כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃
Zaszczytem to dla męża stronić od kłótni, ale każdy głupiec je wszczyna.
Eikhah Rabbah
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa began: “One who admonishes a cynic takes disgrace upon himself” (Proverbs 9:7). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who produces a wicked disciple will ultimately be disgraced by him, as it is stated: “One who admonishes a cynic takes disgrace upon himself.” This is the opinion of Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who produces a wicked disciple in the Land of Israel it is as though he produces a robber, and outside of the Land of Israel [it is as though] he produces a slave. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is written: “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man” (Proverbs 20:3) – the Holy One blessed be He said: It would have been honorable for Me had I not engaged with this nation. You find that when Israel was exiled among the nations, the Holy One blessed be He was circulating among the doorways of the nations of the world to hear what they were saying. What were they saying? The God of this nation exacted retribution from Pharaoh, from Sisera, and from Sennacherib, and the like. But then they say: Is He forever young? As it were, the matters have gotten old.43He no longer has the strength to punish us like He punished them. That is what is written: “They came [vayavo] to the nations to which they came, and they profaned My holy name” (Ezekiel 36:20). The verse should have said vayavo’u, but it says “vayavo”;44The verse uses the singular term vayavo, which is ordinarily translated “he came,” rather than the plural term vayavo’u. it is as though it was He Himself. That is what is written: “He came [vayavo] to the nations.”45The midrash has asserted that the verse should be understood to mean, “He came to the nations,” referring to God, rather than “They came to the nations,” referring to Israel. What did they say? If “these are the people of the Lord” (Ezekiel 36:20), why is it that “they went out from His land” (Ezekiel 36:20)?
Another matter: “Admonishes” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is Jeremiah. “Cynic” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is his generation. “Takes disgrace upon himself” (Proverbs 9:7) – as they would curse him, as it is written: “I did not demand repayment, and others did not demand repayment from me, yet everyone curses me” (Jeremiah 15:10). “And rebukes the wicked for his shortcomings” (Proverbs 9:7) – he would rebuke Israel and say in their regard, eikha.
Another matter: “Admonishes” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is Jeremiah. “Cynic” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is his generation. “Takes disgrace upon himself” (Proverbs 9:7) – as they would curse him, as it is written: “I did not demand repayment, and others did not demand repayment from me, yet everyone curses me” (Jeremiah 15:10). “And rebukes the wicked for his shortcomings” (Proverbs 9:7) – he would rebuke Israel and say in their regard, eikha.
Bamidbar Rabbah
"And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all their princes gave him a staff for each prince, a staff for each prince according to their father's houses, twelve staffs, and the staff of Aaron among their staffs (Number 17:21).
“It was on the next day, and Moses came into the Tent of the Testimony, and, behold, the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had blossomed, it had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud, and bore almonds” (Numbers 17:23).
“And Aaron’s staff” (Numbers 17:21) – some say it is the staff that was in Judah’s hand, as it is stated: “And the staff that is in your hand” (Genesis 38:18). And some say it is the staff that was in Moses’s hand and it blossomed on its own, as it is stated: “And behold, the staff of Aaron… had blossomed.”
Some say: Moses took one beam and cut it into twelve planks, and he said to them: ‘All of you take your staffs from one beam.’ Why did Moses do so? “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man, and every fool will be exposed” (Proverbs 20:3). It is so they would not say that his staff was moist and blossomed. The Holy One blessed be He decreed regarding the staff, and the ineffable name that appeared on the frontplate [tzitz] was found upon it, as it is stated: “It had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud [tzitz]” (Numbers 17:23). It blossomed that night and produced a fruit, “and boree almonds [vayigmol shekedim]” (Numbers 17:23). It repaid [gamal] everyone who had striven [shoked] against the tribe of Levi. Why almonds and not pomegranates and not nuts? It is because Israel was likened to them.89Israel was likened to pomegranates and nuts, and what happened to Aaron’s staff was meant as an admonition for the people of Israel.
That staff was in the hand of each and every king until the Temple was destroyed, and it was sequestered. And that staff is destined to be in the hand of the messianic king soon, in our day, as it is stated: “The Lord will send your rod of strength from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalms 110:2).
“It was on the next day, and Moses came into the Tent of the Testimony, and, behold, the staff of Aaron of the house of Levi had blossomed, it had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud, and bore almonds” (Numbers 17:23).
“And Aaron’s staff” (Numbers 17:21) – some say it is the staff that was in Judah’s hand, as it is stated: “And the staff that is in your hand” (Genesis 38:18). And some say it is the staff that was in Moses’s hand and it blossomed on its own, as it is stated: “And behold, the staff of Aaron… had blossomed.”
Some say: Moses took one beam and cut it into twelve planks, and he said to them: ‘All of you take your staffs from one beam.’ Why did Moses do so? “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man, and every fool will be exposed” (Proverbs 20:3). It is so they would not say that his staff was moist and blossomed. The Holy One blessed be He decreed regarding the staff, and the ineffable name that appeared on the frontplate [tzitz] was found upon it, as it is stated: “It had produced a blossom, and had sprouted a bud [tzitz]” (Numbers 17:23). It blossomed that night and produced a fruit, “and boree almonds [vayigmol shekedim]” (Numbers 17:23). It repaid [gamal] everyone who had striven [shoked] against the tribe of Levi. Why almonds and not pomegranates and not nuts? It is because Israel was likened to them.89Israel was likened to pomegranates and nuts, and what happened to Aaron’s staff was meant as an admonition for the people of Israel.
That staff was in the hand of each and every king until the Temple was destroyed, and it was sequestered. And that staff is destined to be in the hand of the messianic king soon, in our day, as it is stated: “The Lord will send your rod of strength from Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalms 110:2).