Midrash su Giudici 8:78

Rabbi asked Rabbi Betzalel: What is that which is written: “For their mother has committed harlotry” (Hosea 2:7)? Is it possible that Sarah our matriarch was a harlot? He said to him: ‘Heaven forbid; rather, when are matters of Torah rendered contemptible before the common people? It is when their owners debase them.’ Rabbi Yaakov bar Avdimi came and rendered it a [midrashic] dictum: When do matters of Torah become like harlots before the common people? When their owners debase them. Rabbi Yoḥanan derives it from here: “The poor man’s [misken] wisdom is contemptible” (Ecclesiastes 9:16). Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, contemptible? Rather, what is a misken? It is one who is contemptible in his words, like an elder who sits and teaches: “You shall not pervert justice” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he perverts justice; “you shall not show partiality” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he shows partiality; “you shall not afflict any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:21) and he afflicts them. Samson followed his eyes, as it is stated: “Take her for me, as she is fitting in my eyes” (Judges 14:3). Gideon worshipped idols, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27). Woe to a judge who shows partiality in judgment.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment” (Leviticus 19:15) – this teaches that a judge who corrupts judgment is called by five names: unjust, hated, detestable, proscribed, abomination. The Holy One blessed be He calls him five: wicked, blasphemer, violator of the covenant, one who infuriates, and defiant. He causes five results in the world; he defiles the land, desecrates the Name, expels the Divine Presence, causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land. Woe to the generation that is corrupted in this way.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment [in measure, in weight, or in volume]” (Leviticus 19:35) – in a judicial ruling. If it is about judicial rulings, it is already stated about judicial rulings!³⁵In the verse cited above, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not do injustice in judgment.” If so, why is it stated, “…in judgment in measure [in weight, or in volume]”? It teaches that one who measures is called a judge, and if he falsifies, he is called five names and he causes five results. Woe is the generation whose measures are false, as Rabbi Benaya said in the name of Rabbi Huna: If you see a generation whose measures are false, a kingdom comes and besets that generation. What is the reason? “Scales of deceit are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1), and it is written: “Pride comes, shame comes” (Proverbs 11:2).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written: “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness, [or with a pouch of deceitful weights?]” (Micah 6:11). Is it possible that a generation whose measures are false will find merit? Rather, “in a pouch of deceitful weights.”³⁶They will be left with a purse filled with counterfeit coins. The midrash is reading the second half of the verse, “or with a pouch of deceitful weights” not as the continuation of the rhetorical question, but as the answer to “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness?” Rabbi Levi said: Moses indeed alluded this to Israel in the Torah: “You shall not have in your purse [alternate weights]” (Deuteronomy 25:13); “you shall not have in your house alternate measures” (Deuteronomy 25:13), and if he did so, ultimately, a kingdom will come and beset them, as it is written: “As it is an abomination to the Lord anyone who does [oseh] so, anyone who does [oseh] injustice” (Deuteronomy 25:16), and it is written: “Remember what Amalek did [asah] to you, on the way, as you were leaving Egypt” (Deuteronomy 25:17).

(Fol. 83b) We are taught: And they made Baal-b'rith for a god unto themselves (Jud. 8, 33). This refers to Zebub, the idol of Ekron. We learn from this that each and every one made an image of his idol [in miniature] and kept it in his pocket; whenever he was reminded of it, he took it out from his pocket and embraced and kissed it.R. Chanina b. Akabia said: "Why did the Rabbis say that a ship of the Jordan is subject to the statute of levitical uncleanliness? Because it is generally loaded on the shore and carried into the water owing to its small size." R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "Never shall a man absent himself from the house of learning, not even for a while; for the above Mishnah (regarding a ship of the Jordan) had been taught at the house of study for many years, and not one knew the reason for it, until R. Chanina b. Akabia came and explained it." R. Jonathan said: "Never shall a man absent himself from the house of learning and of learned words, even though he be at the point of death; for it is said (Num. 19, 14.) This is the Torah, when a man dieth in a tent, i.e., even at the point of death shall a man study the Torah." Resh Lakish said: "The words of the Torah will not endure except with him who is ready to die for it; as it is written. This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent."

“I said: Wisdom is better than courage, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded” (Ecclesiastes 9:16).
“I said: Wisdom is better than courage, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, despised? Rather, this is an elder who sits and is impoverished regarding his words,¹⁰⁵One who does not practice what he preaches. such as an elder who sits and teaches: “Do not give preference” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he gives [preference]; “do not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he takes [bribes]; do not lend with usury, but he lends [with usury]. Samson followed his eyes, “and he judged Israel for twenty years” (Judges 16:31).¹⁰⁶Samson followed his eyes and married a Philistine woman, despite the fact that the Torah states: “Do not go about after your heart and after your eyes” (Numbers 15:39). Thus, although he judged Israel and exhorted them to follow the Torah, he himself did not practice what he preached. Gideon, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod [and he displayed it in his city, in Ofra. All Israel strayed after it there]” (Judges 8:27), and he judged Israel.¹⁰⁷He preached against idol worship but his own action ultimately led Israel to engage in idol worship. That is, “poor” is only one who impoverishes his words.

