מדרש על משלי 8:34

Scripture itself declares: Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My door (ibid. 8:34). This verse indicates that no harm will befall the person who hearkens unto the Torah, for it is written: Whosoever hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell securely and shall be quiet without fear of evil (ibid. 1:33). Furthermore it states: When thou walkest, it shall lead thee (ibid. 6:22).

R. Levi said: "Whoever has a synagogue in his town, and does not go there to pray, is to be called a wicked neighbor, as it is said (Jer. 12, 14.) Thus hath said the Lord against all my wicked neighbors; moreover by his actions he causes exile to himself and his children, as it is said (Ib.) I will pluck them out of their land, and the house of Judah will I pluck out from the midst of them." They told R. Jochanan. that there are aged people in Babylon, and he remarked wonderingly, "It is written (Deu. 11, 21.) In order that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers, but not outside of Palestine." But when he was informed [of the fact] that they come early to the synagogue, and leave it late, then he said: "Aye, it is this which helps them, as R. Jochanan b. Levi said unto his children, 'Come early and remain late in the synagogue, in order that you may live long.'" R. Acha the son of R. Chanina said: "From what Biblical passage [do we learn this]? Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto me, watching day by day at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors (Pr. 8, 34), and after this is written. For he who finds me, finds life." R. Chisda said: "A man shall always enter two doors to the synagogue." What does he mean by "two doors"? He means that a man should wait as long as it takes to walk the length of two doors, and then begin to pray.

“…and the people shall go out and gather what is needed for the day…” (Exodus 16:4) This is what is written “Blessed is the Lord; every day…” (Psalms 68:20) The Holy One said to Israel: with the measure that a man measures with, so he is measured. I gave you the Torah in order that you be occupied with it every day, as it says “Fortunate is the man who listens to me to watch by my doors day by day…” (Proverbs 8:34) And so too “Yet they seek Me daily…” (Isaiah 58:2) By your lives, I will satisfy you with food from the heavens every day, as it says “…and the people shall go out and gather what is needed for the day, so that I can test them, whether or not they will follow My teaching.” (Exodus 16:4) Furthermore, I will bless you every day, as it says “Blessed is the Lord; every day God lavishes upon us…” (Psalms 68:20) When you do My will I will call you “…borne from birth…” (Isaiah 46:3) and I will fill up (ma’amis) for you the cup of salvation in the merit of the Holy Temple, which is called a ‘stone of burden’ (maamasa), as it says “And it shall come to pass on that day that I will make Jerusalem a stone of burden for all peoples…” (Zechariah 12:3)