בְּנִ֗י אַל־תֵּלֵ֣ךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם מְנַ֥ע רַ֝גְלְךָ֗ מִנְּתִיבָתָֽם׃
anakku, janganlah engkau berjalan di jalan bersama mereka, tahanlah kakimu dari jalan setapak mereka;
Midrash Mishlei
[10](Proverbs 1:15): "My son, do not walk in the way with them" - this refers to the nations of the world, as it is said of them (Leviticus 20:23): "And you shall not walk in the customs of the nations." "Hold back your foot from their path" - so as not to worship their idolatry, as it is said (Exodus 34:14): "For you shall not bow down to another god." (Proverbs 1:16): "For their feet run to evil" - this refers to idolatry, "and they make haste to shed blood" - to teach you that anyone who worships idolatry is as if he sheds blood.
Bereshit Rabbah
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He [Isaac] sought to curse him [Jacob]. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Be careful, if you curse him, you are cursing yourself, as you said: “Cursed be one who curses you”’ (Genesis 27:29).
Rabbi Levi said: Six items serve a person; three are in his control, and three are not in his control. The eye, the ear, and the nose are not in his control – he sees what he does not wish, he hears what he does not wish, and he smells what he does not wish. The mouth, the hand, and the foot are in his control – [the mouth,] if he wishes he toils in Torah; if he wishes, [he speaks] evil speech; if he wishes, he curses and blasphemes. The hand, if he wishes, he performs a mitzva; if he wishes, he steals; if he wishes, he kills. His foot, if he wishes, he goes to theaters and circuses; and if he wishes, he goes to synagogues and study halls. When he merits, the Holy One blessed be He renders the ones in his control to be not in his control. The hand – “his hand that he had extended toward him shriveled” (I Kings 13:4); the mouth, “indeed, he shall be blessed” (Genesis 27:33); the foot, “My son, do not walk on the way with them…for their feet run to evil” (Proverbs 1:15–16).
Rabbi Levi said: Six items serve a person; three are in his control, and three are not in his control. The eye, the ear, and the nose are not in his control – he sees what he does not wish, he hears what he does not wish, and he smells what he does not wish. The mouth, the hand, and the foot are in his control – [the mouth,] if he wishes he toils in Torah; if he wishes, [he speaks] evil speech; if he wishes, he curses and blasphemes. The hand, if he wishes, he performs a mitzva; if he wishes, he steals; if he wishes, he kills. His foot, if he wishes, he goes to theaters and circuses; and if he wishes, he goes to synagogues and study halls. When he merits, the Holy One blessed be He renders the ones in his control to be not in his control. The hand – “his hand that he had extended toward him shriveled” (I Kings 13:4); the mouth, “indeed, he shall be blessed” (Genesis 27:33); the foot, “My son, do not walk on the way with them…for their feet run to evil” (Proverbs 1:15–16).
Bereshit Rabbah
Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Yoḥanan, one said: The portion is out of order. The other said: It was stated in order. The one who said: The portion is out of order, as the Holy One blessed be He had already promised him, as it is stated: “Behold, I am with you” (Genesis 28:15), and he says: “If God will be with me”? The one who says: It was stated in order, how do I understand: “If God will be with me”? It is, rather, that this is what Jacob said: ‘If the conditions that He said, to be with me and to keep me, will be fulfilled, I will fulfill my vow.’
“And I return to my father’s house in peace, the Lord will be my God” (Genesis 28:21).
Rabbi Abbahu and the Rabbis, Rabbi Abbahu said: “If God will be with me, and He will keep me on this way [derekh] that I go” (Genesis 28:20) – from evil speech, just as it says: “They drew [vayadrekhu] their tongues, their bows of falsehood” (Jeremiah 9:2). “And will give me bread to eat” (Genesis 28:20) – from illicit sexual relations, just as it says: “He did not know anything with him except the bread that he eats” (Genesis 39:6) – a euphemism.9A euphemism for Potiphar’s wife. “And I return to my father’s house in peace” (Genesis 28:21) – from bloodshed. “The Lord will be my God” (Genesis 28:21) – from idol worship. The Rabbis interpret all the matters from it: “If God will be with me, and He will keep me on this way [derekh] that I go” – from idol worship, from illicit sexual relations, from bloodshed, from evil speech. Derekh is nothing other than idol worship, just as it says: “Those who take an oath by the sin of Samaria, and say: As your god lives, Dan, and: As the way [derekh] of Beersheba lives” (Amos 8:14). Derekh is nothing other than illicit sexual relations, as it is stated: “So is the way [derekh] of an adulterous woman…” (Proverbs 30:20). Derekh is nothing other than bloodshed, as it is stated: “My son, do not walk on a way with them; prevent your foot from their pathway […and they are quick to spill blood]” (Proverbs 1:15–16). Derekh is nothing other than evil speech,10This is derived from the verse cited above: “They drew [vayadrekhu] their tongues, their bows of falsehood” (Jeremiah 9:2). as it is stated: “He heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying: Jacob has taken…” (Genesis 31:1).11Lavan’s sons slandered Jacob.
“And I return to my father’s house in peace, the Lord will be my God” (Genesis 28:21).
Rabbi Abbahu and the Rabbis, Rabbi Abbahu said: “If God will be with me, and He will keep me on this way [derekh] that I go” (Genesis 28:20) – from evil speech, just as it says: “They drew [vayadrekhu] their tongues, their bows of falsehood” (Jeremiah 9:2). “And will give me bread to eat” (Genesis 28:20) – from illicit sexual relations, just as it says: “He did not know anything with him except the bread that he eats” (Genesis 39:6) – a euphemism.9A euphemism for Potiphar’s wife. “And I return to my father’s house in peace” (Genesis 28:21) – from bloodshed. “The Lord will be my God” (Genesis 28:21) – from idol worship. The Rabbis interpret all the matters from it: “If God will be with me, and He will keep me on this way [derekh] that I go” – from idol worship, from illicit sexual relations, from bloodshed, from evil speech. Derekh is nothing other than idol worship, just as it says: “Those who take an oath by the sin of Samaria, and say: As your god lives, Dan, and: As the way [derekh] of Beersheba lives” (Amos 8:14). Derekh is nothing other than illicit sexual relations, as it is stated: “So is the way [derekh] of an adulterous woman…” (Proverbs 30:20). Derekh is nothing other than bloodshed, as it is stated: “My son, do not walk on a way with them; prevent your foot from their pathway […and they are quick to spill blood]” (Proverbs 1:15–16). Derekh is nothing other than evil speech,10This is derived from the verse cited above: “They drew [vayadrekhu] their tongues, their bows of falsehood” (Jeremiah 9:2). as it is stated: “He heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying: Jacob has taken…” (Genesis 31:1).11Lavan’s sons slandered Jacob.