Midrasch zu Wajikra 16:1

(Lev. 16:1:) NOW THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AFTER THE DEATH OF < AARON'S TWO SONS >…. This text is related (to Eccl. 9:2): SINCE EVERYTHING < HAPPENS > TO EVERYONE, THE SAME LOT < FALLS > TO THE RIGHTEOUS AND TO THE WICKED…. Solomon looked and foresaw the righteous and the wicked in all generations, and he saw things that would happen to the righteous and happen to the wicked.¹Tanh., Lev. 6:1; cf. below, Deut. 2:1; Lev. R. 20:1; Eccl. R. 9:2:1; PRK 26:1. Then he said (in vs. 3): THIS IS AN EVIL IN ALL WHICH HAPPENS UNDER THE SUN, IN THAT THE SAME LOT < FALLS > TO EVERYONE. (Vs. 2:) SINCE EVERYTHING < HAPPENS > TO EVERYONE, THE SAME LOT < FALLS > TO THE RIGHTEOUS. This refers to Abraham, in that he was called righteous, as stated (in Gen. 18:19): FOR I HAVE CHOSEN HIM [SO] THAT HE MAY CHARGE < HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD >, [TO PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE]. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) < AND > TO THE WICKED. This refers to Nimrod, who incited all the whole world against the Holy One. The former is dead, and the latter is dead. (Ibid., cont.:) TO THE GOOD, TO THE CLEAN, [AND TO THE UNCLEAN. TO THE GOOD] refers to David, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 16:12): < WITH > BEAUTIFUL EYES AND GOOD APPEARANCE TO THE UNCLEAN refers to Nebuchadnezzar. The former laid the foundation of the Temple, and the latter destroyed it. The former reigned forty years, and the latter reigned forty years. (Eccl., 9:2, cont.:) TO THE ONE WHO SACRIFICES. This refers to Solomon, of whom it is stated (in I Kings 8:63): SOLOMON SACRIFICED TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND OXEN < AND A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND SHEEP > AS PEACE OFFERINGS, WHICH HE SACRIFICED TO THE LORD. (Eccl., 9:2, cont.:) AND TO THE ONE WHO DOES NOT SACRIFICE. This refers to Jeroboam, who stopped Israel from going up < to Jerusalem > on pilgrimage, as stated (in I Kings 12:28): ENOUGH OF YOUR GOING UP TO JERUSALEM…. The latter one reigned after the former one. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) AS IT IS WITH THE GOOD. This refers to Moses, of whom it is stated (in Exod. 2:2): AND WHEN SHE SAW THAT HE WAS GOOD. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) SO IT IS WITH THE SINNER. This refers to the spies (in Numb. 13–14)), of whom it is stated (in Prov. 13:21): EVIL PURSUES SINNERS. Moses did not enter the land, neither did those < spies > enter the land. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) AND THE ONE WHO TAKES AN OATH (without keeping it). This refers to Zedekiah, of whom it is stated (in II Chron 36:13): < AND > HE ALSO REBELLED AGAINST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, WHO HAD MADE HIM TAKE AN OATH [BY] GOD. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) < IS > {EVERYONE} [AS THE ONE] WHO FEARS AN OATH. This refers to Samson, of whom it is stated (in Jud. 15:12): THEN SAMSON SAID {UNTO} [TO] THEM: SWEAR TO ME…. They put out the eyes of the former, and they put out the eyes of the latter.

