Midras Amsal 24:16: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tehillim & Bereshit Rabbah

There was one who used to say: "Happy is he who hears [himself abused] and minds it not; he will escape a hundred evils." Said R. Samuel to R. Juda: "This is written in the Scripture (Ps. 17, 14) As one letteth loose a stream of water so is the beginning of strife." There was another man who used to say: "A thief is not killed for stealing two or three times." And Samuel said to R. Juda: "This is also written in a passage (Am. 2, 5) Thus hath said the Lord, for three transgressions of Israel, and for four, will I not turn away their punishment." There was another man who used to say: "Seven pits are open for the righteous man [and he escapes]; but one for the evil doer into which he falls." Samuel said to R. Juda; "This also is written in a passage (Prov. 24, 16) For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble under adversity." There was another man who used to say: "Let him whose cloak the court has taken away, sing a song and go on his way." Samuel said to R. Juda: "This is also written in the Scriptures (Ex. 18, 23) The whole of this people [including the loser] will come to its place in peace." There was another man who used to say: "When she slumbers, the basket [upon her head] drops — i.e., laziness begets ruin." Samuel again said to R. Juda: "This is written in the Scriptures (Ecc. 10, 18) Through slothful hands the rafters will sink," etc. There was another man who used to say: "The man on whom I relied lifted up his club and stood against me." Samuel said to R. Juda. "This is written in the following passage (Ps. 41, 10) Yea, even the man that should have sought my welfare, in whom I trusted, who eateth my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

“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.

“He placed the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last” (Genesis 33:2).
“He placed the maidservants and their children first” – this is to say: The farther back one is, the more he is beloved.
“He passed before them and prostrated himself earthward seven times, until he reached his brother” (Genesis 33:3).
“He passed before them” – that is what is written: “As a father has mercy upon his son” (Psalms 103:13). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Like the most merciful of the patriarchs. Which is the most merciful of the patriarchs? Rabbi Yehuda said: This is Abraham. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do a thing like this” (Genesis 18:25).¹⁶Abraham prayed to avert the destruction of Sodom. Rabbi Levi said: Jacob – “he passed before them.” He said: It is preferable that he harm me and not them.
“And prostrated himself earthward seven times” – why seven? It is based on: “The righteous man falls seven times and rises” (Proverbs 24:16).
Another matter: Why seven? He [Jacob] said to him [Esau]: ‘May you consider yourself as though you are situated behind seven partitions and sitting and judging, and I am being judged before you, and you are filled with mercy upon me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: He did not cease prostrating and progressing, prostrating and progressing, until he introduced the attribute of justice into the attribute of mercy.¹⁷So that the attribute of justice would be subjected to the attribute of mercy.