Divine willingness to hear prayer

Hi,

Proverbs 15:29 says, "Gd is distant from the wicked, and the prayer of the righteous He hears."

"R' Acha bar Chanina said: How much harsher is Solomon's wisdom than that of his father! David said (Psalms 145), 'Gd is close to all who call Him, to all who call Him in truth,' and Solomon said, 'Gd is distant from the wicked'! [But] these are the ones who do not repent at all."

(Midrash Mishlei 15:29)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Does Gd listen to the prayers of the wicked?

Hi,

Mishlei 15:29 – “Gd is distant from the wicked, and He will hear the prayers of the righteous.”

“Rabbi Acha bar Chanina said: Come and see how Shlomo’s wisdom is so much harsher than the wisdom of his father. David said, ‘Gd is close to all who call Him, to all who call Him in truth (Tehillim 145:18),’ and Shlomo said, ‘Gd is distant from the wicked,’ meaning those who do not repent, ‘and He will hear the prayers of the righteous’ when they pray with the community.”

(Midrash Mishlei 15:29)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Start them young

Hi,

"It is written [Mishlei 22:6], 'Educate a child according to his path, and then he will not stray therefrom even when he ages.' Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua taught lessons based upon this sentence.

"Rabbi Eliezer said: If you teach your child Torah while he is still young, he will grow and continue in that path, as it is written, 'he will not stray therefrom even when he ages.


"Rabbi Yehoshua said: It is like an ox which does not learn to plow [in its youth], so that there is great difficulty with it in the end."

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The value of a good reputation

Hi,

"It is written [Mishlei 22:1], 'A name is more choice than great wealth, and good favor more than silver and gold.'

"Come and see how valuable a good name is in this world. Even if a person has a thousand gold dinar, if he has not acquired a good name then he has acquired nothing."

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Who controls the heart of the king?

Hi,

"It is written [Mishlei 21:1], 'The heart of a king is like streams of water in Divine control; wherever He chooses, He will incline it.'

"Rabbi Yishmael explained: 'Streams of water in the hand of Gd' because just as when you place water in a vessel you can incline it to any side you choose, so when flesh and blood ascend to the throne, his heart is put in Divine control. If the world merits then Gd inclines the king's heart toward positive decrees, but if the world is guilty then Gd inclines it toward bad decrees. Every decree he produces first emerges from Gd. This it says, 'Wherever He chooses, He will incline it.'"

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How to live a long life

Hi,

"It is written [Mishlei 21:23]: One who guards his mouth and tongue keeps trouble from himself.

"This teaches that a person's death and life are only subject to his tongue. If one merits and controls it, it will provide him with life. Otherwise, it will kill him. And so it is also written [Mishlei 18:21], 'Death and life are in the control of the tongue.'"

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Justice vs Korbanot

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: One who practices righteousness and justice is considered as though he had brought burnt offerings and celebration offerings to Gd, as it is written [Mishlei 21:3], 'One who practices righteousness and justice is more choice to Gd than a celebration offering.'"

(Midrash, Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The effect of tzedakah upon one's children

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon said: One who pursues [opportunities to give] tzedaka will have children who are masters of tzedakah, as well as Torah and Aggada [Torah which is not law-oriented]."

(Midrash Mishlei 21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai