Midras Amsal 30:32: Midrash Tanchuma, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Bereshit Rabbah

When Pharaoh heard this: Pharaoh sent and called Joseph (ibid., v. 13). R. Joshua the son of Levi said: Out of adversity comes tranquility; out of darkness, light; and out of the degradation of the righteous, their exaltation. Hence Scripture states: If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth (Prov. 30:2).

R. Juda again opened in honor of the Torah and expounded Be attentive, and hearken, O Israel, this day art thou become a people. (Deu. 27, 9). "Was the Torah then given unto Israel on that day? Behold! forty years had already elapsed. But this is stated for the purpose of inferring from it that the Torah shall always be as dear and beloved by its students, as if that very day it had been given on Mt. Sinai." R. Tanchum, son of R. Chiya, the man from the village of Achu, said: "You may infer it from the following. A man who is accustomed to read the Sh'm'a, reads it every day, morning and evening; and if he miss but one evening it seems to him as if he had never read the Sh'm'a." Be attentive, i.e., organize yourself into a company for the purpose of studying the Torah, because the Torah can be acquired only if studied in company; for R. Jose, the son of R. Chanina, said: "What is meant by the passage (Jer. 50, 36.) The sword is against the lying soothsayers and they shall become foolish, i.e., the sword is against the learned who sit alone and study the Torah in privacy. Moreover, they become foolish; for it is written here Veno'alu (and they shall become foolish), and it is written there (Num. 12, 11.) No'alnu (wherein we have acted foolishly). Moreover, they will commit sins; for it is said (Ib.) And wherein we have sinned (No'alnu), and if you wish [I conclude] from this (Is. 19, 13.) The prince of Tzo-an are become fools (No'alu)." We can explain in another way: Be attentive and listen, Expose yourselves to being smitten over the study of the Torah, as Resh Lakish said: "Whence do we infer that the Torah will be preserved with him only who is ready to die for her? It is said (Num. 19, 14.) This is the Torah, when a man dieth in a tent." We may explain in another way: Be attentive and listen, O Israel; Be quiet, listen, and then explain it, as Raba said "A man shall first study and then think how to explain it." It was said in the academy of R. Janai, "What is meant by the passage (Pr. 30, 33). For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood, so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife? That is, In whom can you find the butter (the prime) of Torah? who has vomited the milk of his mother's breast on account of her (the Torah). And the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood, i.e., every disciple who is silent when the provocation of his teacher is upon him the first time, will be rewarded with the knowledge of being able to distinguish between ritually purified blood and unpurified blood. So the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife, i.e., every disciple who remains silent at the provocation of his teacher once and a second time will be rewarded with the knowledge of being able to distinguish between civil and criminal laws; for we are taught (in a Mishnah) that R. Ishmael says: "He who wants to become wise shall study the civil laws for there is no store (of wisdom) in the entire Torah richer than this (civil law), which is like a flowing well." R. Samuel b. Nachmeini said: "What is meant by the passage (Pr. 30, 32.) If thou hast become degraded by lifting thyself up or, if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy mouth, i.e., He who lowers himself (exposes his ignorance) for the sake of learning the Torah. shall finally be raised; if he muzzle his mouth (is ashamed to ask his teacher) he will have to put his hand to the mouth [when he in turn is questioned]."

