מדרש אויף משלי 24:31

[7] "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" - Rabbi Zera said: From here you learn that Solomon agreed with the opinion of his father David, as David said (Psalms 111:10): "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," and Solomon said: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, to say that wisdom and knowledge are equal. "Fools despise wisdom and instruction" - We learned there: (Mishnah Avot 4:8): "Rabbi Yosi says: Whoever honors the Torah, his body is honored by creatures, and whoever desecrates the Torah, his body is desecrated by creatures." Another interpretation: "Wisdom and instruction" - If instruction, why wisdom? And if wisdom, why instruction? Rather, if a person learns the words of the Torah and engages in them according to their needs, he has both wisdom and instruction; if not, they are despised, and he is called a fool. We learned there (Avot of Rabbi Nathan 24:6): "Because he does not labor in them, he will end up seeking the beginning of a chapter and not finding it, the beginning of a tractate and not finding it, the beginning of a section and not knowing even one verse, and regarding him Solomon said: (Proverbs 24:30): 'I went by the field of a lazy man, etc., and behold, it was all grown over with thistles, etc.', for if he forgets, he will end up declaring the impure pure and the pure impure, and regarding him Solomon said (Proverbs 24:31): 'It was all covered with weeds,' and if he engages in them according to their needs, they brighten and illuminate his face, as it is stated (Daniel 12:3): 'And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.'" "Therefore, Solomon foresaw with his wisdom and said (Proverbs 1:8): 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching': 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - What was given to you at Sinai regarding honoring your father; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - What was admonished to you at Sinai regarding honoring your mother. And if you do so, you will be found honoring both father and mother. Another interpretation: 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction' - This is the Written Torah; 'and do not forsake your mother's teaching' - All that was explained to you at Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty in the Torah, regarding pure, pure, and regarding impure, impure, and regarding forbidden, forbidden, and regarding permitted, permitted, and if you do so - the words of the Torah are found to be a crown on your head and necklaces for your neck, as it is written (Proverbs 1:9): 'For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains about your neck' - as long as you make your voice heard in them, they become honey and milk under your tongue."

That is what is written: “I have passed by the field of an indolent man [ish] and the vineyard of a person [adam] lacking heart” (Proverbs 24:30) – Rav Huna said: If someone bought a field and bought a vineyard, he is called ish and he is called adam,⁹Which are terms of respect. yet he is also called “indolent” – what good is he? Rather, “I have passed by the field of an indolent man” – this is Adam the first man.¹⁰He was indolent in his failure to show remorse after his sin. “And the vineyard of a person [adam] lacking heart” – this is Eve. Rav Huna said: Where have we found that Eve was called adam? “Like the splendor of a person [adam], to sit in a house” (Isaiah 44:13).¹¹She is the housewife (see Targum there). “And behold, it was all overgrown with thistles” (Proverbs 24:31) – “thorns and thistles it will grow for you” (Genesis 3:18). “Its surface covered with nettles” (Proverbs 24:31) – “by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). “And its stone fence destroyed” (Proverbs 24:31) – “the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:23). When He sent him away, He began lamenting over him: “The Lord God said: Behold, the man was as one of us” – he had been like one of us.¹²But has now brought about his own downfall.

[(Gen. 3:22:) BEHOLD, THE HUMAN.] This text is related (to Prov. 24:30): I PASSED BY THE FIELD OF A LAZY ONE, AND BY THE VINEYARD OF ONE LACKING CHARACTER.⁵⁷Gen. R. 21:3. I PASSED BY THE FIELD OF A LAZY ONE. This is Adam who was too lazy to do penance. AND BY THE VINEYARD OF ONE LACKING CHARACTER. This is Eve, who (according to Gen. 3:18) heeded the words of the serpent. (Prov. 24:31:) AND BEHOLD, IT WAS ALL GROWN OVER WITH THISTLES, in that they have filled the whole world with troubles. (Ibid., cont.:) BRAMBLES COVERED ITS FACE, in that it is stated (in Gen. 3:18): THORN AND THISTLE < IT SHALL BRING FORTH FOR YOU >. (Prov. 24:31, cont.:) AND ITS STONE WALL WAS BROKEN DOWN, in that < the serpent > ⁵⁸See Lev. R. 26:2. has demolished the wall of the world.⁵⁹I.e., opened the way to lawlessness. Unlike the serpent, rabbinical law became a fence around the Torah. When the hurtful decrees (of Gen. 3:14-19) were ordained over them; he began mourning (in Gen. 3:22): BEHOLD (HN),⁶⁰HN can also be an abbreviation for Hazkarat Nefashot, a memorial prayer for the dead. THE HUMAN.