matter can be inferred a fortiori; if for these, that [enhance] the temporal life of this world, a person kindles several lamps and several wicks until he discovers them and finds them, matters of Torah, that [are essential for] life in this world and in the World to Come, do you not need to search for them like these hidden treasures? That is: “If you seek it like silver….” Rabbi Elazar said: In all my days, no one preceded me to the study hall and I did not leave a person there and exit. One time I awoke early and I found the collectors of manure and collectors of straw,²³These individuals would arise very early to collect straw and manure from public thoroughfares in order to sell them as fertilizer. They had begun their work before Rabbi Elazar had gone to the study hall. and I said: “If you seek it like silver and search for it like for hidden treasures, then you will understand fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 2:4–5). We are not even like the collectors of manure and collectors of straw. Thus we have learned that Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair used to say: Alacrity leads to cleanliness. Cleanliness leads to purity. Purity leads to sanctity. Sanctity leads to humility. Humility leads to fear of sin. Fear of sin leads to piety. Piety leads to the Divine Spirit. The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory.
Alacrity leads to cleanliness, as it is stated: “He shall complete atoning²⁴The term kapara means atonement as well as cleanliness. This verse, which is about the service of the High Priest in the Temple on Yom Kippur, indicates that it is the completion of a service, which is accomplished through alacrity, that leads to atonement, or cleanliness. for the Sanctuary” (Leviticus 16:20). Cleanliness leads to purity, as it is stated: “The priest shall atone for her and she will be purified” (Leviticus 12:8). Purity leads to sanctity, as it is stated: “He shall purify it and he shall sanctify it” (Leviticus 16:19). Sanctity leads to humility, as it is stated: “For so said the Exalted and Most High, who abides forever and whose name is holy: Exalted and holy I will dwell and I will be with the downtrodden and lowly” (Isaiah 57:15). Humility leads to fear of sin, as it is stated: “In the wake of humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4). Fear of sin leads to piety, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20).²⁵Some suggest that the text here should read: “The mercy [ḥesed] of the Lord is forever and ever upon those who fear Him” (Psalms 103:17), in accordance with the parallel text of the Jerusalem Talmud (Shekalim 3:3). The term ḥesed, translated in the verse as mercy, is related to the term ḥasidut, piety (see Etz Yosef). Piety leads to the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20). The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, as it is stated: “I will place My spirit in you, and you will live” (Ezekiel 37:14). The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory, as it is stated: “Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you [before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord]” (Malachi 3:23).²⁶“The great and terrible day of the Lord” is understood as a reference to the resurrection of the dead. Elijah will come before the resurrection of the dead, but it is the need to perform the resurrection of the dead that leads to his coming (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Matna said: What wisdom made as a crown on its head, humility made as a sandal on its heel. What wisdom made a crown on its head [roshah], as it is stated: “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord” (Psalms 111:10), humility made a sandal on its heel [akevah], as it is stated: “In the wake of [ekev] humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4).
The resurrection of the dead is by means of Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory. That is what is written: “Then you will understand fear of the Lord, and you will find knowledge of” (Proverbs 2:5), this is the Divine Spirit.²⁷Commentaries struggle to understand this line, which does not prove that resurrection of the dead is by means of Elijah. Some suggest that it be deleted (Etz Yosef). Others suggest that this is a proof that alacrity eventually leads to understanding via the Divine Spirit, as indicated above. This is because the verse that precedes the one cited here relates to alacrity (Midrash HaMevoar).
Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥalafta: [This is analogous] to a royal adviser who grew prominent in the king’s palace. The king said to him: ‘Make a request; what shall I give you?’ The adviser said: If I request silver and gold, he will give them to me; gems and pearls, he will give them to me. He said: I will request the king’s daughter, and everything will be included. So too, “In Givon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; God said: Request; what shall I give you?” (I Kings 3:5). Solomon said: If I request silver, gold, gems and pearls, he will give them to me. But I will request wisdom and everything will be included. That is what is written: “Give Your servant an attentive heart” (I Kings 3:9). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Solomon, you requested wisdom and you did not request wealth and property and the lives of your enemies. By your life, wisdom is granted you, and thereby, I will give you wealth and property.’ Immediately, “Solomon awakened and behold, a dream” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The dream was fulfilled; a donkey brayed and he knew what it was braying, a bird tweeted and he knew what it was tweeting. Immediately, “he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings, he performed peace offerings, and he made a feast for all his servants” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Elazar said: From here it is derived that one makes a feast upon completion of the Torah. Rabbi Yudan said: It is to teach you that anyone who teaches Torah in public is privileged to have the Divine Spirit rest upon him, as so Solomon did. He taught and the Divine Spirit rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

(Devarim 11:22) "For if you keep, keep, all of this mitzvah": What is the intent of this (repetition)? Scripture is hereby stressing that just as one must take care that his sela (a coin) not go lost, so must he take care that his learning not go lost. And thus is it written (Proverbs 2:4) "If you search for it (Torah) like silver, etc." Just as it is difficult to acquire silver, so it is difficult to acquire words of Torah. — But perhaps just as it is difficult to lose silver (i.e., silver is not readily broken), so it is difficult to lose Torah! It is, therefore, written (Job 28:17) "Gold and fine glass cannot be compared to it." It is as difficult to acquire them (words of Torah) as gold, and as easy to lose them as vessels of glass.

"Reward Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word." This is what Isaiah said (Isaiah 59:18), "According to their deeds, so will He repay wrath to His adversaries." The Lord pays the wicked according to their deeds, and to the righteous, He pays them according to their works. He pays the wicked (Isaiah 34:5), "For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; behold it shall come down upon Edom, and upon the people of My curse, to judgment." And He rewards the righteous, as it says in Psalm 73:1, "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart." And it says in Isaiah 63:7, "I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His loving-kindnesses." The Lord does not pay anything for free, neither to the wicked nor to the righteous. The evil that comes upon the wicked is not brought upon them by the Lord. As it says in Lamentations 3:38, "Out of the mouth of the Most High proceedeth not evil and good." But they bring it upon themselves. And it says in Isaiah 3:9, "The shew of their countenance doth witness against them." What does He reward the righteous with? Life, without any charge. And it says in Psalm 103:2-4, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction." And not only this, but He does many righteous deeds, as it says in Psalm 146:7, "The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed." And it says in Psalm 116:7, "Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." And David said to the Lord, "Reward Your servant with life, that I may keep Your word." And why does He reward me with life? Because I keep Your word. Life is the Torah. And it says in Proverbs 4:13, "Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." Therefore it is said, "Recompense on Your servant, I will live." David said to him, "Master of the universe, it is Your will that I keep Your word. Unveil my eyes that I may perceive wonders from Your Torah. And if You do not unveil my eyes, how can I know? Therefore it is said, 'Unveil my eyes and I will perceive wonders.' Even though my eyes are open, I know nothing. Come and see, even though Samuel was a prophet, he knew nothing until the Holy One, blessed be He, unveiled his ear, as it is said (I Samuel 9:15), 'And the Lord had revealed to Samuel.' Likewise, Nebuchadnezzar said (Daniel 2:47), 'Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries.' And so did Daniel say (Daniel 2:30), 'But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living man, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king.' And he said (Daniel 2:22), 'And He reveals the deep and secret things.' So did David say, 'Unveil my eyes that I may perceive wonders from Your Torah.' And why does he say (Psalms 119:129), 'Your testimonies are wonderful?' 'Wonderful' refers to the Torah. And so the Scripture says, 'Wonderful are Your testimonies.' Therefore it is said, 'Wonders from Your Torah are treasures.' And so the Scripture says (Proverbs 21:20), 'A desirable treasure.' It is a hidden treasure, as the Scripture says (Deuteronomy 33:19), 'And of the hidden treasures of the sand.' There are many doors and many entrances in it, as it says (Psalms 24:7-8), 'Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!' And so David said, 'The Torah is full of wonders.' Moses said, 'It is not a wonder from you, as it says (Deuteronomy 30:11), 'For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you.' It is not too hard for you, but it is a wonder from you, because you did not toil in it. Therefore it is said, 'Wonders from Your Torah.'...