“God said to Jacob: Arise, ascend to Beit El.” “If you were demeaned, it is due to arrogance [behitnaseh]; if you conspired [zamota], put hand to mouth” (Proverbs 30:32). Ben Azzai and Rabbi Akiva, Ben Azzai says: If you demean yourself for matters of Torah, ultimately, you will be exalted [lehitnaseh] through them. If [others] conspired to slander you, place hand to mouth;³Be silent and it will stop. one knows, two do not know.⁴If you are silent, most people will not hear of it; if you engage in a battle against the slanderers, everyone will hear of it. Rabbi Akiva says: What caused you to be demeaned in matters of Torah? It is because you exalted yourself through them.⁵You sought to exalt yourself with your Torah knowledge. Consequently, you forgot some of that knowledge, and were embarrassed when you were not able to answer the questions posed to you (Etz Yosef).
Rabbeinu⁶Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. was passing through Simoneya and the people of Simoneya went out to greet him. They said to him: ‘Rabbi, provide us with someone who will teach us Bible, teach us Mishna, and adjudicate our trials.’ He provided them with Rabbi Levi bar Sisi. They built a large platform and seated him upon it, but he was unable to articulate matters of Torah. They asked him three questions. They said to him: ‘A yevama without an arm, how does she perform ḥalitza?’⁷Part of the ceremony of ḥalitza involves her removing her brother-in-law’s shoe. He did not answer them. ‘If she spit blood, what is the law?’⁸Spitting is another part of the ḥalitza ceremony. He did not answer them at all. They said: ‘Perhaps he is not expert in Talmud, but, he is expert in aggada. Let us ask him verses.’ They said to him: ‘What is [the meaning of] that which is written: “However, I will tell you] what is recorded in the script of truth”? (Daniel 10:21). If truth, why recorded, and if recorded, why truth?’⁹The term recorded, [rashum], implies something that is written casually and in a temporary manner, and may be erased. But if it is true, it should be written in a permanent manner (Etz Yosef). He did not answer them.
When he saw his own great distress, he awoke early in the morning and went to Rabbeinu. [Rabbeinu] said to him: ‘What did the people of Simoneya do to you?’ He said to him: ‘Do not remind me of my distress. They asked me three questions and I was unable to answer them.’ He said to him: ‘What are they?’ He said to him: ‘A woman without an arm, how does she perform ḥalitza?’ He said to him: ‘Did you not know how to answer?’ He said to him: ‘Yes, [I know the answer, she may perform ḥalitza] even with her teeth, and even with her body.’ [He told Rabbeinu the second question:] ‘If she spits blood, what is the law?’ He said to him: ‘Did you not know how to answer?’ He said to him: ‘[I know the answer,] even if there was a scintilla of spittle in it, it is valid, but if not, it is not valid.’ [He told Rabbeinu the third question:] ‘“However, I will tell you what is recorded in the script of truth” (Daniel 10:21). If truth, why recorded, and if recorded, why truth?’ He said to him: ‘Did you not know how to answer?’ He said to him: ‘It is recorded before the edict has been decreed; it is truth after the edict has been decreed. What is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He? Rabbeinu said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Truth [emet]. What is emet? Reish Lakish said: Alef is the first of the letters, mem in the middle, tav at the end, based on the verse: “I am first and I am last…”’ (Isaiah 44:6). [Rabbeinu] said to him: ‘Why did you not answer them as you answered me?’ He said to him: ‘They prepared a great platform and seated me upon it. I became arrogant and I was unable to articulate matters of Torah.’ This verse was read in his regard: “If you were demeaned, it is due to arrogance” (Proverbs 30:32).
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: If you thought in your heart to perform a mitzva, but you did not perform it, it would have been preferable for you to place a muzzle on your mouth and not articulate it.¹⁰If one vows to fulfill a mitzva or a positive act and does not do so, one is punished. It is better therefore to leave one’s intentions unarticulated. Rabbi Yudan said: Just as your hand is adjacent to your mouth, so, [the fulfillment of] your vow should be adjacent to your mouth.¹¹One may take a vow, but should be careful to fulfill it right away. The Rabbis say: Just as your hand precedes your mouth, so, your vow should be before your mouth.¹²One first takes food in one’s hand and then places it in one’s mouth. Similarly, one should already have the means to fulfill a vow at the time one takes the vow.
Know that it is so, as Jacob our patriarch, because he delayed his vow, his ledger was scrutinized,¹³He suffered many difficulties as a result. as it is stated: “God¹⁴The name "God" is understood by the Sages to refer to God when He acts with the attribute of justice. This is in contrast to the name “Lord” which refers to God when He acts with compassion. said to Jacob: Arise, ascend to Beit El, and settle there, and make there an altar” (Genesis 35:1). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: In times of trouble – a vow; in times of relief – it is swept away.¹⁵He interprets the verse as criticizing Jacob for taking a vow in his time of need, and neglecting to fulfill it when he experienced relief from his troubles. Rabbi Levi said: When your sieve is blocked, bang on it.¹⁶This is a metaphor, meant to express that if one forgets to fulfill his vow, one experiences suffering until remembering to do so (Yefeh To’ar). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Jacob, you have forgotten your vow: “Arise, ascend to Beit El” – to the house of God [beit El], “and make there an altar to the God who appeared to you [when you fled from Esau your brother],” and if you do not do so, you are like Esau. Just as Esau vows and does not fulfill, so, you vow and do not fulfill.’