מדרש אויף מלאכי 2:6

(Fol. 6b) R. Eliezer, the son of R. Jose the Galilean, says: "A court is forbidden to attempt an arbitration, and the [judge] that makes settlements commits a crime; and he who praises the mediators despises the law, as it is said (Ps. 10, 3) The robber blesseth himself when he hath despised the Lord, but let the law cut through the mountain (justice under all circumstances), as it is said (Deut. 1, 17) The judgment belongs to God." And so said Moses our master: "Let the law cut through the mountain." But Aaron [his brother] loved peace, ran after it, and used to make peace between a man and his associate, as it is said (Mal. 2, 6) The law of truth was in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips, in peace equity he walked with Me, and many did he turn away from iniquity. R. Eliezer says: "If one had stolen a saah of wheat and had ground, kneaded and baked it, and separated the heave (Challa) of it, how can he recite a benediction over it? For not only is it not a benediction, but it is rather a blasphemy! Concerning this, the passage reads (Ps. 10, 3) The robber blesses … . despises the Lord." R. Maier says: "The passage, the robber, etc., refers only to Juda, for it is said (Gen. 37, 26) And Judah said unto his brothers, 'What profit (betza) will it be if we slay our brother?' And whoever praises Juda [for his advice] despises the Lord; and concerning him is said: He who blesses Botzea despises the Lord." But R. Joshua b. Karcha said: "On the contrary arbitration is a meritorious act, as it is said (Zech. 8, 16) With truth and the judgment of peace, judge ye in your gates. How is this to be understood? Usually, where there is judgment, there is no peace; and where there is peace, there is no judgment. It must then refer to arbitration, which brings peace. The same must be explained about David, concerning whom it is said (II Sam. 8, 16) And David did what was just and charitable unto all his people. How can these five terms be reconciled? For a thing that is just is not charitable, and if charitable then it is not just. We must therefore say that it refers to arbitration, which contains both." The first Tanna, however, [who said above that arbitration is prohibited], explains the passage thus: He, (David), judged in accordance with the strict law — he acquitted him who was right and held him responsible who was guilty, according to the Law; but when he saw that the loser was poor and could not pay, he used to pay from his own pocket. Hence he did justice to one and charity to the other. Rabbi, however, pointed out the following difficulty, it is written. Unto all his people, and according to the above explanation, it ought to be to the poor. Therefore, said Rabbi: "Although he did not pay from his pocket, it was nevertheless counted as justice and charity; justice to the one, for having returned his money; and charity to the other, for delivering the theft out of his hand." (Fol. 7) All the Tannaim mentioned above differ with R. Tanchum b. Chanilai, who said: "The above-cited verse (Ps. 10) was quoted in reference to the golden calf, of which it is said (Ex. 32, 5) And when Aaron saw this. What did he see? R. Benjamin b. Jepheth said in the name of R. Elazar: 'He saw Chur, who was lying killed before him.' And he thought: 'if I do not listen to them, they will do likewise unto me, and will bring about such a condition as is said (Lam. 2, 20) Shall there be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord the priest and the prophet; for which there shall never be a remedy. It is better for them that I should make the golden calf, and for that probably there will be a remedy by repenting.'" [Hence the above passage].

Another interpretation of “Blessed is the person” (Psalms 1:1). This refers to the tribe of Levi who did not walk in the counsel [of those who were involved in the] incident of the [Golden] Calf, as it is said, “[And of Levi he said:] Let your Thummim and Urim [the sacred oracle worn beneath the breastplate of the High Priest] be with your faithful one” (Deuteronomy 33:8); “nor stand in the way of sinners” (Psalms 1:1), for so it is written, “Please [forgive them for] this nation has sinned a great sin” (Exodus 32:31); “the company of scoffers” (Psalms 1:1) [also refers to the incident of the Golden Calf], as it is said, “the nation sat down” [just as the scoffers in Psalm 1 are described as sitting down] “to eat and drink, and then rose to revel” (Exodus 32:6). And [yet] regarding the children of Levi it is written, “[Moses stood up in the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is for God, come here!”] And all the children of Levi rallied to him” (Exodus 32:26). Rabbi Berechia said, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani, “Who wouldn’t want to be a trusted courtier in the house of the king? [That is to say, why didn’t everybody, at that stage of the story, rally around Moses?] Rather, Moses said, “he who did not donate a nose ring to the Calf can come to my side.” Immediately, “the children of Levi rallied around him.”” “But his delight is in the Torah of the Lord” (Psalms 1:2), this refers to the tribe of Levi, as it is said, “[Know, then, that I have sent this charge to you that My covenant with Levi may endure ... The Torah of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not to be found upon his lips” (Malachi 2:4-6). “He shall be like a tree planted [besides streams of water]” (Psalms 1:3), because the Holy One, blessed be He, planted them in the land of Israel, since all of them entered the land. Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua, “of all of the tribe of Levi, only Aaron and Miriam died [in the wilderness].”

Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva, saying to him: ‘Because you studied under Naḥum of Gam Zo for twenty-two years, [who taught:] The words akh and rak are restrictive expressions, et and gam are inclusive expressions, [I ask you:] What is the meaning of the et that is written here [twice]?’⁵⁵Et hashamayin ve’et haaretz. He said to him: ‘Had it been stated: “In the beginning God created heavens and earth [bereshit bara elohim shamayim vaaretz]” – we might have said that the heavens and the earth are deities.’⁵⁶It could have been interpreted: ‘God, who is heavens and earth, created.’ The word et, however, indicates that what follows is the direct object of the verb.
He [Rabbi Yishmael] said to him: “For it is not an empty matter for you [mikem]” (Deuteronomy 32:47) – if it is empty, it is because of you [mikem],⁵⁷If you find something in the Torah that appears devoid of significance, it is because of your own ignorance. because you do not know how to expound, because you do not exert yourself in its regard. “As it [the Torah] is your life” (Deuteronomy 32:47) – when is it your life? It is when you exert yourself in its regard. Rather [the explanation is]: “et hashamayim” – to include the sun, the moon, and the constellations; “ve’et haaretz” – to include trees, vegetation, and the Garden of Eden.
Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of Rav Huna: “Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, did everything that the Moses commanded him” is not stated, but rather, “everything that the Lord commanded Moses” (Exodus 38:22). Even matters that he [Betzalel] did not hear from his teacher, his perception corresponded to what was stated to Moses at Sinai. Rabbi Ḥonya said in the name of Rabbi: “The Torah of truth was in his mouth” (Malachi 2:6) – these are matters that he heard directly from his teacher.⁵⁸The following line should be added here (Matnot Kehuna): “and falsehood was not found on his lips” (Malachi 2:6) – these are matters that he did not hear from his teacher. The Rabbis say: “For the Lord will be your hope [bekislekha]” (Proverbs 3:26) – even matters that you are a fool [kesil] in their regard, “He will protect your foot from being ensnared” (Proverbs 3:26).⁵⁹If you make a concerted effort to understand, God will assist you, even regarding matters that you do not know about, so that you will not be caught up in any misstep. Rabbi Dosai said: From promulgating [mistaken] teachings. Rabbi Abahu said: From transgressing. Rabbi Levi said: From malevolent spirits. Rabbi Avdimus said: If you gave charity from your purse [kis-lekha], the Holy One blessed be He will protect you from being charged unjust security taxes, fines, head taxes, and property taxes.