A certain young man of the people of that city saw them, and he ran and told all the men of that city, and they all gathered together at the door of the house to do according to their wont, even deeds of sodomy, as it is said, "And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, || Where are the men who came to thee to-night? bring them forth unto us that we may know them" (Gen. 19:5). What did Lot do? Just as Moses gave his life for the people, so Lot gave up his two daughters instead of the two angels, as it is said, "Behold, now, I have two daughters" (Gen. 19:8). But the men would not agree (and did not accept them). What did the angels do to them? They smote them with blindness until the dawn of the (next) morning. All were treated with (measure for) measure. Just as he had taken them by the hand without their will and taken them into his house, so they took hold of his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hand of his two daughters, and took them outside the city, as it is said, "But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand" (Gen. 19:16). And they said to them: Do not look behind you, for verily the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, has descended in order to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire. The pity of 'Edith the wife of Lot was stirred for her daughters, who were married in Sodom, and she looked back behind her to see if they were coming after her or not. And she saw behind the Shekhinah, and she became a pillar of salt, as it is said, "And his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:26).

(Prov. 18:12:) A PERSON'S HEART IS HAUGHTY BEFORE DESTRUCTION. This person was Abimelech, who was not destroyed until he had exalted himself and killed his brothers. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HUMILITY GOES BEFORE HONOR. This was his father, Gideon; for when they said to him (in Jud. 8:22): RULE OVER US, YOU, [YOUR SON, AND YOUR SON'S SON AS WELL], he said to them (in vs. 23): I WILL NOT RULE OVER YOU MYSELF, [NOR SHALL MY SON RULE OVER YOU; THE LORD SHALL RULE OVER YOU]. They said three things to him, and he said three things to them. The Holy One said to him: You say this. By your life, I am raising up from you a son who will reign three years corresponding to the three things that you said. Ergo (in Prov. 18; 12): AND HUMILITY GOES BEFORE HONOR. Therefore (in Jud. 9:22): NOW ABIMELECH RULED [OVER ISRAEL THREE YEARS].

(Prov. 18:12:) A PERSON'S HEART IS HAUGHTY BEFORE DESTRUCTION. This person was Abimelech, who was not destroyed until he had exalted himself and killed his brothers. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HUMILITY GOES BEFORE HONOR. This was his father, Gideon; for when they said to him (in Jud. 8:22): RULE OVER US, YOU, [YOUR SON, AND YOUR SON'S SON AS WELL], he said to them (in vs. 23): I WILL NOT RULE OVER YOU MYSELF, [NOR SHALL MY SON RULE OVER YOU; THE LORD SHALL RULE OVER YOU]. They said three things to him, and he said three things to them. The Holy One said to him: You say this. By your life, I am raising up from you a son who will reign three years corresponding to the three things that you said. Ergo (in Prov. 18; 12): AND HUMILITY GOES BEFORE HONOR. Therefore (in Jud. 9:22): NOW ABIMELECH RULED [OVER ISRAEL THREE YEARS].

The men saw that the women would not consent to give their earrings to their husbands. What did they do? Until that hour the earrings were (also) in their own ears, after the fashion of the Egyptians, and after the fashion of the Arabs. They broke off their earrings which were in their own ears, and they gave (them) to Aaron, as it is said, "And all the people brake off || the golden rings which were in their ears" (Ex. 32:3). "Which were in the ears of their wives" is not written here, but "which were in their ears." Aaron found among the earrings one plate of gold upon which the Holy Name was written, and engraven thereon was the figure of a calf, and that (plate) alone did he cast into the fiery furnace, as it is said, "So they gave it me: and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf" (Ex. 32:24). It is not written here, "And I cast them in," but "And I cast it in the fire, and there came out this calf." The calf came out lowing, and the Israelites saw it, and they went astray after it.

And these are the days of the years of the life of Avraham (Bereishit 25:7). It's written, God knows the days of the pure, and their inheritance will be eternal (Tehillim 37:18). God knows the days of the pure: this is Avraham, as it is said And be pure. And their inheritance will be eternal - and these are the days of the years of the life of Avraham. That he adores the Holy Blessed One, who gives the righteous and writes them in the Torah, so that the inheritance of their days will be remembered forever: In ripe old age, old and satisfied (Bereishit 25:8). And Avraham perished (ibid.) - Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said, the original pious would suffer with intestinal disease for ten and twenty days, to say that illness clarifies. Rabbi Yehuda said, everyone of whom it is said "perish" died of intestinal disease. It's written, strength and beauty are her robes [and she laughs at the last day] (Mishlei 31:25) - every reward of the righteous is prepared for them for the future to come. The Holy Blessed One shows them, before they are in this world, all the reward which They will eventually give them in the world to come - and their souls are satisfied and they sleep. Rabbi Elazar says, it's like a banquet which a king prepared and invited guests, and showed them what they would eat and drink, and their souls are satisfied and they sleep - so too with the Holy Blessed One. They show the righteous before they are in this world their veentual reward, and they sleep, as it is said For now I would be lying down, silent (Iyov 3:13). That is to say, at the time of the departure of the righteous, the Holy Blessed One shows them the reward of their labour. When Rabbi Abahu slept, thirteen rivers of balsam were shown to him. He said to them, whose are these? They said to him, yours. He said, these are Abahu's? ...