Midras Amsal 15:7: Midrash Tehillim

“Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment, [nor will sinners [survive], in the assembly of the righteous]” (Psalms 1:5). This [relates] to that which is said in Scripture, “The lips of the wise sow [the seeds] of knowledge; [not so the hearts of the foolish]” (Proverbs 15:7). [The Midrash is now going to focus on the phoneme, זר, which appears in the verb “to sow,” which appeared in the verse from Proverbs.] This refers to the Israelites because they made a זר for the ark of the covenant [which, in this context, means a rim], as it is said “And you shall make upon it a golden rim” (Exodus 25:1). “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (Proverbs 15:7) – this refers to the idolatrous nations who have become estranged [זרים] from the Omnipresent. Alternatively, “The lips of the wise sow [the seeds] of knowledge,” (Proverbs 15:7) – this refers to the Israelites who constantly coronate the Omnipresent, each day, and unify His name every evening and morning [This is again a play on the phoneme זר which is related to the word for a crown, זיר]. “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (ibid.) – these are the apostates who say that the universe is a self-moving power [which is to say, it wasn’t created by anything external to itself. The word that appears in the Midrash here for “self-moving power” is טומטום (a word for a person whose genitals are hidden or under-developed), but our translation follows Marcus Jastrow. He argues that טומטום, in this context, is a consequence of a scribal error, and that the original word must have been אַבְטוֹמְטוֹס, from the Greek αὐτόματος (automatos)]. Another interpretation of “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (Proverbs 15:7). Rabbi Yuden and Rabbi Pinchas say, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the wicked, “I created the world, as it is said, “And it was so,” (Genesis 1:7), and you say that “it isn’t so.” Therefore, by your lives, [I swear, that] “the wicked will not survive judgement” (Psalms 1:5). [The Midrash understands this verse to be saying that they won’t be present on Judgement Day at all]. And it is [actually] good for them that they don’t stand and face judgement like a person, of whom it is said, So-and-so stood trial and he didn’t have a leg to stand on. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said [that our verse – “Therefore the wicked will not survive judgement nor will sinners [survive] in the assembly of the righteous” (Psalms 1:5) – discusses the] wicked [in the plural, which suggests at least] two [sources of wickedness]; and sinners [in the plural, which also suggests at least] two [sinners]. These are the four kingdoms that, come Judgement Day, will not have a leg to stand on. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that a single affliction destroys [a wicked person], and there is Scriptural support for this: “Therefore the wicked will not survive judgement” (Psalms 1:5) – it doesn’t say “judgements” but rather “judgement” [as if to suggest that a single judgement will suffice to destroy them]. This [accords with] what is written, “they are both dull and foolish” (Jeremiah 10:8) [which, given the Hebrew wording, the Midrash is able to creatively re-read to be saying, “in one fell swoop they are burnt and brought to folly;” [and the point is also evident in the verse,] “the wicked will perish in misfortune” (Psalms 34:22) [which is read as “one single misfortune will be enough for the wicked to perish.”] “For seven times a righteous person falls and gets up, while the wicked are tripped up by misfortune” (Proverbs 24:16) – by a single misfortune and not two.