Midrash su Salmi 34:15

R. Chelbo in the name of R. Huna further said: "He who knows that his friend is accustomed to greet him, shall try to greet him first, for it is said (Ps. 34, 15.) Seek peace and pursue it, and when one responds not to a greeting he receives, he is to be called robber, as it is said (Is. 3, 14.) But ye who have eaten up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses." [What have the poor that they were plundered of? Nothing but their greeting.]

(Fol. 40) Raba raised the following objection before R. Nachman: "We are taught in a Mishnah, these are the things of which a man enjoys the interest for his reward in this world, while the principal remaineth for him in the world to come. They are: honoring his father and mother, the practice of loving kindness, hospitality, making peace between man and his associates, and above all the study of the Torah. Concerning honoring father and mother, it is written (Deut. 5. 16) In order ihat thy days may be prolonged, and in order that it may go well with thee; concerning loving kindness it is written (Pr. 21, 21) He that pursueth righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness and honor; and concerning bringing peace, it is written (Ps. 34, 15) Seek peace and pursue it. And R. Abahu explained that we infer this from the similar words R'dipha R'dipha (pursue); it is written here, seek peace and pursue it, (rod-phrhu); and again it is written (Pr. 21, 21) He that pursueth (rodeph) righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness and honor; [Hence both hare the same merits]. Concerning studying the Torah, it is written (Deut. 30, 20) For it (the Torah) is thy life, and the length of thy days. If so, tlien concerning the sending away of the bird, it is also written (Ib. 22, 7) in order that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live many days. Then why did not the Mishnah count this also? "The Tanna left it out," [was R. Nachman's reply]. Is this then possible, since our Tannah states: "These are the things." How can you say he left something unmentioned?" Therefore said Raba: "R. Idi explained this to me [with the following verse]: (Is. 3, 10) Say it to the righteous, that he has done well; for the fruit of their deeds shall they eat. Is there then a righteous man that is good and a righteous man that is not good? We must therefore say that a righteous man who is good towards heaven and also towards man is a righteous that is good; who is good towards heaven but conducts himself badly towards man is a righteous man that is not good. Similar to this case (Ib., ib. 11) Woe unto the wicked who doth evil; for the recompense of his hands shall be bestowed on him. Are there then wicked who do evil and wicked who do not evil? We must therefore say that the wicked who act wickedly towards heaven and towards man, this is a wicked man who does evil; but a wicked man who acts wickedly towards heaven and not towards man, this is a wicked who doeth not evil." [Hence wherever the passage does not state for the fruit … shall they eat, it yields no fruit in this world]. Meritorious rewards have a capital and also the fruit bearing on the principal, as it is said Say it to the righteous that he hath done well; for the fruit, etc; while iniquities have merely principal but no fruit yielding, as it is said Woe unto the wicked who does evil, etc. If so, then how will the following passage (Pr. 1, 31) Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices, be explained? This means that a crime which bears fruit [if it is carried out] it will also yield fruit [in the punishment], but a crime which bears no fruit [is not carried out] it will yield no fruit in the punishment. The merit of a good intention does the Holy One, praised be He! [in rewarding] add to that of a good deed, as it is said (Mal. 3, 16) Then conversed those that fear the Lord; one with another, and the Lord listened and heard it; and there was written a book of remembrance before Him, over those that feared the Lord and for those who respected His name. Said R. Assi: What does and for those who respected His name, mean? "Even when one intended to observe a commandment, but was incidentally prevented from doing so. Scripture credits him as if he had actually observed it." Bad intentions, the Holy One, praised be He, however, does not add to deeds, as it is said (Ps. 66, 18) If I had looked on wickedness with my heart, the Lord would not have heard. But how will the following passage (Jer. 6, 19) Behold, I will bring evil upon these people, the fruit of their thoughts, be explained? This means that an evil intention which bears fruit (is carried out), the Holy One, praised be He! adds to deeds; but such evil thoughts which bear no fruit, the Holy One, praised be He! does not add to deeds, but is there not a passage (Ez. 14, 5) In order that I may grasp the house of Israel by their heart? Said R. Acha b. Jacob: "The last passage refers to idolatry, for the master said elsewhere: The crime of idolatry is so severe that whoever denies it is as he admits the truthfulness of the entire Torah." Ulla said: "The last passage means as R. Huna explained it, for R. Huna said: 'As soon as a man commits a crime once, and twice, it becomes to him a privileged thing.' How can one think that it is a privilege? We must therefore say that it appears to him like a privileged thing." R. Abahu, in the name of R. Chanina, said: "It is preferable for a man to commit a transgression secretly, but not to profane Heaven's name," etc. [Fully explained in Volume 3, page 29].

