A Heart that listens

I have spoken to my heart, and the heart sees, as it is written "the heart sees much." The heart listens, as it is written, "And give to your servant a heart that listens."

Rabbi Tanchum the son of Chanilai opens and says: It says in Job 28:12, "But wisdom, where shall it be found? And where is the place of intelligence?" This is speaking of Solomon, who sat and fasted for forty days in order that God would give him the spirit of wisdom and intelligence , and was wandering and searching after it.

The Holy One Blessed Be He said to Solomon: "Ask, what shall I give to you." Solomon answered: "Master of the Universe, I will not ask you for money, nor Gold, but rather for wisdom alone," as it is written in Kings I 3:9, "And give to your servant a heart that listens to judge the nation."

God answered, "Since you have not asked for neither money nor gold, the wisdom and the knowledge I will give to you as a gift."

Not only this, but wisdom comes before the Torah, as it is written in Psalms 111:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."

...And as a proof that wisdom comes before Torah it is written, "And Solomon loved God," which teaches that Solomon's wisdom was a gift.

And what is the place of intelligence? Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai says: Wisdom and Intelligence are one language, in a place where there is wisdom there is intelligence, and vice-versa.

And that Solomon sat fasting for forty days, and asked for wisdom, he did not lose his reward from God, as it says in Kings I 5:26, "And God gave wisdom to Solomon," and it is written in Kings I 5:11, "For Solomon was wiser than all men," this is about the first man, as Solomon himself wrote, "Surely I am brutish, unlike a man, and have not the understanding of a man."

In Givon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream at night, and God said to him: "Ask what I can give to you."

Solomon answered, "If I will ask for money and gold and precious stones and jewelry he will give it to me, rather I will ask for wisdom, all of it in general, as it is written in Kings I 3:9, "give to your servant a heart that listens.""

God said to him: "Solomon, you have asked for wisdom, and you have not asked for wealth or property or the lives of your enemies, for your whole life wisdom and knowledge will be given to you, and it is through the wisdom and knowledge that I will give you wealth and property, and this will happen immediately, as it is written, " And Solomon awoke, and, behold, it was a dream."

(2) And thus did Solomon say (I Kings 3:9) "And give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people… for who can judge this 'heavy' people of Yours!" Is it possible that Solomon could not judge Israel, Solomon of whom it is written (Ibid. 5;10-11) "And the wisdom of Solomon was greater than that of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrachite, and Heiman and Chalkol and Darda, the sons of Machol. And his fame spread to all the people around him" — and he could not judge them! — This is what he said to them. I am not like all the other judges. A Canaanite judge sits on his platform, sentencing one to the sword, strangulation, burning, or stoning, as if nothing had happened. And if he imposes a fine of a sela, he (himself) takes two; two — he takes three; a dinar — he takes a maneh. It is not so with me. If I have (wrongfully) imposed a money fine, He claims "lives"! And thus is it written (Proverbs 22:22) "Rob not the poor man because he is poor, and afflict not the pauper in the gate (of judgment). For the L-rd will fight their battle, and He will rob the soul of their robbers!"

(9) He said to them: Go out and see what is a straight path that a person should cling to. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: Seeing the consequences of one's actions. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, because your words are included in his. He said to them: Go out and see what is an evil path that a person should distance himself from. Rabbi Eliezer says: A bad eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A bad friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A bad neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: One who borrows but does not repay. Borrowing from a person is like borrowing from the Omnipresent blessed be He, as it says (Psalms 37:21) "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous one gives graciously." Rabbi Elazar says: A bad heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, for your words are included in his.