Midras Mazmur 94:4: Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tehillim

These words: This is what the verse stated, "Have I not written you thirds with counsels (moatsot) and knowledge" (Proverbs 22:20). The numerical equivalent of counsels is six hundred and six. [That,] and the seven commandments that the Sons of Noach were commanded, is six hundred and thirteen. And so [too,] does it state (Isaiah 5:1), "my beloved had a vineyard in a fertile corner": "A vineyard" - that is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 27:2), "a vineyard of wine, sing to it." "And he separated it" (Isaiah 5:2) - with Avraham, that he cast away the residue from him, such as Yishmael. "And he cleared it of stones" - with Yitschak, that he took Esav away from him. "And he planted it with choice vines" - that is Yaakov, as all of the plantings that came out from him were good and desirable, like this choice vine which is completely good. And this is [the meaning of] "all of it was true seed" (Jeremiah 2:21). Choice vine (sorek) has a numerical equivalent of six hundred and six, [together with] the seven commandments of the Children of Noach - behold, that is six hundred and thirteen. It is written (Proverbs 3:19), "The Lord established the earth with wisdom" - and there is no wisdom besides Torah. And what is its name? Confidant (Amon), as it is written (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him." And it was not called Torah until it was given at Sinai. The numerical equivalent of Torah comes to six hundred and eleven. And the two that are subtracted from six hundred and thirteen are the two that were given by the mouth of the Almighty. And this is what is stated by the verse, "God spoke one, I heard two" (Psalms 62:12). This is [the meaning of] "Moshe commanded us the Torah" (Deuteronomy 33:4) - Moshe commanded us [commandments] according to the numerical equivalent of Torah. And the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us the [remaining] two, as I explained in Parshat Vayishma Yitro. And it is an inheritance for Yaakov, and not for the [other] nations of the world, as it is stated (Psalms 147:19), "He tells His words to Yaakov, His statutes and His judgments to Israel, He did not do this with any nation." And it is written about it, "each day," as it is stated (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him and I was His delight each day." And a day is not less than a thousand years, as it is stated (Psalms 90:4), "As a thousand years in Your eyes is like the day, yesterday." Upon what was it written before it was given? If upon silver and gold, gold and silver had not been created. Rather it was written on the forearm of the Holy One, blessed be He. And so every man [should] understand and fathom with his mind and his intelligence to contemplate the Torah day and night - as it is written (Joshua 1:8), "and you shall contemplate about it day and night" - and good deeds. And it is as the Sages said: The world is half guilty and half meritorious - if one comes and commit sins such that the sins outweigh the merits, it comes out that the world becomes guilty through him; but if the transgressions are of equal weight to the merits and one comes and performs one commandment, the merits will outweigh the transgressions. Happy is he who brings merit to the world! And if he has not learned as is fitting him, let him do his actions with faithfulness. Elihayu, may his memory be blessed, said, "I was once walking on the way and I found a man, and he was mocking me and taunting me. I said to him, 'What [can] you answer on the day of judgement, since you have not studied Torah.' He said, 'I have what to answer - it is [because of] the understanding and intelligence and heart that were not given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'What is your craft?' He said to me, 'I am a trapper of birds and fish.' I said to him, 'Who gave you knowledge and heart to take flax and spin it and weave it to make traps, and to catch fish and birds with them and to sell them?' He said to me, 'It is the understanding and the knowledge that were given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'To take flax and to weave and spin and catch fish and birds you were given understanding and intelligence; but to acquire the Torah, they were not given to you? Behold, it is written (Deuteronomy 30:14), "But the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it."' [So] he immediately thought in his heart and raised his voice in crying. I said to him, 'My son, Let it not be bad to you, as all those that come to the world are rebuked once they come and are pulled away from Torah, as it is stated (Isaiah 19:9), "And embarrassed will be the workers of flax, the combers and weavers of holes."' And it is about him and those similar to him, and those that do like his deeds. And the last word is the fear of the Lord; and those that do it with faithfulness - his craft will be counted and he is fitting for life in the world to come.'"

"The assembly of nations will surround you. But at the time their wicked assembly surrounds you, your position will be secured in the heavens. Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Elai, "Three things were commanded to the Israelites upon their entry into the land, but they only fulfilled two. They did not build the Temple because of the dilatoriness in them." This is what is written (Haggai 1:5), "My soul is among those who ascend." This refers to Avner and Amasa, who were among those who ascended through Torah study. (Ibid. 1:8) "I lay with burning ones." This refers to Doeg and Ahithophel, who burned with the flame of evil speech. "Men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." This refers to the people of Keilah, as it is said (1 Samuel 23:11), "Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand?" Their tongue was like a sharp sword. "The slanderers." This refers to the spies, as it is said (Psalms 94:4), "They pour out words, they speak arrogantly, all the evildoers boast." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei, "In the days of Saul and Samuel, infants who had not yet grown two hairs would learn Torah, and they were able to distinguish between pure and impure faces. And David would pray for them, as it is said (Psalms 12:8), 'You, O Lord, will keep them, You will guard them from this generation forever.' 'From the generation.' This refers to a generation that requires annihilation. After all this praise, they would go out to war and fall because of the dilatoriness in them. David our master said, "O Lord, remove Your presence from them." What does Your presence do on earth? As it is said (Haggai 1:12), "The heavens are elevated over God." But in the time of Ahab, although they all worshipped idols, and there was no dilatoriness in them, they went out to battle and were victorious, and not one of them was killed. This is what Obadiah said to Elijah (1 Kings 18:13), "Has it not been told to my lord what I did?" What is the meaning of 'bread and water?' This teaches that the water was as hard as bread. Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and said (Ibid. 22), "I am the only prophet of the Lord." And all the people knew but did not publicize it to the king. Because of evil speech, the Divine Presence departs. As it is said (Haggai 1:5), "The assembly of nations will surround you."