Midrasch zu Zechariah 4:2

“I returned and saw all the oppressions that are performed under the sun; and behold the tears of the oppressed, and they have no one to comfort them; and their oppressors possess power, but they have no one to comfort them” (Ecclesiastes 4:1).
“I returned and saw” – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda says: These are the children who, due to the iniquities of their fathers, are taken during their lifetimes in this world. In the World to Come, they stand on the side of the group of the righteous, and their fathers stand on the side of the group of the wicked. They say before [God]: ‘Master of the universe, did we not die only due to the iniquities of our fathers? Let our fathers enter [the group of the righteous] on the basis of our merits.’ He says to them: ‘Your fathers sinned after you died, and their sins condemn them.’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi:¹The commentaries note that the words “ben Levi” appear to be out of place given that Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai was a tanna and preceded Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, a second-generation amora. It would make more sense for Rabbi Yehuda to be citing Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, a tanna who preceded Rabbi Yehuda. Whenever classical rabbinic literature cites Rabbi Yehoshua without identifying which one, it is assumed to be Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya. At that time Elijah the prophet, may he be remembered for good, will sit and teach them a defense, and say to them: ‘Say before Him: Master of the universe, which attribute is greater, the attribute of beneficence or the attribute of punishment? Say that the attribute of beneficence is greater and the attribute of punishment is lesser. We died due to the iniquities of our fathers. If the attribute of beneficence is greater, all the more so our fathers should come to us.’ [God] will say to them: ‘You have advocated well; they will come to you,’ as it is written: “They shall live with their children and return” (Zechariah 10:9), [teaching] that they return from descending to Gehenna and they are rescued due to the merit of their children. Therefore, every person is obligated to teach his son Torah, so that he will save him from Gehenna.
Rabbi Ḥanina interpreted the verse regarding those executed by the monarchy, who come to the life of the World to Come even though they do not confess.²Those wrongfully killed by ruthless governments enter the World to Come even if they are unable to confess their sins before death. Rabbi Binyamin interpreted the verse regarding those who engage in Torah disingenuously.³The reference is to those who use their falsely derived status to oppress others (Rabbi David Luria). The entire people think they are well versed in Bible, but they are not well versed in Bible; well versed in Mishna, but they are not well versed in Mishna. He is clad in his caftan with phylacteries on his head.⁴He strikes the pose of a righteous individual even though he is not righteous. “And behold the tears of the oppressed, and they have no one to comfort them” – the Holy One blessed be He said: It is incumbent upon Me to exact retribution from them, as it is stated: “Cursed is one who performs the labor of the Lord deceitfully” (Jeremiah 48:10).
The Rabbis interpreted the verse regarding the nations of the world. “And behold the tears of the oppressed, and they have no one to comfort them” – The Holy One blessed be He said: It is incumbent upon Me to contend with them, as it is written: “Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name; He will champion their cause” (Jeremiah 50:34).
Daniel the tailor interpreted the verse regarding mamzerim. These [the oppressed] are the mamzerim themselves, and who is it [who oppresses him]? It is the one who engaged in relations with a woman who is forbidden to him and begot him. What sin did this one [the mamzer] commit, and what is his connection to it? Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: Even the mamzer enters the World to Come, as it is written: “And behold the tears of the oppressed...” The Holy One blessed be He says: In this world they are unfit [to enter the community], but regarding the future, Zechariah said: I have seen it and they are pure gold, as it is stated: “And behold a candelabrum entirely of gold…and there are two olives upon it [with its bowl [gulah] at its top]” (Zechariah 4:2). Two amora’im [explain the latter phrase of the verse]; one says: Its exile [gola] and one says its Redeemer [go’ala]. The one who says gola, it is the exile in Babylon and the exile of the Divine Presence with them.⁵Thus, the phrase “its gulah at its top” means that God is with them in their exile. The one who says go’ala, it is redemption, as it is written: “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Isaiah 47:4), and it is written: “The one who breaks out will go up before them…[with the Lord at their head]” (Micah 2:13).

