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Shalom.

I have for a long time been confused about what exactly Sefer Mishlei is. Were the commandments in this book - 'Acquire Chokhmah' / 'Get discernment' etc. - revealed to Moshe at Har-Sinai? Were these things Oral Torah until Shelomo Ha-melech wrote them down? Might Shelomo Ha-melech's instructions concerning getting chokhmah etc. have been an extended meditation on / elucidation of how to fulfil the commandment to 'know this day that HKBH is G-d...'?

Please forgive my ignorance!

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    1) Mishlei is called משלי שלמה בן דוד - the proverbs of Shlomo, son of Dovid HaMelech, the King of Yisrael. Malbim says that Mishlei means a grouping of parables; for in order to teach unknown, obscure and profound things, [the author] will create a proverb based on known things. In this way, the hidden, unknown analogue may be glimpsed through the clothing of the parable.
    – Shmuel
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 18:54
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    2) The Malbim goes on to explain that Shlomo was really wise. Truths, Malbim says, become known through: tradition (our sages etc...), wisdom from G-ds spirit that rested on Shlomo etc.. and last but not least: Through discernment and experience
    – Shmuel
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 18:56
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    3) So, to me, it seems that these were not mitzvos that were given on Har Sinai. Rather, these are proverbs, wise saying by Shlomo, who was really wise and had G-ds spirit in him, and he wrote them down, providing us lessons for life.
    – Shmuel
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 18:57
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    To quote this article: torah.org/learning/basics-primer-torah-proverbs
    – Shmuel
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 18:59
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    “So, what’s Proverbs really about?” We could say that Proverbs is a credit course in common sense. Much can be learned about the human mind by thinking about why two particular ideas were placed next to each other; why this verse would have been just like the last one… except for that small, almost insignificant difference and what the words actually mean. One can learn how to decide logically between two choices, how to make use of experience to avoid repeating mistakes and from what to stay away while chasing after a goal (especially the goal of Torah-observance). "
    – Shmuel
    Commented Mar 22, 2023 at 18:59

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