ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף משלי 1:12

It is well known that no act is carried out successfully unless the one carrying it out possesses a) the physical ability to carry out that act; b) has the will to carry it out; c) has the technical knowhow to execute what he plans to do. The ability to do good or evil is common to everyone from birth. (See Isaiah 7,15) "He will eat butter and honey when he knowingly rejects evil and chooses good." The willpower to do good is only found in those to whom G'd has granted a measure of wisdom, and who possess fear of the Lord. Even if a person is able to do the right thing, and is possessed of an urge to do the right thing, he will still not make much pogress. The true choice of what action to take exists only if the one doing the choosing is fully aware of the impact of what he is about to do. Freedom of choice is useless if one does not possess the criteria to evaluate the choices that exist. Whenever the Torah mentions bechirah, choice, it gives advice as to what choice is to be made, so as to ensure that we are equipped to make the right choice. The emphasis the Torah employs in giving this advice is in proportion to the importance of the choice to be made. Crucial decisions rate extra advice on the subject, even repetition of that advice. In this way the consequences of making the wrong decision are pointed out by describing the penalties in store or the reward to be obtained by making the right decision. Intelligent persons, therefore, are careful to live according to the advice proffered, and to avoid at all cost any action in defiance of such advice. When danger is evident, the circumspect act like David at the Court of Avimelech, not like Gedalyah ben Achikom who had been warned that Ishmael ben Netanyah would assassinate him. This is especially so when one confronts hidden dangers, i.e. innocent looking exteriors behind which deadly poison is hidden. Sotah 22, has Yannai saying "more than anything beware of the hypocrites, they are worse than the Pharisees or the Libertines." Solomon describes the futility of the plans of the sinners, plans which will backfire. (Proverbs 1,19) Similarly, the Torah advises against the path of the wicked. The passage in Proverbs cannot be part of the invitation of the violent people to join them, since, far from enumerating advantages, it warns of the pitfalls involved. (verse 12) The verse could be interpreted as an invitation to despoil the spoilers, since he who steals from the thief is not culpable. Solomon's advice then would be not to follow such a path, since one is not to trust anyone whose trademark is thievery and violence. Their promise of easy gain would soon be revealed as hollow, incapable of fulfilment, so that all the effort expended in pursuit of such endeavours will prove fruitless.