Midrasch zu Hoschea 6:2

Fol. 31) We are taught in a Baraitha: R. Juda said, in the name of R. Akiba: "What [song] did [the Levites] chant on the first day of the week? (Ps. 24) The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, because He [the Lord, in establishing the world] took possession and gave [His creatures] possession (invested them with life), and [became] the Sovereign of the world. What did they sing on the second day? (Ib. 48) Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, because [on that day] He divided His works [the heavens from the earth] and reigned over them. On the third day they sang (Ib. 82) God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, because [on that day] He, in His wisdom, caused the earth to be revealed and the world to be prepared for its occupants. On the fourth day they sang (Ib. 94) O Lord, to whom retribution belongeth, because [on that day] He created the sun and moon, and in the future He will punish those who would worship them. On the fifth day they sang (Ib. 81) Sing aloud unto God, our strength, because [on that day] He created the birds and the fishes [which bring] praise to His name. On the sixth day they sang, (Ib. 93) The Lord reigneth. He is clothed in majesty, because [on that day] He finished His works and became sovereign over them. On the seventh day they sang (Ib. 92) A psalm, a song, for the Sabbath day; i.e., for the day that is a perfect rest." R. Nechemia said: "What reason had R. Akiba to make distinctions among these sections, [for the last refers to a future event, while all the others refer to the past]? We must therefore say that they sang that psalm on the Sabbath day, because He rested." This is contrary to the opinion of R. K'tina, for R. K'tina said: "The world will last six thousand years, and one thousand years it will be waste; as it is said (Is. 2, 11) And exalted shall be the Lord alone on that day" Abaye, however, said: "Two thousand years it will waste; as it is said (Hos. 6, 2) He will revive us after two days."

“The king said to her: What troubles you, Queen Esther, and what is your request… Esther said: If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet… The king said: Hasten Haman…The king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared…Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart, but upon Haman’s seeing Mordekhai at the king’s gate, and he did not stand, and he did not move on his account, Haman became filled with fury…Haman restrained himself…and brought his supporters and Zeresh his wife, etc.” (Esther 5:3–5; 8–10).
Among all of them, there was no one capable of giving counsel like Zeresh his wife. He [Haman] had three hundred and sixty-five advisers, corresponding to the days of the solar year. His wife said to him: The person [Mordekhai] about whom you are asking, “If he is of the progeny of the Jews…you will not prevail against him” (Esther 6:13) – unless you approach him with cleverness, with [a strategy] that has never been attempted against members of his nation. If you drop him into a fiery furnace, Ḥananya and his cohorts have already been rescued [from it]; if [you place him in] the lions’ den, Daniel already emerged from it. If you incarcerate him in prison, Joseph already emerged from it. If you ignite a fire in a vat beneath him, Menashe [king of Judah] already pleaded, and the Holy One blessed be He acceded to his plea and he emerged from it. If you exile him to the wilderness, his ancestors already procreated in the wilderness, and they were confronted with numerous ordeals and passed them all and were rescued. If you blind his eyes, Samson took numerous Philistine lives when he was blind. Rather, hang him on a gibbet, as no member of his people has survived it.
Immediately, “the matter was pleasing to Haman and he prepared the gibbet” (Esther 5:14). From what tree was that gibbet crafted? The Rabbis said: When he came to prepare it, the Holy One blessed be He called to all the trees of Creation: ‘Who will give [of its wood] so this wicked one [Haman] will be hanged on it?’
The fig said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel brings first fruits from me. Moreover, Israel was likened to the first fruits [of a fig]; that is what is written: “Like a first fruit on a fig tree in its first season”’ (Hosea 9:10).
The grapevine said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “You transported a vine from Egypt”’ (Psalms 80:9).
The pomegranate said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Your temple is like a pomegranate slice”’ (Song of Songs 4:3).
The nut said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was likened to me; that is what is written: “I have descended to the nut garden”’ (Song of Songs 6:11).
The citron said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel takes from me for a mitzva; that is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a pleasant tree…”’¹This verse refers to the mitzva to take the four species on Sukkot. Rabbinic tradition identifies the “pleasant tree” as the citron. (Leviticus 23:40).
The myrtle said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “And he was standing among the myrtles”’ (Zechariah 1:8).
The olive said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “The Lord called your name a flourishing olive-tree, fair of fruit and form”’ (Jeremiah 11:16).
The apple said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the boys” (Song of Songs 2:3), and as it is written: “And the fragrance of your face like apples”’ (Song of Songs 7:9).
The palm said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “This, your stature, is likened to a palm”’ (Song of Songs 7:8).
Acacia trees and cypress trees said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as the Sanctuary was crafted and the Temple was constructed from us.’
The cedar and the date said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as we are analogized to the righteous, as it is stated: “The righteous man flourishes like a palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon he grows tall”’ (Psalms 92:13).
The willow says: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me, as it is stated: “Like willows by streams of water” (Isaiah 44:4); and they take from me for the mitzva of the four species in the lulav.’
At that moment, the thorn said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I, who have nothing to ascribe [litlot] to myself, I will give of myself, and that impure one will be hanged [veyitaleh]. My name is thorn, and he [Haman] is a painful thorn; it is appropriate for a thorn to be hanged on a thorn.’ They found [suitable wood from a thorn] and erected [the gibbet].
When they brought it before Haman, he prepared it at the entrance to his house and measured himself on it to show his servants how Mordekhai should be hanged on it. A divine voice replied to him: ‘The tree is suitable for you; this tree has been prepared for you since the six days of Creation.’ The Rabbis there [i.e. Babylonia] say: Where in the Torah is there [an allusion] to Haman? It is, as it is stated: “Was it from the tree [hamin haetz]” (Genesis 3:11), which is expounded to read: Haman haetz.
Another matter: “it was on the third day” (Esther 5:1). Israel is never subject to trouble for more than three days, as in Abraham’s regard it is written: “On the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance” (Genesis 22:4). The tribes, “he gathered them into custody for three days” (Genesis 42:17). Jonah, as it is stated: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 2:1). And the dead will live only after three days, as it is stated: “On the third day He will raise us” (Hosea 6:2).²At the resurrection of the dead, all will be revived for the day of judgement, when some will be granted “eternal life,” and others will receive “reproaches and everlasting abhorrence” (Daniel 12:2). The midrash here is stating that the righteous will experience the anxiety of the impending judgement for three days before they are granted eternal life. This miracle, too, transpired after three days of their fasting; that is what is written: “It was on the third day, that Esther donned royalty” (Esther 5:1). She sent and invited Haman to a banquet with the king on the fifteenth of Nisan. Once they ate and drank, Haman said: ‘The king promotes me, his wife honors me, and there is no one in the kingdom greater than I am,’ and his heart was overjoyed; that is what is written: “Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9).

