מדרש אויף משלי 23:13

Another interpretation, for the conductor on the sheminith: The verse (Proverbs 23:13) "Do not withhold discipline from a child" means that when you strike him, do so with a rod that will not cause his death. Likewise, it is said (Psalms 39:11), "You rebuke with punishment for sin; like a moth, You consume what is dear to him." Rebellion is good, but anger is not. As it is said (Jeremiah 10:24), "Correct me, O Lord, but in due measure; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing." Anger and wrath are two harbingers of death. And Solomon said (Proverbs 16:14), "The fury of a king is as messengers of death." Similarly, Moses said (Deuteronomy 9:19), "For I was afraid of the anger and wrath." Therefore, it is said, "Rebuke me not in Your anger." Suffering is good, but I lack the strength to withstand it, neither in anger nor in wrath.

Psalm of David. O Lord, in Your anger rebuke me not. As it is written in Jeremiah 10:24, "Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing." I am willing to accept discipline, but not to the point of death, as Proverbs 23:13 says, "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die." David says, "Rebuke me in Your anger," meaning that correction is good, as Proverbs 3:12 says, "For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights." But it should not be in anger, which is why it says "in Your anger." David says that suffering is good, as it is written in Psalm 94:12, "Happy is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law." However, we are short-tempered and do not have the strength to endure them. David says to God, "Master of the universe, we are sinners, and You are angry with us. Because of this, we are not redeemed but remain captive, one by one." As it is written in Micah 7:19, "He will again have compassion on us, and subdue our iniquities." Therefore, it says "rebuke me in Your wrath." The weaver, while weaving, knows that if he strikes his warp too hard, it will break. Therefore, he weaves with strength when he can, and gently when he cannot. We are the warp and You are the weaver, but we do not have the strength to withstand either wrath or anger. As it is written in Psalm 30:10, "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit?" One who does not know how to strike, strikes with the rod over the eyes or the head. But one who knows how to strike, hits the back so as not to blind his eyes or for any other danger. As it is written in Zechariah 13:6, "What are these wounds between Your arms?" These wounds have caused me to love the Father in heaven, as it says, "There is no healing in my flesh because of Your indignation." Israel began saying (Ezra 9:6), "Our iniquities have increased over our heads." Rabbi Yitzhak said, "To what can this be compared? It is like a man who was crossing a river and his legs sank, and the current swept over him. They said to him, 'The current is sweeping over you and you are lifting up your legs.' Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'Why do you say (Psalms 130:3), "If You, God, were to keep track of iniquities, who could stand?" Let the wicked one turn from his evil ways, abandon your wicked deeds, and I will have mercy on you.' Rabbi Hanina bar Pappa said (Psalms 40:6), 'Your wonders and thoughts which are directed toward us.' Abraham cleared away the obstacles that prevented us from standing in the world. Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, 'The Holy One, blessed be He, showed Abraham the exiles and so forth,' as it is written in Psalm 92.

[4] Another explanation: Eli, he was very old. Three elders hastened their death because of their sons' wrongdoing. Isaac was first due to his troubles with his son Esau, who was bowing down to idols and offering incense to them, causing smoke to rise, which caused Isaac's eyes to become dim. Therefore it is written, "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim" (Genesis 27:1). Likewise, Eli was old due to the troubles of his sons, as it is written, "And Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did" (1 Samuel 2:22). Even Samuel was old due to the troubles of his sons, as it is written, "And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment" (1 Samuel 8:1-3). Although all his days he was a prophet and judge, old age overtook him because of his sons' troubles, as it is written, "And his sons did not walk in his ways" (ibid.). Rabbi Simon said, "The sons of Eli were exonerated from this matter, as it is written, 'And they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tent of meeting' (1 Samuel 2:22). Rather, this is what they did: they did not offer sacrifices at the appointed time, and the daughters of Israel brought them flour or doves for their purification, as it is written, 'And when the days of her purification are fulfilled' (Leviticus 12:6). And there it is written, 'The doors of the temple were open at the beginning of the tent of meeting' (1 Samuel 2:22)." And they were taking and passing the hours, and they were not offering sacrifices at their appointed time, and the daughters of Israel thought they were pure and went and served in their homes, as it is said, "This is what they do when they lay with women." It does not say "the people," but "the women." They were allowing women, who were impure due to relations with their husbands, to lie with them. Who caused them to do this? They were neglecting the sacrifices and not offering them at their appointed time, as it says, "Passing [over the offering] with the Lord" (1 Samuel 2:24). The word "sinning" is not written here, but "passing [over]." They were passing over the hours. God began to say to them, "Say to My children" (Jeremiah 2:2). God said to them, "You are spoiling your children by calling them 'My children.'" Solomon cried out, "Do not withhold discipline from a youth" (Proverbs 23:13). "You are a tribe," he said (Proverbs 5:14). They answered and said to him, "If so, Israel, if this is the case, then woe to your people in your tribe" (Micah 7:14).