Midrash sur Les Proverbes 5:19

(Fol. 77b.) R. Jochanan ordered the following announcement: "Beware of flies that sucked from those afflicted with gonorrhoea [that are carrying contagion."] R. Zera would not sit where such a wind (of gonorrhea] blew. R. Elazar would not enter into such a tent. R. Ami and R. Assi did not even use the eggs of the street where a person afflicted with gonorrhoea was found. R. Joshua b. Levi, however, would embrace them and study the Torah, saying (Pr. 5, 19) A lovely hind and a graceful roe; i.e., "if she (the Torah) causes gracefulness unto those who study her, how is it possible that she should not protect them [against sickness?"] When R. Joshua b. Levi was about to die the Angel of Death was instructed to visit him and do all his wishes. He came and disclosed himself to R. Joshua. "Come and show me my place [I am to occupy in Eden,"] requested R. Joshua. "Very well," replied the Angel of Death. "But give me your sword," requested R. Joshua, "lest thou frighten me during our travel." The angel gave it to him. Upon reaching their destiny, the angel lifted him up and showed him the place [which he would occupy some day in the future,] when R. Joshua made a jump, throwing himself over on the other side. The angel [observing R. Joshua's action] took a hold at the end of his cloak [pressing him to return.] Whereupon R. Joshua said: "I swear that I shall not go back." The Holy One, praised be He! said: "If he ever, during his lifetime, sought to be relieved of an oath then he must go back [then his present oath should be revoked,) but if not, then he cannot be compelled to return [on account of his oath."] "Give me then my sword," pleaded the angel with him. But R. Joshua refused to comply with his request. When a Heavenly voice came forth and said to him: "Give it back to him, for it is urgently needed for the world." Elijah then announced before him: "Have ready a place for the son of Levi. Have ready a place for the son of Levi." When he came he found that R. Simon b. Jochai was seated on thirteen golden chairs. The latter asked him: "Art thou that bar Levi?" "Yes," came the reply. "Was a rainbow ever seen during thy lifetime?" R. Simon asked him. "Yes," replied R. Joshua. "If so, then I don't believe that thou art that bar Levi," remarked R. Simon b. Jochai. However, the real fact is that it was never seen during his life, but R. Joshua did not want the credit for himself. R. Chanina b. Papa was intimately associated [with the Angel of Death.] When he was about to die, the Angel of Death was told to go and render him some friendly service. He accordingly went and introduced himself to R. Chanina [as to the purpose of his visit]. The latter requested him to leave him for thirteen days, to review what he had been learning; for it is said: "Blessed is he who comes here with his studies ready." Thereupon he left him, and at the expiration of the thirty days returned and introduced himself to the Rabbi. "Come and show me my place [that I am to occupy in Eden."] requested R. Chanina. "Very well," replied the Angel of Death. "But give me thy sword," said R. Chanina, "lest thou frighten me on the road [while we shall travel." The angel replied: "Dost thou mean to serve me as thy friend did?" R. Chanina then said to the angel: "Bring a scroll and convince thyself if there is a thing written in it which I did not fulfill." Whereupon the angel replied: "But didst thou embrace the gonorrhoeal persons and study the Torah with them?" Nevertheless when he died a column of fire was interposed between him and the rest of the world, and we have a tradition that a column of fire interposes only to one or two [greatest] of a generation. R. Alexandri then approached the dead, saying: "Do it (give admission unto you) for the sake of honor of all the sages," but no attention was paid to him. "Do it for the sake of thy father's honor;" still no attention was paid to him. "Do it for thy own sake," [pleaded R. Alexandri.] Whereupon the column of fire disappeared. Abaye said: "The column of fire comes to exclude them who left of the Torah unfulfilled even as little as one letter." Whereupon R. Ada b. Mathna remarked: "To exclude the master for not having a proper fence around his roof." However, this accusation was just for the fact was that Abaye had a fence around his roof, only at that time [of the critics] it had been destroyed by a wind.

An idolater asked Rabban Gamliel, "Why was the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed to Moses in the Burning Bush?" Rabban Gamliel replied to him, "If God had been revealed in a carob tree or a fig tree, you would have asked me the same thing, and I could not send you away without an answer. This teaches you that there is no place in the world devoid of the Shekhinah."