R. Ktina said: Six thousand years shall the world last, and one thousand it will be waste, as it is said (Isa. 2, 11) And exalted shall be the Lord alone, on that day." Abaye said: "Two thousand it will be waste, as it is said (Hos. 6, 2) He will revive us after two days." We are taught in a Baraitha in accordance with R. Ktina: "Just as the Sabbatical year causes rest [of all field work] once every seven years, so shall the world rest (be waste) one millenium in every seven millenia, as it is said (Is. 2,11) And exalted shall be the Lord alone, on that day, and there is also a verse (Ps. 92, 11) A Psalm or song for the Sabbath Day, i.e., the day which will be all Sabbath, and there is another passage (Ib. 90, 4) For a thousand years are in Thy eyes but as yesterday when it is passed. At the college of Elijah it was taught: "The world will last six thousand years, two thousand of which were a chaos (Tohu), two thousand were of Torah, and the remaining two thousand are the days of the Messiah, (Ib. b) and beause of the increase of our sins, many years of these have already elapsed, and still he has not come." Elijah said to R. Juda, the brother of R. Sala the Pious: "The world will continue for no less than eighty-five jubilaic periods, and in the last jubilaic period ben David will come." The latter asked: "Will he come at its beginning or at its end?" He answered: "I do not know." "Has this passed already, or will it come?" He also answered, "I do not know." R. Ashi, however, said: "Elijah told him thus: 'Until that time [will pass] do not wait for him. But after that time, you may wait'." R. Chana b. Tahlipha sent a message to R. Joseph: "I met a man who possessed scrolls written in Assyrian characters and in the holy language. And to my question from where he obtained it, he answered: 'I sold myself to the Roman army, and among the Persian treasures, I found it.' And it is written therein that four thousand two hundred and ninety-one years after the creation, the world will remain [like] an orphan, many years in which there will be war of whales, and many other years in which there will be the war of Gog and Magog, and the remainder will be the days of the Messiah. But the Holy One, praised be He! will not renew the world before seven thousand years will have elapsed." And R. Acha, the son of Raba said: "It was stated after five thousand years."

