Midrasch zu Könige I 8:59

ABODA ZARA (Fol. 2) R. Chanina b. Papa, according to others, R. Simlai, lectured: "In the future, the Holy One, praised be He! will bring the Holy Scroll in His arm, saying: 'Whoever was occupied with the Torah shall appear and receive his reward.' The nations then at once will gather themselves and come motley crowded, as it is said (Is. 43, 9) All the nations are gathered together, etc. The Holy One, praised be He; however, will tell them: 'Do not enter in such confusion, but let each nation (Ib. b) with her scribes enter separately,' as it is said (Ib. ib. ib.) And the peoples (I'umim) are assembled.' And l'umim (people) refers to kingdoms, as it is said (Gen. 25, 23) And the one people shall be stronger than the other people (Ul'om milom ye'ematz). Can there be such a thing as confusion before the Holy One, praised be He? It means they themselves shall not be confused, so that they shall understand what will be said to them. Immediately thereupon the kingdom of Rome will enter first on account of its greatness. And whence do we know that it is great? The passage says, (Dan. 7, 23) And shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And R. Jochanan said: 'This refers to Rome whose government is recognized all over the world.' But whence do we know that the more distinguished come first to judgment? It is as R. Chisda said: 'When a king and the people appear before justice, the king should be considered first; as it is said (I Kings 8, 59) To maintain the cause of his servant (the king David) ); [and after this it says] And the cause of His people. Why so? If you wish, you may say it would not be good ethics to have the king sit outside of the court during the trial of the people! and if you wish you may say, he (the king) should be tried before the court becomes excited with anger.' The Holy One, praised be He! will question her (Rome): 'What was your occupation in the world?' To which she will answer: 'Sovereign of the Universe! We have established many markets, we have constructed many bath-houses, we have multiplied in great mass gold and silver and all this was done for the sake of Israel, to enable them to study the Torah.' To which the Holy One, praised be He! will remark: 'It is foolish of you to state that all you have done was for the sake of Israel, while in reality it was but for yourselves. The construction of markets was for the purpose of prostitution. The establishment of bath-houses was for your own pleasure, and as to gold and silver, it is mine, as the passage says (Hag. 2, 8) Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold. But, are there, then, among ye those who have studied the Law?' They will go out in despair. After Rome has departed, Persia will enter, because she is considered second to Rome. Whence do we know this? From the following passage (Dan. 7, 5) And behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear. To which R. Joseph taught: 'Thereby the Persians are meant, the people who eat and drink like bears, are overgrown with hair and are fleshy like bears, and have no rest, like bears.' The Holy One, praised be He! will ask them: 'What was your occupation?' To which they will answer: 'Sovereign of the Universe! we have built and constructed many bridges, conquered many great cities, we were engaged in many wars, all for the sake of Israel to enable them to study the Torah.' Thereupon the Holy One, praised be He! will say to them: 'Ye foolish people, all that was done by you was done for your own sake. Bridges, for the collection of duties. Great cities, to establish forced labor. And as to wars, I have conducted them, as it is said (Ex. 15, 3) The Lord is a man of war. But are there among ye those who have studied this (the Torah)?' Immediately thereupon they also will leave in despair." But why did Persia enter after seeing that Rome was disappointed? They thought: "We have more chance than Rome, as the latter has destroyed the holy Temple, while we have rebuilt it."