Alternatively, "proclaim peace unto it" (Deuteronomy 20), See how great is the power of peace. Come see, a human of flesh and blood, if one has an enemy and wonders what to do to the enemy. What does one do? One goes and honors another greater than the enemy so that as to do evil to the enemy. But the Holy One of Blessing is not like that, rather all the idol worshipers anger God, and they sleep and all the souls rise up to him. From where do we know this? As it says, "He in Whose hand is the spirit of all life" (Job 12:10). And in the morning God returns to each and every one their soul. From where do we know this? As it says "He gives breath to the people upon it" (Isaiah 42:5). Alternatively: A human of flesh and blood, if one's friend does evil to them, it does not leave their heart for ever. But the Holy One of Blessing is not so, rather Israel was in Egypt and the Egyptians enslaved them with mortar and brick, and after all the evil they did to Israel, the Torah has mercy on them and it says "You shall not abhor an Egyptian for you were a stranger in his land" (Deut.23:8), but rather pursue peace as it is written "seek peace and pursue it". (Psalms 34:15) Another interpretation: what is "seek peace and pursue it"? A story about Rabbi Meir: he was sitting and teaching, etc, that woman went home and it was Friday evening, and she discovered that her [Shabbat] light had gone out and her husband asked her: 'where were you, out this late?' and she answered: 'I was listening to Rabbi Meir expound on Torah.' And that man was a nincompoop, and told her: 'the only way you are getting into my house is if you spit on the face of Rabbi Meir'. And he expelled her from the house. Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, revealed all this to Rabbi Meir, and said to him: 'it was because of you that this woman was expelled from her house.' And Eliahu Hanavi, may he be mentioned for good, informed him of all the drama. What did Rabbi Meir do?He went and sat in the big Beit Midrash, and that woman came to pray and he saw her, and pretended to be blinking [with discomfort], and said in a loud voice: 'who here knows an incantation over the eye? And she said: I know. And she spit on his face. He said to her: now go and tell your husband: I did spit on Rabbi Meir's face, he said: go back to your husband. See! How great is the power of peace. Another word: Rabbi Akiva said: know how great is the power of peace! The Holy One of Blessing said that when a man feels jealous towards his wife the very Holy Name of God which is written in sanctity is to be erased in water, in order to send [a bomb of] peace between a sotah and her husband. Resh Lakish said: so great is peace that Scripture said lying words in order to set peace between Yosef and his brothers. At the time of their father's death they were afraid that he would take revenge upon them, and what did they say "your father commanded before his death to say: such you will say to Yosef [please forgive your brothers' offense and guilt] (Gen. 50:16-17) and we do not find such a command from Yaakov our father, rather, scripture said lying words because of the ways of peace. Another interpretation: Beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Tzion, as it says: "Ask for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps. 122:6). Another interpretation: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to the heaven, as it says: "The Maker of Peace on His heights / oseh shalom bimromav" (Job 25:2). Alternatively: So beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to near ones and far ones, as it says "Peace peace, to the far and to the near" (Isaiah 57:19). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing did not give it to the wicked, as it says "There is no peace, said Ad-nai, for the wicked" (Isaiah 48:22). Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing gave it to Pinchas as his reward, as it says "Behold I give him my covenant of peace". (Numbers 25:12). Alternatively: So great is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing doesn't announce to Jerusalem that they will be redeemed except in peace, as it says "Announce peace..." (Isaiah 52:7). Alternatively: R. Levi said: so beloved is peace, that all the closings of blessings are in peace. The reading of the Shema closes in peace: "Spread a sukah of peace", prayer closes in peace, the priestly blessing closes in peace "And He shall give to you peace". Alternatively: so beloved is peace, that the Holy One of Blessing only comforts Jerusalem with peace. From where do we know this? As it is written "Behold I will extend peace to her like a river" (Isaiah 66:12). David said, 'I asked to hear what the Holy One of Blessing says about Israel, and I heard that God busies Godself with their peace', as it says "I will hear what God Ad-nai will speak, God will speak peace to His people, and unto his followers" (Psalms 85:9). R. Shimon Ben Chalafta said: See how beloved peace is, when the Holy One of Blessing wanted to bless Israel he found no vessel that could hold all the blessings to bless them with except for peace. From where do we know this? As it says "Ad-nai will give strength to his people, Ad-nai will bless his people with peace" / Ad-nai oz l'amo yiten. (Psalms 29:11)