One basin of silver – corresponding to the Torah which is compared to wine, as it is stated (Proverbs 9:5), “and drink from the wine that I have mixed.” And since it is the custom of wine to be drunk form a basin, as you say (Amos 6:6), “Who drink from wine basins” – therefore, he brought “a basin that is seventy shekel of the holy shekels.” Why? Just like the numerical equivalent of wine is seventy, so too are there seventy faces to the Torah. Why does it state “one” about the bowl? Corresponding to the Torah that must be one, as you say (Numbers 15:16), “One Torah and one statute shall there be for you.” Why does it state “one” about the basin? Because the words of the written Torah and the words of the Oral Torah were all given by one shepherd – all of them were stated by one God to Moshe at Sinai. Why were they of silver? Corresponding to the Torah, about which it is stated (Psalms 12:7), “The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purged in a crucible, etc.” Both of them filled with fine flour, etc. – Scripture and Mishnah are full, since one does not contradict its fellow. Fine flour – as you say (Psalms 19:11), “drippings (nofet) of the comb” – like flour that one can see on top of the sieve (napah). Mixed with oil – that is Torah, which is required to be mixed with good deeds; like that which we learned (Avot 2:2),” Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation; for the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin to be forgotten.” That is for the offering – as at that time, he brings a pleasantness of spirit to his Creator, when a man is involved in Torah study and is a master of good deeds and guards himself from sin. One ladle – corresponding to the tablets that were written by the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as you say (Exodus 32:16), “The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, etc.” Ten of gold – these are the ten statements (commandments) that were written on the tablets, as you say (Deuteronomy 10:4), “And He wrote on the tablets like the first writing, etc.” Gold – like you say (Song of Songs 5:14), “His hands are rods of gold”; and it states (Psalms 19:11), “More precious than gold, etc.” Full of incense – since the six hundred and thirteen commandments are mixed in them. And so do you find that there are six hundred and thirteen letters from “I” (the first word in the ten commandments) to “of your friend” (the last word), corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments; and there are seven letters lacking, corresponding to the seven days of creation – to teach you that the whole world was only created in the merit of the Torah. That is full of incense (ketoret) – since the [letter] kof changes to a dalet [in] at-bash gar-dak (switching the early letters in the aleph-bet with the corresponding later letters), and the [numerical] count of the word then comes to six hundred and thirteen. Another explanation: full of incense – as between each and every statement written on the tablets, the sections and the details were written. And it comes out like that which Chananiah the son of the brother of Rabbi Yehoshua said: “His hands are rods of gold” – these are the two tablets of the covenant upon which were written, ‘written by the finger of God.' “Rods of gold” – just like these rods, between one large rod and another large rod, there are small rods; so too, between each and every statement, the sections of the Torah were written and its details. One bull of the herd – corresponding to the priests; one ram – corresponding to the Levites; one lamb – corresponding to Israel, as they all accepted the Torah as Sinai. One goat for a sin offering – corresponding to the converts that would convert in the future and were there; as everyone is fitting, as it is stated (Leviticus 18: 5), “which a man shall do and live by them.” It does not state, “priests, Levites and Israelites,” but rather “a man.” [This] teaches that, behold, even an idolater that converts and is involved in Torah is like a high priest. And for peace offerings, two oxen (bakar) – corresponding to the two Torahs; as anyone who checks (mevaker) and sacrifices his inclination to do everything that is written in them is making peace twice – peace above and peace below; as it is stated (Isaiah 27:5), “But if he holds fast to My refuge, peace will he make with Me, with Me he will make peace.” Five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs - corresponding to three verses of the Torah in which the six Orders of the Mishnah are [indicated]. And they are [each] of two sections, and each and every section is made of five words, and these are them (Psalms 19:8-10): “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the decrees of the Lord, etc.... The ordinances of the Lord, etc.; the commandments of the Lord, etc.... The fear of the Lord, etc.; the judgments of the Lord, etc.” Hence they offered these three types of sacrifices as peace offerings, corresponding to the three verses in which the six Orders of the Mishnah are [indicated]. It comes out like that which Rabbi Tanchuma said: “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, [restoring the soul], etc.” – this is the Order of Women that warns a man to separate from sexual prohibitions in order to save him from death, like the one that says (Proverbs 5:19), “All who go to her cannot return and find again the paths of life.” And it states (Proverbs 5:16), “It will save you from the forbidden woman, etc.” “The decrees of the Lord [are trustworthy], etc.” – this is the Order of Seeds, as one has trust in the world’s Life and sows. “The ordinances of the Lord, [are just, rejoicing the heart], etc.” – this is the Order of Appointed Time that has all of the holidays in it, about which it is written (Deuteronomy 16:14), “And you shall rejoice in your holidays.” “The commandments of the Lord [are lucid, making the eyes light up,]. etc.” – this is the Order of Holy Things, which enlightens the eyes [to differentiate] between profane things and holy things. “The fear of the Lord [is pure], etc.” – this is the Order of Purities, which separates between purity and impurity. “The judgments of the Lord, etc.” – this is the Order of Damages, in which there are most of the laws. And hence they offered five of each type corresponding to the five words written for each and every Order. And why were five words written for each and every order? Corresponding to the Torah which is five books, [in order] to teach you that [the sections of the Mishnah] are bodies of Torah. Why is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, written in [the section of the verse relating to] each and every Order? Since He testifies upon them, that He stated them to Moshe from His mouth, in the same way that He stated the five books of the Torah. That was the offering of Netanel, etc. - once the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that he brought offerings according to the Orders of the Torah, He began to praise his sacrifice – “that was the offering of Netanel son of Tzuar.”