... “Moab is my washbasin…” (Tehillim 60:10) When Israel entered into their land in order to inherit it, the Holy One forbid them to conquer these three nations, as it says “Do not distress the Moabites…” (Devarim 2:9) So too regarding Edom it is written “You shall not provoke them…” (Devarim 2:5) From where do we learn that they were not to conquer the land of the Pelishtim? Because it is written “God did not lead them [by] way of the land of the Philistines for it was near…” (Shemot 12:17) The oath which Avraham swore to Avimelech was still near in time, “And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me or to my son or to my grandson…” (Bereshit 21:23) His grandson was still alive. In the future the Holy One will permit Israel to conquer all three, as it says “And they shall fly of one accord against the Philistines in the west, together they shall plunder the children of the East; upon Edom and Moab shall they stretch forth their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” (Yeshayahu 11:14) And it is translated as ‘they will join shoulder to shoulder as one to wipe out the Phillistines.’ Therefore it says “…Philistia, join me…” (Tehillim 60:10), Edom and Moav are their occupation as it says “Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I will throw my lock…” (ibid.)

All its inhabitants shall taste the taste of death for two days, when there will be no soul of man or beast upon the earth, as it is said, "And they that dwell therein shall die in like manner" (ibid.). On the third day He will renew them all and revive the dead, and He will establish it before Him, as it is said, "On the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him" (Hos. 6:2).

“On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes…” (Genesis 22:4) It is written “He will revive us from the two days, on the third day He will set us up, and we will live before Him.” (Hoshea 6:2) On the third day of the tribes it is written “On the third day, Joseph said to them…” (Genesis 42:18) On the third day of the spies, as it says “…and hide yourselves there three days…” (Joshua 2:16) On the third day of the giving of the Torah, as it says “It came to pass on the third day…” (Exodus 19:16) On the third day of Jonah, as it is written “…and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.” (Jonah 2:1) On the third day of those who came up from exile, as it is written “…and stayed there three days.” (Ezra 8:32) On the third day of the resurrection of the dead, as it is written “He will revive us from the two days, on the third day He will set us up, and we will live before Him.” (Hoshea 6:2) On Esther’s third day “Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther clothed herself regally…” (Esther 5:1) The royalty of her father’s house. In what merit? This is an argument of the Rabbis and Rabbi Levi. The Rabbis say: in the merit of the third day of the giving of the Torah, as it says “It came to pass on the third day when it was morning…” (Exodus 19:16) Rabbi Levi said: in the merit of the third day of our father Avraham, as it says "On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.” (Genesis 22:4) What did he see? He saw a cloud attached to the mountain. He said: it appears that this is the place where the Holy One told me to offer up my son.

"And Yosef saw his brothers, etc." - Rabbi Yehoshua bar Nechemiah said, "He made himself a stranger (nocri) to them. "And Yosef recognized his brothers, etc." - Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis [argued about this]: Rabbi Levi said, "At the time they fell into his hand, 'And Yosef recognized his brothers;' at the time he fell into their hands, 'and they did not recognize him.'" And the Rabbis said, "He who left them adorned by beards, 'And Yosef recognized his brothers - and they did not recognize him,' as they did not leave him adorned by a beard [as he was too young].""And Yosef remembered, etc... and he said to them, etc...'we are all the sons of one man'" - they had a flash of Divine inspiration [in which] they said to him, "We and you are the sons of one man, we are." He said to them, "And where is [the other one]?" "We sold him." He said to them, "For how much did you sell him?" They said to him, "For five sela."He said to them, "And if a person would say to you, 'Give me five sela and I will give him to you,' would you do it?" They said to him, "Yes." "And if a person would say to you, 'Give me double and I will give him to you,' would you do it?" They said, "Yes." "And if a person would say to you, '[Even] if you would give me a thousand, I will not give him to you,' what would you do?" They said to him, "For that have we come down [to Egypt], whether to kill or to be killed." He said to them, "'This is what I have said about you, spies, etc.'" "Through this will you be examined; by the life of Pharaoh" - when he wanted to make a false oath, he would swear by the life of Pharaoh. Rabbi Levi said, "There is a parable of a goat that ran away from the pasture and went in to a widow. What did she do? She got up and slaughtered it and flayed it and put it in her bed and covered it with a sheet. They came to request it from her. She said, 'So should happen to this woman if she knows about it, this flesh [actually referring to the goat] should be bitten and eaten.' So too, 'by the life of Pharaoh if you will get out, etc...Send one of you.'" "And he placed them in the prison for three days" - never does the Holy One, blessed be He, leave righteous ones in dire straits for three days and so was it taught to Yosef, to Yonah, to Mordechai, to David. And so is it stated (Hoshea 6:2), "He will revive us from the two days; on the third day" of the tribes, "He will bring us up" - "And Yosef said to them on the third day."

Variantly: "I put to death and I bring to life": I put to death those of whom it is written (Bamidbar 23:10) "Let my soul die the death of the just," and I bring to life, viz. (Devarim, Ibid. 33:6) "Reuven shall live and he shall not die," (Hoshea 6:2) "He will make us live from the two times, etc."