“All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7).
“All of you is fair, my love” – this is Jacob our patriarch, whose bed was unflawed and no waste was found among it.⁹²Unlike his father and grandfather, all his offspring were righteous.
What is, “all of you is fair, my love”? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel stood before Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment there were in their midst neither zav, nor leper, nor lame, nor blind, nor mute, nor deaf, nor imbecile, nor depressed, nor fool, nor doubter. Regarding that moment it is stated: “All of you is fair, my love.” When they sinned, there were not easy times, and there were in their midst zav, leper, lame, blind, mute, deaf, imbecile, and fool. At that moment it is stated: “They shall banish from the camp every leper and every zav” (Numbers 5:2).
Rabbi Ḥelbo said: It is written: “The one who presented his offering on the first day was [Naḥshon son of Aminadav of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was…]” (Numbers 7:12–13). “On the second day, presented Netanel [son of Tzuar].… his offering was…” (Numbers 7:18–19). Why did the Torah depict Judah as secondary?⁹³In relating Naḥshon’s offering the Torah uses a vav, meaning “and,” in the term vekorbano, “and his offering was,” indicating that there had been someone before him, although there had not been. Regarding Netanel the Torah does not use a vav even though there had been someone before him. It is so Judah would not become arrogant and say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Rather, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Elazar said: It is written: “This was the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed” (Numbers 7:84). But did each of them not offer one bowl, one ladle? Why does the verse state: “twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve golden ladles” (Numbers 7:84)? It was so that Judah would not say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Berekhya said: It is written: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve, [and this is that which their father spoke to them and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them]” (Genesis 49:28). After he blessed them did he bless them again? Rather, it teaches that Jacob our patriarch sat and likened them to beasts. He likened Judah to a lion, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9). Dan to a snake, as it is stated: “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17). Naphtali to a hind, as it is stated: “Naphtali is a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21). Benjamin to a wolf, as it is stated: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27). Then he called them all wolves, all of them snakes, all of them fiery serpents, all of them scorpions. Know that it is so, as Dan, whom he called a snake, he⁹⁴Moses then called a lion, as it is stated: “Dan is a lion cub” (Deuteronomy 33:22). Rabbi Idi said: We have found in the offerings of the princes that what this one offered that one offered. This one sacrificed a burnt offering, and that one sacrificed a burnt-offering; this one a meal offering and that one a meal offering; this one a sin offering and that one a sin offering; this one a peace offering and that one a peace offering. Why? It is because all of them are faultless and equal to one another.
What led the verse to delineate their genealogy in the book [of Exodus], Reuben, Simeon, and Levi?⁹⁵The verses delineate the genealogies of only these three tribes (see Exodus 6:14–25). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Levi: one said: It is because their father reprimanded them,⁹⁶When Jacob gave blessings to his sons before his death, he reprimanded Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (see Genesis 49:3–7). In order to emphasize that these tribes were not inferior, the verses list their genealogies as they introduce Moses and Aaron. and one said: It was because it delineated the genealogy of Moses and Aaron.⁹⁷Because the Torah sought to address the genealogy of Aaron and Moses from the tribe of Levi, it began with Reuben, the first of the tribes, and continued through Levi. We do not know who said this and who said that. However, from the fact that Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Huna: “An ear that heeds life’s reprimand will rest among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31), it is Rabbi Huna⁹⁸This is possibly an alternate pronunciation of the name of Rabbi Ḥanina. Alternatively, the text should either state Rabbi Ḥanina here or Rabbi Huna above. who said because their father reprimanded them. Because they accepted their father’s reprimand they were privileged to have their genealogy delineated alongside Moses and Aaron. That is why it is stated: “All of you is fair.”
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda said: It is because all the tribes did not preserve their genealogies in Egypt, but Reuben, Simeon, and Levi preserved their genealogy.⁹⁹They married only with families that could prove they were of pure lineage. Rabbi Neḥemya said: It is because all the tribes engaged in idol worship in Egypt, but the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi did not engage in idol worship. The Rabbis say: It is because the other tribes did not exercise authority in Egypt, but these tribes exercised authority. How so? When Reuben died,¹⁰⁰Joseph had been the authority figure among the brothers and their descendants in Egypt, but he died before his brothers. At that point, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, became the authority figure. authority was transferred to Simeon. When Simeon died, authority was transferred to Levi. When Levi died, authority was going to be transferred to Judah. A Divine voice emerged and said: Leave it until its time arrives. When did its time arrive? After the death of Joshua. That is what is written: “It was after the death of Joshua.… the Lord said: Judah shall ascend” (Judges 1:1–2). He was called three names: Judah, Otniel, and Yabetz. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: This¹⁰¹Yabetz is Boaz. Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This¹⁰²Yabetz is Otniel.
It is written: “Son of man, the House of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all…” (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah said: I saw them, and they were pure gold: “I saw, and behold, a candelabrum of gold in its entirety, with a bowl [gulah] atop it.… and there are two olive trees over it” (Zechariah 4:2–3). There were two amora’im; one said exile [gola], and one said their Redeemer [go’alah]. The one who said gola: As they were exiled to Babylon, and the Divine Presence was exiled with them. The one who said go’alah: It is their redemption, as it is written: “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name…” (Isaiah 47:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: Since that is the case:¹⁰³Since in the future they will all be comparable to pure gold, as envisioned by Zechariah. “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you.”

... Teach us, oh master – may one light a lamp for personal use from the Channukah lights? Our masters taught us – R’ Acha said in the name of Rav ‘it is forbidden to light a lamp to use from the Channukah lights, but one may light a Channukah light from a Channukah light.’ From where did they learn that it is permissible to light a Channukah light (from it)? R’ Yaakov ben Aba said, they learned it from the menorah that was in the Holy of Holies, as our rabbis taught that if one found they had gone out, they should be cleaned out and re-lit from those that are still lit. (Tamid 3) If we would relight an extinguished lamp of the menorah, which was placed in the innermost sanctum, from the lamps still burning all the more so it is permissible to light a Channukah light from the lights still burning.’ The Holy One said, just as in this world lamps were lit in the Holy of Holies, so too I will do when I rebuild Jerusalem. From where do we know this? From the words of the prophet “And it shall come to pass on that day, that I will search Jerusalem with candles…” (Tzephaniah 1:12)

And his offering: one silver bowl (Numbers 7:13). Behold it is written (Song of Songs 4:7) "You are all beautiful, my love, and there is no blemish in you" - this is speaking of Israel. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: at the time that Israel stood before Mount Sinai to accept the Torah, there were no blind people among them, nor deaf, nor mentally incapable, nor mutes, nor lame, nor limping. At that moment it says, "You are all beautiful, my love, there is no blemish in you." -- until they sinned with the calf, and among them were made zavim and metzoraim, as it says (Exodus 32:25) "And Moshe saw the people, that they were scattered [פרוע]", and it is also written (Leviticus 13:45) "As for the person with a leprous affection, their clothes shall be rent, their head shall be wild [פרוע],". At that moment, it says (Numbers 5:2) "Send out from the camp every tzarua and every zav". But before Mount Sinai, they were whole, as it says "You are all beautiful, my love, there is no blemish in you". Another opinion: "All of you is beautiful, my love" speaks of the tribes. And if you say, how can all of them be beautiful? For Ya'akov their father blessed the tribes, and chided Reuven, Shimon, and Levi. How can you say they "you are all beautiful"?! Rabbi Elazar says, even though he blessed the later tribes and chided the