Midrash su Deuteronomio 9:8

R. Joshua b. Levi said: "The following is written in the Pentatuch, repeated in the Prophets, and a third time in he Hagiographa: Whoever occupies himself with the [study of the] Torah is prosperous in all his undertakings. In the Pentateuch, as the passage says (Deut. 9, 8) Keep ye therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do; repeated in the Prophets, as the passage states (Jos. 1, 8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night; that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. And a third time in Hagiographa, as the passage reads (Ps. 1, 2-3) But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree replanted by streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and whatsoever he doth shall prosper." R. Alexander announced: "Who wants to live, who wants to live?" And a big crowd surrounded him. He then referred them to (Ib. 34, 14-16) Keep thy tongue from evil, etc. One might say, since I keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking guile, I may engage my time in sleeping. The passage therefore states, Depart from evil and do good (Tob), and good (Tob), refers to the Torah, as it is said (Pr. 4, 2) For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not My Torah.

“Who is that ascending from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother was in travail with you; there she who bore you was in travail” (Song of Songs 8:5).
“Who is that ascending from the wilderness” – [Israel’s] ascent was from the wilderness, its decline was from the wilderness, and its death was from the wilderness. That is what it says: “In this wilderness they will expire, and there they will die” (Numbers 14:35). “Leaning [mitrapeket] upon her beloved” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because it will resolve sections of the Torah and issues of kingdom in the future.⁵Mitrapeket when rearranged is a portmanteau of matir perek – resolves a section. In the future, Israel will resolve all questions relating to Torah, and will reestablish its monarchy. “Under the apple tree I roused you” – Pelatyon of Rome expounded and said: Mount Sinai was detached and positioned in the supernal heavens, and Israel was situated beneath it, as it is stated: “You approached and stood beneath the mountain” (Deuteronomy 4:11).
Another matter: “Under the apple tree I roused you” – this is Sinai. Why is it likened to an apple tree? Just as the apple tree produces fruit in the month of Sivan, so too, the Torah was given in Sivan. Alternatively, “under the apple tree I roused you” – why not a nut tree or a different tree? Each tree typically grows its leaves first and then its fruit, but the apple tree grows its fruit first and then grows its leaves. Similarly, Israel put performing before hearing, as it is stated: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).⁶Although translated here as “heed,” the term nishma can be translated “hear.” The point here is that Israel committed to following God’s commands even before hearing what they were. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you accept My Torah upon yourself, fine, but if not, I will lower this mountain upon you and kill you.’ “There your mother was in travail with you” – was it there that she was in travail? Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to one who went to a dangerous place and was saved. His friend encountered him and said to him: ‘Did you pass through that dangerous place? How much danger you experienced! It is as though you were now borne by your mother. How much suffering you experienced! Now it is as though you were created as a new creation.’
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “There [your mother] was in travail [ḥibela]” and there she had collateral taken from her [ḥubela]; “was in travail” – at the moment that they said: “Everything that the Lord spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). She had collateral taken from her – at the moment that they said to the calf: “This is your God, Israel” (Exodus 32:4), they had collateral taken. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev had the ineffable name etched upon it.⁷This is stated in explanation of the adornment mentioned in the verse: “The children of Israel were stripped of their adornment from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). When they sinned it was taken from them. Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Wretched is the bride who sins under the wedding canopy. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They lost the good counsel that was given them at Sinai, as it is stated: “You hollowed all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25), and counsel is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “Counsel and resourcefulness are mine” (Proverbs 8:14).
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “At Ḥorev you provoked [hiktzaftem] the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: I came to bless you and found your palate pierced and unable to hold a blessing, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people that it was parua (Exodus 32:25), and parua means nothing other than hollowed, just as you say: “You hollowed [vatifre’u] all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25). Rabbi Levi said: You made the Holy One blessed be He as though He was mourning over you. There are places that call the house of mourning the house of wrath [beit ketzofa].

Another explanation. “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song…” (Exodus 15:1) This is what is written “I am black but comely…” (Song of Songs 1:5) Knesset Yisrael says: I am black through my actions and comely through the actions of my forefathers. Our Rabbis said: don’t read this as ‘the daughters (b’not) of Jerusalem’ but rather as ‘the builders (bonot) of Jerusalem.’ This is the Great Sanhedrin of Israel, who sits and directs its construction. Another explanation. “daughters (b’not) of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 1:5) R’ Yochanan said: in the future Jerusalem will become the metropolis of all the lands, as it says “Ashdod with her towns (b’noteha)…” (Joshua 15:47) What does “Like the tents of Kedar…” (Song of Songs 1:5) mean? Just as the tents of the Ishmaelites are ugly on the outside and beautiful within, so are the wise. Even though they appear ugly in this world, within they are filled with Mishna, Talmud, laws and parables. If the tents of the Ishmaelites move from place to place, perhaps Israel also moves from place to place? The verse continues “…like the curtains of Solomon.” (ibid.) Like the curtains of the One who spoke and brought the world into being. From the moment they were spread out like a tent, they did not move from their location. If the tents of the Ishmaelites are never washed, perhaps to too Israel? The verse continues “…like the curtains of Solomon (Shlomo).” Just as this cloak (salma) gets dirty and then can become clean again, so too Israel - even though they sin, they repent before the Holy One. Another explanation. “I am black but comely…” (Song of Songs 1:5) In that which I am black, I am comely. They sinned at Mount Horev, as it says “At Horev, you angered the Lord…” (Deuteronomy 9:8) And at Horev they said “All that the Lord spoke we will do and we will hear.” (Exodus 24:7) At the sea they rebelled, as it says “…and they were rebellious by the sea, by the Sea of Reeds.” (106:7) And at the sea they sang a song, as it says “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song…” (Exodus 15:1)