Provérbios 14:23 Midrash: Otzar Midrashim, Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Shemot Rabbah

One verse says "The Torah of Hashem is perfect" (Psalms 19:8) and it is written "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). You find in every... advantage. Moses gave his soul for three matters which were called by his name: For the Torah, for the laws, and for Israel. He gave his soul for the laws and they were called by his name, as it says "Judges and officers shall you place for yourself" (Deuteronomy 16:18). It does not say "shall you place" but "for yourself", and behold they belong only to the Omnipresent, as it says "For judgment is God's" (Deuteronomy 1:17). But Moses gave his soul for them and they were called by his name. He gave his soul for Israel and they were called by his name, as it says "If this is how You treat me, then kill me now" (Numbers 11:15). The Omnipresent said to him, "By your life, you gave your soul for them - I will call them by your name", as it says "Go down, for your people whom you brought up from Egypt have corrupted themselves" (Exodus 32:7). Behold they belong only to the Omnipresent, as it says "But they are Your people" (Deuteronomy 9:12). But Moses gave his soul for them and they were called by his name. He gave his soul for the Torah, as it says "And he was there with Hashem forty days" (Exodus 34:28). The Omnipresent said, "By your life, I will not call it except by your name", as it says "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). Behold the Torah belongs to the Omnipresent, as it says "The Torah of Hashem is perfect." But Moses gave his soul for it and it was called by his name...

[(Gen. 41:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS.] This text is related (to Prov. 14:23): IN ALL TOIL THERE IS PROFIT. Our masters have said: Even in the case of cold water, when they make it hot, it becomes a benefit to the body. IN ALL TOIL THERE IS PROFIT.⁴Gen. R. 89:2.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 14:23): IN ALL TOIL THERE IS PROFIT. < The verse > speaks about labors over Torah. Anyone who troubles himself more than his colleague over the Torah shall have benefit and gain. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT TALK FROM THE LIPS < LEADS > ONLY TO A LOSS. Anything restraining one's lips so that he does not labor in the Torah < LEADS > ONLY TO A LOSS. Once upon a time there was a certain student who was outstanding, and his name was R. Eleazar ben Jacob.⁵Cf. Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, according to which R. Eleazar ben Jacob was not the student, but the master. He was regularly at his studies. Look at how regular in his studies he was. < But > while he was sweating in the bathhouse, he would stand at his chamber pot and skip his studies. Because he did not grasp < them > with his lips, he became sick and forgot his studies. What caused < this > for him? < It was > because he did not grasp < his studies > with his lips. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 14:23): BUT TALK FROM THE LIPS < LEADS > ONLY TO A LOSS.