(Lev. 16:1:) “After the death of Aaron's two sons.” This text is related (to Eccl. 9:2), “Since everything [happens] to everyone, the same lot [falls] to the righteous and to the wicked […].” Solomon looked and foresaw the righteous and the wicked in all generations, and he saw things that would happen to the righteous and happen to the wicked.¹Cf. below, Deut. 2:1; Lev. R. 20:1; Eccl. R. 9:2:1; PRK 26:1. Then he said (in vs. 3), “This is an evil in all which happens under the sun, in that the same lot [falls] to everyone.” (Vs. 2:) “Since everything [happens] to everyone, the same lot [falls] to the righteous.” This refers to Abraham, in that he was called righteous, as stated (in Gen. 18:19), “For I have chosen him [so] that he may charge [his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord], to practice righteousness.” (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “And to the wicked.” This refers to Nimrod, who incited all the whole world against the Holy One, blessed be He. The former is dead, and the latter is dead. (Ibid., cont.:) “To the good, to the clean, and to the unclean.” “To the good” refers to David, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 16:12), “So they sent and brought him, reddish, with beautiful eyes and good appearance.” “To the unclean” refers to Nebuchadnezzar. David [laid the foundation of] the Temple, and Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. The former reigned forty years, and the latter reigned forty years. (Eccl., 9:2, cont.:) “To the one who sacrifices.” This refers to Solomon, of whom it is stated (in I Kings 8:63), “Solomon sacrificed [twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep] as peace offerings.” (Eccl., 9:2, cont.:) “And to the one who does not sacrifice.” This refers to Jeroboam, who stopped Israel from going up [to Jerusalem] on pilgrimage, as stated (in I Kings 12:28), “Enough of your going up to Jerusalem.” The latter one reigned after the former one. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “As it is with the good.” This refers to Moses, of whom it is stated (in Exod. 2:2), “and when she saw that he was good.” (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “So it is with the sinner.” This refers to the spies (in Numb. 13-14), of whom it is stated (in Prov. 13:21), “Evil pursues sinners.” Moses did not enter the land, neither did the spies enter the land. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “And the one who takes an oath (without keeping it). This refers to Zedekiah, of whom it is stated (in II Chron. 36:13), “And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath of God.” (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “Is as the one who fears an oath.” This refers to Samson, of whom it is stated (in Jud. 15:12), “then Samson said to them, ‘Swear to me […].’” They put out the eyes of the former, and they put out the eyes of the latter. Hence Solomon said (Eccl 9:3), “This is an evil in all which happens under the sun.” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 9:2), “as it is with the good”: This refers to the children of Aaron. (Eccl. 9:2, cont.:) “So it is with the sinner.” This refers to those who opposed Aaron, [namely] Korah and his congregation. Now they were destroyed by fire, as stated (in Numb. 16:35), “And a fire went forth from the Lord”; [also when] the children of Aaron entered to offer sacrifice, they were consumed by fire, [as stated (Lev. 10:2),] “So fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them.” R. Abba bar Kahana opened (with Eccl. 2:2), “’Of laughter I said, “It is mad,” and of rejoicing, “What does that do?”’ How confused is the laughter of the evil,²Eccl. R. 2:2:1; PRK 26(27):2. which they produce in their theater³Gk.: theatra. [houses] and racing arenas.⁴Lat.: circi; cf. Gk.: kirkoi (“circles”). ‘And of rejoicing, what does that do?’ What enjoyment would the disciples of the sages have there?”⁵I.e., what confused, popular enjoyment can compare to the delights of Torah study? Another interpretation (of Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad’”: R. Aha said, “Solomon has said, ‘There are things over which divine justice laughs (that I have confused).’ It is written (in Deut. 17:17), ‘he shall not multiply wives for himself’; but it is written (in I Kings 11:3), ‘So he had seven hundred royal wives.’⁶Cf. Tanh., (Buber) Exod. 2:2; Eccl. R. 2:2:3; PRK 26(27):2; ySanh. 2:6 (20c). It is written (in Deut. 17:16), ‘he shall not multiply horses for himself’; but it is written (in I Kings 5:6), ‘Now Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses.’ It is written (in Deut. 17:17, cont.) ‘he shall not multiply silver and gold for himself’; but it is written (in I Kings 10:27), ‘And the king made silver in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones,’ and [the ingots] were not stolen.” R. Jose bar Hanina said, “They were like stones of ten cubits and like stones of eight cubits.”⁷I.e., they were too heavy to be stolen. R. Simeon ben Johay said in a baraita, “Even the weights which they had in the days of Solomon were of gold, as it is written, (in I Kings 10:21), ‘silver was not [...] considered to be anything.’” (Eccl. 2:2:) “And of rejoicing, ‘What does that do?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “What is this crown doing in your hand? Get down off your throne.” Immediately an angel in the likeness of Solomon descended and sat upon his throne. Then Solomon went around among the synagogues and academies in Jerusalem and said (in Eccl. 1:12), “I, Koheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.” But they said to him, “King Solomon is sitting on his throne, and you are getting crazier and crazier.” Then they struck him with a rod and set a bowl of grits before him.⁸I.e., they fed him like a beggar. In that hour Solomon said (in Eccl. 2:10), “And this was my portion from all my labor.” And some say [he was referring] to the cane in his hand, and some say, to his dish, and some say to his staff. At that time, Solomon said, “’Vanity of vanities,’ said Koheleth.” (Eccl. 2:2:), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad!’” R. Pinhas said, “How confused was the laughter, when divine justice laughed over the generation of the flood, as stated (in Job 21:10-13), ‘Their bull breeds and does not fail […].