Midras Amsal 1:29: Midrash Mishlei & Midrash Tehillim

[13] (Proverbs 1:22): "'How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?' - These are the generation of the wilderness; 'and scoffers delight in their scoffing' - These are the congregation of Korah; 'and fools hate knowledge' - This refers to the wicked kingdom that did not accept the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of Torah. (Proverbs 1:23): 'Turn to my reproof' - These are Israel, whom Moses rebuked for the Golden Calf incident. 'Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you' - When he explained to them the Mishnah Torah. 'I will make my words known to you' - This teaches that he made known to them the particulars and explanations of the Torah, purity and impurity, prohibition and permission. (Proverbs 1:24): 'Because I have called and you refused' - This is the Holy One, Blessed be He, who sounded His voice to Israel, and they sinned against Him again, as it is said (Exodus 16:28): 'How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?' Another interpretation: 'Because I have called' - This is Moses, who was calling them words of Torah, and they were not believing, as it is said 'How long do you refuse?' Another interpretation: 'Because I have called' - This is Jeremiah, who was calling to Israel in Jerusalem to repent, and they did not believe him, as it is said (Zechariah 7:11): 'But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, etc.' 'I have stretched out my hand, and no one regards' - This is Gabriel, whose hand was stretched out over Jerusalem for six and a half years, with coals in his hand, and he wished to throw them in anger, but he waited for them to repent, and they did not heed. Another interpretation: 'I have stretched out my hand, and no one regards' - This is the Holy One, Blessed be He, whose hand was stretched out for six and a half years that they might return in repentance, but they did not return. Until when? Rabbi Jeremiah said: Until His anger returned, as it is said (Hosea 14:5): 'I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for My anger is turned away from him.' (Proverbs 1:25): 'But you have ignored all my counsel' - This is Moses, who was advising Israel, and they would turn away from him and cancel his counsel. 'And would have none of my reproof' - This is Jeremiah, that every reproof and reproof that he was reproving Israel, they were scorning him and ridiculing him. Jeremiah said to them: By your lives, a day is coming, just as you were ridiculing me and playing with me, to mock and ridicule you, from where? From what is written after it: (Proverbs 1:26): 'I also will laugh at your calamity,' and it says: (Proverbs 1:27): 'When your fear comes as destruction, etc.' (Proverbs 1:28): 'Then they will call me, but I will not answer' - And why all this? Rabbi Ishmael said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them through my prophets (Isaiah 55:6): 'Seek the Lord while He may be found,' by your lives, a day will come when you will call Me, and I will not answer you, the proof is 'Then they will call me, but I will not answer,' and why all this - (Proverbs 1:29): 'Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.' (Proverbs 1:30): 'They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof' - said the Holy One, Blessed be He: I said to you through my prophets (Ezekiel 33:11): 'Turn back, turn back from your evil ways,' by your lives, a day will come when I will punish you according to your ways, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:31): 'Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, etc.' And why all this: (Proverbs 1:32): 'For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, etc.' But whoever listens to my words of Torah, I will seat him in tranquility and security, as it is said: (Proverbs 1:33): 'But whoever listens to me will dwell securely.'"

Miracles are your testimonies, etc. Moses said (Deuteronomy 5:23), "For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and has still survived?" Thus he told the Israelites, "Know that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the heavens, He did not create them with a voice, and when He created the earth, He did not create it with a voice, nor did any nation hear the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He. When did His voice become audible? When He gave the Torah. And so it says (Psalms 29:5-7), 'The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.' All the voices [of nature] are for what purpose? That the Holy One, blessed be He, may give strength to His people. And it is written (Exodus 19:19), 'And the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder.' Therefore David said, 'Out of all the voices, the miracles that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed with Israel come.' What were those miracles? The miracles of the Torah. Hence it says, 'Miracles are your testimonies.' And it says (Psalms 139:6), 'Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.' Therefore, 'my soul keeps them.' And it says (Proverbs 4:13), 'Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.' If you keep the Torah, your soul will keep you. Hence it says, 'Therefore my soul keeps them.' 'May your opening utterances shed light'--what is 'opening utterances shed light'? They are the words of Torah. And it says (Psalms 19:9), 'The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.' And it says (Proverbs 6:23), 'For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light.' Hence it says, 'May your opening utterances shed light.' The words of Torah open to each other like openings and doors. This is the Torah, as it is said: "Happy is the man who listens to me, etc." Woe to the wicked who God punishes not because they did evil, but because they did not follow the Torah. As it is said: "How long will you love simplicity, you foolish ones? Reprove my reproof, etc." "I also will laugh at your calamity, etc." At that time they will call upon me, but I will not answer. "Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel, etc." For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, etc. They should have come to the Torah, which would have made them wise. As it is said: "The testimony of the Lord is faithful, making the simple wise, etc." Therefore it is said: "Your word is a lamp to my feet, etc." "My soul longs for it, etc." "I open my mouth wide and pant, etc." "I have longed for your commandments, etc." Just as snakes shed their skin, people shed their mouths for gossip. As it is said: "They waited for me as for the rain, and opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain, etc." "Why is rain the Torah?" Moses says: "My teaching shall drop like the rain, etc." Therefore it is said: "I open my mouth wide and pant, etc." Just as snakes crave the wind, I craved your Torah.