Midrash sa Mga Kawikaan 20:7: Midrash Tanchuma, Aggadat Bereshit, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Shemot Rabbah

(Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron and his sons.” This text is related (to Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him.” This refers to Aaron and his children. If this interpretation is so,²⁷Reading KN for MN, as suggested in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), p. 500, n. 3. The Buber text is more awkward, but means essentially the same: “If [this interpretation results] from this saying.” Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him, as stated (I Sam. 8:3), “But his sons did not walk in his ways.” So why do you say [of Aaron] (in Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him?” Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the high priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” Another interpretation (of Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (i.e., to Moses), “Entice him with words, because he is fleeing from [the priestly] office.” Take can only be a word [implying] persuasion, for so did Nebuchadnezzar²⁸The Masoretic Text throughout Jer. 39 reads “Nebuchadrezzar.” say to Nebuzaradan (concerning Jeremiah in Jer. 39:12), “Take him and look after him.”²⁹Since Jeremiah was being taken for his own good, he would not have been taken by force but by persuasion. So also it (i.e., Scripture) speaks of our mother Sarah (in Gen. 12:15), “and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house,” as she did not seek to go. So also with Dinah, [it states] (Genesis 34:2), “and he took her and lay with her,” as she did not seek to go. And also (here in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron” is language [implying] persuasion because he was fleeing from office.

[2] Different interpretation: "And the sons of Noah" (Genesis 6:10). The righteous walk in their perfection, "fortunate are his children after him" (Proverbs 20:7). Fortunate are the children of Israel, for the merit of their fathers stands for them. By virtue of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved them when they were in Egypt. As it is written, "God heard their groaning" (Exodus 2:24), and when they left Egypt, they left by virtue of their fathers, as it is written, "For He remembered His holy word with Abraham His servant" (Psalm 105:42). When they made the Golden Calf, it is written, "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants" (Exodus 32:13). In the days of Elijah, it is written, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel" (1 Kings 18:36). Thus, in every generation, the merit of the fathers stands for them. The merit of the fathers stood for them until Hazael, the king of Aram, as it is written, "And Hazael king of Aram oppressed them. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presence until now" (2 Kings 13:22-23). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Until now, you had the merit of your fathers. From now on, each one will be dependent on his own actions." Therefore, it is said, "The righteous walks in his integrity" (Proverbs 20:7). By the merit of Noah, his sons merited to live with him through the Flood, and they merited to come out of the ark, as it is written, "And the sons of Noah" (Genesis 6:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "From now on, I will not do as I did with Noah. The fathers do not save their children." As it is written, "Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it [the land] and they, by their righteousness, would save only themselves" (Ezekiel 14:14), and from where is it derived that even in sins, it is said, "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him" (Ezekiel 18:20).

[(Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS.] This text is related (to Prov. 20:7): THE ONE WHO WALKS IN HIS INTEGRITY IS RIGHTEOUS; BLESSED ARE HIS CHILDREN AFTER HIM. This refers to Aaron and his children.⁴²Tanh., Lev. 2:10. If this interpretation is so,⁴³Reading KN for MN, as suggested in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), p. 500, n. 3. The Buber text is more awkward, but means essentially the same: “If < this interpretation results > from this saying.” Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him. (I Sam. 8:3:) BUT HIS SONS DID NOT WALK IN HIS WAYS. Why do you say < of Aaron > (in Prov. 20:7): THE ONE WHO WALKS IN HIS INTEGRITY IS RIGHTEOUS; < BLESSED ARE HIS CHILDREN AFTER HIM >? Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the High Priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2:) TAKE AARON AND HIS SONS ALONG WITH HIM.