former tribes, even so he returned and blessed them, as it says (Genesis 49:28) "These are the tribes of Israel, twelve..." -- he made them nourished from each other. What is (Genesis 49:28) "And he blessed them, each according to his own blessing"? When he blessed them, he returned and blessed them again -- rather, it teaches that when Ya'akov our father blessed his children, he would compare them to animals. He compared Yehuda to a lion; "Yehuda is a lion's whelp..." (Genesis 49:9). He compared Dan to a snake; "Dan shall be a snake..." (Genesis 49:17). He compared Naftali to a hind; "Naftali is a hind let loose..." (Genesis 49:21). Binyamin to a wolf; "Binyamin is a ravenous wolf..." (Genesis 49:27). Even though this is so, he returned and called all of them lions, all snakes, all hinds, all wolves. You can know that this is so, since behold Dan was called a snake, and he returned and called him a lion; "Dan is a lion's whelp..." (Deuteronomy 33:22). So you learn that he returned and included Reuven, Shimon, and Levi in the blessing of their brothers, to uphold that which is written; "you are entirely beautiful, my love". And so the verse returns and counts Reuven, Shimon, and Levi individually in the book of Exodus, and does not count the others. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemya and the rabbis [offer alternaive explanations for this]. Rabbi Yehuda says, this is why Reuven, Shimon, and Levi were counted individually: since all the tribes did not guard their lineage in Egypt, and Reuven and Shimon and Levi guarded their lineages, thus their lineages are enumerated there. Rabbi Nechemya says, all the tribes worshipped star-worship in Egypt, and tre tribes of Reuven, Shimon, and Levi did not worship star-worship; thus they merited to be counted alone. And the rabbis say, all the tribes did not act with authoority/leadership [?] in Egypt, but Reuven, Shimon, and Levi acted with leadership in Egypt,. Reuven died and leadership was given to Shimon, Shimon died and it was given to Levi. Levi died and they wished to give it to Yehuda, and a Bat Kol went out and said, "Leave it, until its time comes!" When did it's time come? After the death of Yehoshua (Judges 1:1-2) "And it was after the death of Joshua that the Israelites inquired... and God said, Yehuda will go up". Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Chanin: one says "Therefore, it returned and related these three tribes, because their father had chided them." The other says, "because their lineage relates to Moshe and Aharon". And we do not know which of them said this and which of them said this, since it's from what Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Chanin in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzchak. "The ear that listens to the reproof of life abides among the wise" (Proverbs 15:31) -- this is Rabbi Chanin, who said, because he chided them. And because they accepted the reproof of their father, they merited to be ennumerated beside Moshe and Aharon. For this reason, it says "You are entirely beautiful, my love...". Another interpretation, "you are entirely beauutiful, my love..." according to Yirmiyahu, who said (Jeremiah 6:30) "They are called 'rejected silver'..." and Yechezkel called them dross; "O mortal, the House of Israel has become dross to Me" (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah came and said, "I saw, and behold, a menorah... entirely [כֻּלָּהּ] of gold.." (Zechariah 4:2), to fulfil that which is written, "all of you [כֻּלָּךְ] is beautiful, my love". Another interpreation; "you are entirely beautiful, ...": this is speaking of the princes of the tribes at the time that they brought forth for the dedication of the altar. They did not bring all together on one day, rather each and every one on individual days, as like that which is written "One prince each day" (Numbers 7:11). Could it be that the one who brought his offerings first was most beloved?! Yehuda who brought his offerings first was most beloved of all? So Rabbi Chelbo said; with all the tribes it is written "his offering", and with the prince of Yehuda it is written "and his offering" - and this is strange! He who offered first it is written of him, "and his offering" - it did not need to sppeak thus, rather of the first "his offering" and the rest "and his offering". And why is this so? Rabbi Brechya haCohen son of Rabbi said, since Yehuda ofered first, if he had come to pride himself over his brothers and say "I am more honoured than you, since I offered first", they would respond to him and say, "you are he who offered last, for thus it says 'and his offering'!" This made him lesser [and brought him down] to his brothers, and so: "all of you is beautiful".

