מדרש על משלי 10:3

(Numb. 20:24, cont.:) “Because you rebelled against My command at the Waters of Meribah....” This text is related (to Prov. 10:3), “The Lord will not let a righteous soul go hungry.” This refers to the first Adam,¹¹⁶Numb. R. 19:18. in that none of the righteous, who stem from him and upon whom has been decreed sentence of death, will pass away until they see the face of the Divine Presence and reprove the first Adam, and say to him, “You have caused us death.” But he will answer them, “I have [only] one sin on my hands; but in your case; is there a single one of you that does not have more than four offenses on his hands?” So where is it shown that the righteous see the face of the Divine Presence? Where it is stated (in Is. 38:11), “I said, ‘I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living [...].’” The righteous shall be punished with death on account of small transgressions, so that the first Adam will not be blamed on their account. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 10:3), “The Lord will not let a righteous soul go hungry.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:24), “because you rebelled.”

18 (Numb. 20:24, cont.) “Because you rebelled against My command”: This text is related (to Prov. 10:3), “The Lord will not let a righteous soul go hungry.” This refers to the first Adam, in that none of the righteous, who stem from him and upon whom has been decreed sentence of death, will pass away until they see the face of the Divine Presence and reprove the first Adam, and say to him, “You have caused us death.” But he will answer them, “I have [only] one sin on my hands; but in your case; is there a single one of you that does not have more than four offenses on his hands?” So where is it shown that the righteous see the face of the Divine Presence? Where it is stated (in Is. 38:11), “I said, ‘I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living [...].’” The righteous shall be punished with death on account of small transgressions, so that the first Adam will not be blamed on their account. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 10:3), “The Lord will not let a righteous soul go hungry.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:24), “because you rebelled against My command.”

{(Deut. 32:51:) BECAUSE YOU ACTED FAITHLESSLY WITH ME} [(Numb. 20:24, cont.:) BECAUSE YOU REBELLED AGAINST MY COMMAND AT THE WATERS OF MERIBAH. This text is related (to Prov. 10:3): LORD WILL NOT LET A RIGHTEOUS SOUL GO HUNGRY. This refers to the first Adam,¹⁶³Tanh., Numb. 6:16; Numb. R. 19:18. in that none of the righteous, who stem from him and upon whom has been decreed sentence of death, will pass away until they see the face of the Divine Presence. Then they will reprove the first Adam and say to him: You have caused us death; but he will answer them: I have <only> one sin on my hands; but in your case, is there a single one of you that does not have a lot of offenses on his hands? So where is it shown that the righteous see the face of the Divine Presence? Where it is stated (in Is. 38:11): I SAID: I SHALL NOT SEE THE LORD, EVEN THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING. The righteous shall be punished with death on account of small transgressions, so that the first Adam will not be blamed on their account. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 10:3): LORD WILL NOT LET A RIGHTEOUS SOUL GO HUNGRY. it is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:24): BECAUSE YOU REBELLED.