⁹TSot. 3:6-7; Eccl. R. 2:2:1; PRK 26(27):2; cf. Gen. R. 36:1. They send forth their little ones like a flock […]. They sing to timbrel and harp […]. They spend [their days] in prosperity.’ When they said (in vs. 15), ‘What is the Almighty that we should serve him,’ the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (in Eccl. 2:2), ‘And of rejoicing, “What does that do?”’ By your life, I am destroying your memory from the world, as stated (in Gen. 7:23), “And He wiped out all living things.”’” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad’”: How confused was the laughter, when divine justice laughed over the people of Sodom,¹⁰See also TSot. 3:11. as stated (Job 28:5-8), “The earth, out of it comes forth bread…. Its stones are the place of sapphires…. No bird of prey knows a path [to it]…. Proud beasts have not trodden it.” When they said, “Let us forget the law of the traveler in our midst,” immediately (in Job 28:4), “A stream burst through from its source”; the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (Eccl. 2:2), “’And of rejoicing, “What does that do?”’ By your life, I will make you forgotten by the world.” This is what is written (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom….” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad’”: How confused was the laughter, when divine justice laughed over Elisheba bat Amminadab,¹¹Aaron’s wife and Naashon’s sister according to Exod. 6:23. when she saw four celebrations in one day.¹²Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 3:3; Lev. R. 20:2; Eccl. R. 2:2:2. She saw her [brother-in-law] (Moses) a king, her husband a high priest, her brother (Naashon) a prince (nasi),¹³Naashon is here being identified with Nahshon ben Amminadab, whom Numb. 2:3; 7:11f.; and I Chron. 2:10 call a prince (nasi). and her two sons deputy high priests. When they went in to offer sacrifice, they came out destroyed by fire; and her celebration turned into mourning, as stated (in Lev. 16:1), “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons.”

“Everything is as it is for everyone; there is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked, for the good, for the pure and for the impure, for one who sacrifices and for one who does not sacrifice; like the good, so is the sinner; one who takes an oath is like one who is apprehensive of an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2).
Rabbi Shimon bar Abba began: “Everything is as it is for everyone; there is one fate for the righteous” – this is Noah, as it is stated: “Noah was a righteous man, he was faultless” (Genesis 6:9). They said that when he emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and injured him, and he was limping. “And for the wicked” – this is Pharaoh. They said that when Pharaoh came to sit on Solomon’s throne, that he took as payment for his daughter’s marriage contract,¹Solomon had married the daughter of Pharaoh (I Kings 3:1). he did not know its mechanism, and a lion bit him and injured him, and he was limping. This one died with a limp, and that one died with a limp; that is: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.”
“For the good” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir said: “Good” – that he was circumcised. “And for the pure” – this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel. “And for the impure” – these are the scouts who spoke slander about the Land and did not enter the Land. These²Moses and Aaron spoke of the goodness and praise of the Land of Israel, and did not enter it.³Thus, “there is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.”
“For one who sacrifices” – this is Josiah, as it is written: “Josiah donated to the members of the people…[for the paschal offering]” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for one who does not sacrifice” – this is Ahab, who abolished offerings from upon the altar.⁴He prevented his subjects from taking offerings to sacrifice in Jerusalem. This one died with arrows, and that one died with arrows.
“Like the good” – this is David, in whose regard it is written: “And of good appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Of good appearance in halakha, as anyone who would see him would remember his learning. “So is the sinner” – this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24). This one built the Temple⁵David laid the foundations of the Temple (see Tanḥuma, Aḥarei 1; Etz Yosef). and ruled for forty years, that one destroyed it and ruled for forty years; that is: “One fate.”
“One who takes an oath” – this is Zedekiah, as it is written: “[He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar,] who had administered an oath to him [by God]” (II Chronicles 36:13). On what [object] did he administer the oath? Rabbi Yosei said: He administered the oath to him on the covenant.⁶The covenant of circumcision. Rabbi said: He administered the oath to him on the altar. “Is like one who is apprehensive of an oath” – this is Samson, as it is stated: “Take an oath to me” (Judges 15:12).⁷The men of Judah sought to bind Samson and deliver him to his enemies, the Philistines. Samson was not afraid of being handed to the Philistines, but sought an oath from the men of Judah that they themselves would not harm him. From the fact that he relied on their oath, it may be derived that Samson viewed taking an oath with the utmost seriousness (Yefei To’ar). This one died with his eyes gouged out, and that one died with his eyes gouged out.
Another matter, “for the righteous” – these are Aaron’s sons. “And for the wicked” – this is the congregation of Koraḥ. These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and the sons of Aaron, who did not enter in dispute, [also] emerged burned; that is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron…” (Leviticus 16:1).