Another interpretation of, "And you shall take for yourselves" (Leviticus 23:40): This is [the understanding of] that which is written (Psalms 16:11), "You will inform me the path of life, complete joy." David said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "Teach me through which gate it is straight to life in the world to come." Rabbi Yudan said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David, 'If you need life, you need afflictions, as it is written, "And the path of life is the rebuke that disciplines."'" "Complete joy (literally, satiation of joys)" - He has satiated us with five joys: Scripture, Mishna, Mishnah, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggadot. Another interpretation of "complete (sova) joy" (Psalms 16:11) - these are the seven (sheva) groups of the righteous that will greet the face of the Divine Presence in the future. And their faces are similar to the sun, the moon, the firmament, the stars, lightning, lilies and the pure menorah that was in the Temple. From where [do we know] the sun? Since it is stated (Song of Songs 6:10), "radiant as the sun." From where [do we know] the moon? Since it is stated (Song of Songs 6:10), "beautiful as the moon." From where [do we know] the firmament? Since it is stated (Daniel 12:3), "And the knowledgeable will be radiant like the bright firmament." From where [do we know] the stars? Since it is stated (Daniel 12:3), "and those who lead the many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever." From where [do we know] lightning? Since it is stated (Nahum 2:5), "they appear like torches, they race like lightning." From where [do we know] lilies? Since it is stated (Psalms 45:11), "For the choirmaster; upon lilies." From where [do we know] the pure menorah? Since it is stated (Zechariah 4:2), "He said to me, 'What do you see?' And I said, 'I see a menorah all of gold.'" "Pleasant things are ever in Your right hand" (Psalms 16:11). And who will inform us which group are the most beloved and pleasant among them? Two Amoraiam (scholars of the Talmudic period) [differed about this]. One said, "That is [the one] that comes with the power of Torah and the power of [the] commandments." And the other said, "Those are the scribes and the teachers of Mishnah who teach infants truthfully and will stand in the future in the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He." This is [the understanding of] that which is written, 'Pleasant things are ever in Your right hand.'" Another interpretation of "Complete (sova) joy" (Psalms 16:11) - these are the seven (sheva) commandments of the festival, and these are them: The four species that are in the lulav, the sukkah (hut), the festival offering and the offering of joy. If there is an offering of joy, why is there a festival offering; and if there is a festival offering, why is there an offering of joy? Rabbi Avin said, "[There is a relevant] parable about two that went into a judge and we do not know who was victorious. Rather we know that the one that [comes out] carrying a palm branch is the winner. So [too] Israel and the nations of the world come and prosecute [each other] before the Holy One, blessed be He, on Rosh Hashanah and we do not know who won. Rather when we see that Israel is coming out from in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, with their lulavs and citrons in their hands, we know that Israel are the winners (and that creates a need to offer an offering of joy, as well as the holiday offering). Hence, Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Leviticus 23:40), 'And you shall take for yourselves.'"

Another teaching about "A son of an Israelite woman went out" - Regarding that which is written "I returned and saw all of the oppression" (Kohelet 4:1), Daniel the Tailor interpreted the verse as referring to Mamzerim. "The tears of the oppressed", the fathers of these sinned, and these [the children] are shamed, how does it concern them? So too, this one's father committed incest, what is the child's sin, and how does it concern him? "And they have no comforter", rather "their oppressors are empowered", this refers to Israel's Great Sanhedrin, who comes at them with the power of Torah, and pushes them away in the name of "a mamzer will not enter the community of the Lord." (Devarim 23:3). "They have no comforter" - says the Holy Blessed One: it is upon me to comfort them; in this world they are cast aside, but in the future, as Zecharia said, "I see a people all of gold", as it is written (Zechariah 4:2) “I see a menorah all of gold, with a bowl [gulah] above it". Two speak; one says "an exile [gulah]" and one says "a redeemer [goalah]". According to the one who says exile, that they were exiled to Babylon and the Shechina was exiled with them, as it says (Isaiah 43:14) "For your sake I send to Babylon". And according to the one who says a redeemer [goalah], a redeemer [paroka], as it says (Isaiah 47:4 "Our redeemer, the LORD of Hosts is Their Name", and it is written (Micah 2:14) "One who makes a breach goes before them; they enlarge it to a gate... [and leave by it]. Their king marches before them, God at their heads".