With whose opinion does our Mishnah agree? Neither with that of R. Maier, nor with that of R. Juda, nor with that of R. Jose, nor with that of R. Nathan; for we are taught in a Baraitha that R. Maier says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, and on the Day of Atonement their sentence is fixed." R. Joshua says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, but each sentence is passed upon at its special time: on Passover in respect to grain; at Pentecost in respect to the fruit of the trees; at Tabernacles in respect to rain; and man is called to account on the New Year's Day, and his sentence is passed upon on the Day of Atonement." R. Jose says: "Judgment is every day passed upon men, as it is said (Job 7, 1) Thou rememberest him every morning." R. Nathan holds that men are judged at all times, as it is said (Ib.) Thou triest him every moment. [Hence our Mishnah agrees with no authority]. And if you should say that the Mishnah indeed agrees with the opinion of R. Juda, and our Mishnah refers to the passing of judgment, even so there would still remain difficulty about [the judgment of] men [for R. Juda says it is on the Day of Atonement, while our Mishnah says on New Year's Day]. Said Raba: "The Tana of our Mishnah is in accord with the academy of R. Ishmael; for it was taught in the academy of R. Ishmael: At four periods is the world judged: on Passover, in regard to grain; on Pentecost, in regard to the fruit of trees; on Tabernacles, in regard to rain; but man is judged on New Year's Day and the final sentence is passed upon him on the Day of Atonement. But our Mishnah speaks only about the opening of the trial. Said R. Chisda: "What is the reason of R. Jose's opinion?" Did not R. Jose give as reason the passage (Job 7, 18) Thou rememberest him every moment? We must therefore say that R. Chisda asked as follows: "Why does not R. Jose, in support of his opinion, quote the same passage as R. Nathan? Because trying is not judging, but merely investigating." If so, then remembering is also not judging, but merely investigating the case]. Therefore, said R. Chisda, the opinion of R. Jose is based on the following passage (I Kings 8, 59) That God may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel every day. Another thing said R. Chisda: "When a king and the people appear before justice, the king should be considered first; as it is written (Ib.) To maintain the cause of his servant (David, the king); and after this it says, and the cause of His people." Why so? If you wish, you may say because it would not be good ethics to have the king sit outside of the court during the trial of the people; and if you wish you may say, it [the king] should be tried before the court gets excited with anger. Said R. Joseph: "According to whom do we nowadays pray for the sick and for the faint [scholars]? It is according to the opinion of R. Jose [who maintains that man is judged every day]. And if you wish you can say it agrees even with the opinion of the Rabbis, as, for example, with that of R. Isaac who said that it is well that man should cry for help before as well as after, the divine decree."

(8) With whose opinion does our Mishnah agree? Neither with that of R. Maier, nor with that of R. Juda, nor with that of R. Jose, nor with that of R. Nathan; for we are taught in a Baraitha that R. Maier says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, and on the Day of Atonement their sentence is fixed." R. Joshua says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, but each sentence is passed upon at its special time: on Passover in respect to grain; at Pentecost in respect to the fruit of the trees; at Tabernacles in respect to rain; and man is called to account on the New Year's Day, and his sentence is passed upon on the Day of Atonement." R. Jose says: "Judgment is every day passed upon men, as it is said (Job 7, 1) Thou rememberest him every morning." R. Nathan holds that men are judged at all times, as it is said (Ib.) Thou triest him every moment. [Hence our Mishnah agrees with no authority]. And if you should say that the Mishnah indeed agrees with the opinion of R. Juda, and our Mishnah refers to the passing of judgment, even so there would still remain difficulty about [the judgment of] men [for R. Juda says it is on the Day of Atonement, while our Mishnah says on New Year's Day]. Said Raba: "The Tana of our Mishnah is in accord with the academy of R. Ishmael; for it was taught in the academy of R. Ishmael: At four periods is the world judged: on Passover, in regard to grain; on Pentecost, in regard to the fruit of trees; on Tabernacles, in regard to rain; but man is judged on New Year's Day and the final sentence is passed upon him on the Day of Atonement. But our Mishnah speaks only about the opening of the trial. Said R. Chisda: "What is the reason of R. Jose's opinion?" Did not R. Jose give as reason the passage (Job 7, 18) Thou rememberest him every moment? We must therefore say that R. Chisda asked as follows: "Why does not R. Jose, in support of his opinion, quote the same passage as R. Nathan? Because trying is not judging, but merely investigating." If so, then remembering is also not judging, but merely investigating the case]. Therefore, said R. Chisda, the opinion of R. Jose is based on the following passage (I Kings 8, 59) That God may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel every day. Another thing said R. Chisda: "When a king and the people appear before justice, the king should be considered first; as it is written (Ib.) To maintain the cause of his servant (David, the king); and after this it says, and the cause of His people." Why so? If you wish, you may say because it would not be good ethics to have the king sit outside of the court during the trial of the people; and if you wish you may say, it [the king] should be tried before the court gets excited with anger. Said R. Joseph: "According to whom do we nowadays pray for the sick and for the faint [scholars]? It is according to the opinion of R. Jose [who maintains that man is judged every day]. And if you wish you can say it agrees even with the opinion of the Rabbis, as, for example, with that of R. Isaac who said that it is well that man should cry for help before as well as after, the divine decree."