Midrash su Ecclesiaste 4:12

MISHNAH: Whoever possesses the knowledge of the Scripture, the Mishnah and good manners will not be easily exposed to commit crimes, as it is said (Ecc. 4, 12) And a threefold cord is not quickly broken; but whoever does not possess the knowledge of Scripture nor of Mishnah nor of good manners is not considered a civilized man.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing”: R. Samuel bar Nahmani said that R. Johanan said, “When Moshe came to bless Israel with “This is the blessing,” the Holy One, blessed be He, also blessed them with “this,” as stated (in Deut. 4:44), “And this is the Torah that Moshe placed.” And it states (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing that Moses the man of God blessed the Children of Israel.” (Deut. 33:1:) Another explanation: R. Abba said (regarding Deut. 33:1), “’Which Moses blessed,’ that is Moses; ‘the man of God,’ that is the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 15:3), ‘The Lord is a man of war.’ And why so much? To fulfill the verse (in Eccl. 4:12), ‘and the threefold string will not quickly be broken.’”⁸See Deut. R. 11:4 which appears to record the correct version of this midrash, and is brought down as one teaching together with that of R. Samuel bar Nahmani immediately above, such that the third component here is the Torah. See also ‘Ets Yosef on Tanh., Deut. 11:3. Resh Laqish said, “If it were not in Scripture, it would be impossible to say this:⁹PRK 31(suppl. 1):13. Just as when a man gives an order to his wife, she carries it out; so when [Moshe gave an order to the Holy One, blessed be He, He carried it out for him] (the Holy One, blessed be He, gave an order to Moses, he carried it out for Him).”¹⁰Although the parallel texts agree with this reading, Wm. Braude and I. J. Kapstein, Pesikta de-Rab Kahana, p. 456, n. 47, are probably correct that fear of blasphemy caused the midrashim to reverse what was said here. The context requires the original text to state that it was the Holy One who obeyed Moses. What is the meaning of (in Deut. 33:1) “the Children of Israel.” It was Israel's merit that enabled him.

R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: "Whoever wears Phylacteries upon his head, Phylacteries upon his hand, fringes on his cloak and has a Mezuzah on his door-post, these all will preserve him from sin, as it is said (Ecc. 4, 12) And a threefold cord is not quickly broken, and again there is another verse (Ps. 24, 8) The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear the Lord."