Midrash sobre Hageo 1:6

(Lev. 19:23:) NOW WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND AND PLANT ANY TREE FOR FOOD. This text is related (to Zech. 8:11–12): BUT NOW < I WILL NOT TREAT THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE > AS IN THE FORMER DAYS…; FOR AS THE SEED OF PEACE, THE VINE SHALL YIELD ITS FRUIT, THE EARTH SHALL YIELD ITS HARVEST…. What is the meaning of NOT… AS IN THE FORMER DAYS? When Israel went forth from Egypt and was walking in the desert, he brought down manna for them, brought over quails for them, and raised up the well for them.²⁶The well in question is the well of Numb. 21:16–20, which according to traditional interpretations was movable and followed the children of Israel during the forty-year wanderings. See below, Numb. 1:2; 6:35, 47–50; Tanh., Numb. 1:2; Numb. R. 1:2; 9:14; 13:20; 19:26; Seder ‘Olam Rabbah 5, 9–10; TSuk. 3:11–13; Pseudo-Philo 10:7; 11:15; also TSot. 11:1; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 6; Sifre Deut. 32:14(305); Shab. 35a; Ta‘an. 9a; Eccl. R. 1:2; M. Prov. 14; the various targums to Numb. 21:16–20; and I Corinthians 10:4. Then each and every tribe made itself a conduit for water, which [drew < the water > from the well and] brought it in to them. Moreover, [each and every one] planted fig trees, vines, and pomegranates, which yielded fruit on the same day, just as it was from the beginning at the creation of the world (according to Gen. 1:11): FRUIT TREE BEARING FRUIT ACCORDING TO ITS KIND. If the children of Adam had been worthy, it would have remained so until now. A person would plant a tree, and it would bear fruit immediately. When Adam sinned, the ground was cursed (according to Gen. 3:17): CURSED IS THE LAND BECAUSE OF YOU. From now on (ibid., cont.:) IN TOIL YOU SHALL YOU EAT OF IT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. He sowed wheat and it sprouted thistles, as stated (in vs. 18): THORNS AND THISTLES SHALL IT SPROUT FOR YOU. When they went forth from Egypt, [the Holy One] raised up the well for them. Then they made plantings beside its water, and the trees bore fruit on the same day. When the well disappeared, [all the bounty disappeared.] What is written there (in Numb. 20:5)? A PLACE WITH NO SEEDS, FIGS, VINES, OR POMEGRANATES. The Holy One said to Moses: Say to these Israelites: When you enter the land of Israel, I am restoring all the bounty to you, as stated (in Deut. 8:7–9): FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS BRINGING YOU UNTO A GOOD LAND, < A LAND WITH STREAMS OF WATER >…; A LAND OF WHEAT AND BARLEY, OF VINES, FIGS, AND POMEGRANATES…; A LAND < IN > WHICH < YOU SHALL EAT BREAD > WITHOUT STINT. When they came into the land of Israel they began sinning (rt.: HT'), as stated (in Jer. 2:7): BUT YOU CAME AND DEFILED (rt.: HT') MY LAND. So it did not bear fruits as was appropriate. They planted much and brought in little, as stated (in Hag. 1:6): YOU HAVE SOWN MUCH AND BROUGHT IN LITTLE.²⁷Above, Exod. 8:10. Why? Because they ceased < offering > the firstfruits. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE EATEN WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, after {the first fruits} [the shewbread] ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE DRUNK WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, after the libation of wine ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE PUT ON CLOTHES, WITHOUT BEING WARM, after the vestments of priesthood were abolished. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WAGE EARNER HAS EARNED WAGES FOR A BAG WITH HOLES, after almsgiving ceased. (Zech. 8:10:) A PERSON HAD NO EARNINGS, after pilgrims (going up to Jerusalem) ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE CATTLE EARNED NOTHING, after the offerings ceased. But in the age to come, the Holy One will not act so. Thus it is stated (in Zech. 8:11–12): BUT NOW I WILL NOT TREAT THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE AS IN THE FORMER DAYS, SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS; FOR AS THE SEED OF PEACE, THE VINE SHALL YIELD ITS FRUIT, THE EARTH SHALL YIELD ITS HARVEST, THE HEAVENS SHALL YIELD THEIR DEW, AND I WILL BEQUEATH ALL THESE THINGS TO THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE….

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM…: TAKE A YOUNG BULL OF THE HERD, <acquired> through purchase and not from plunder.⁴⁵Cf. PRK 27:6, which applies the same caution to procuring a lulav. (Ibid., cont.:) AND TWO RAMS <WITHOUT BLEMISH>, a ram on either side and the bull in the middle. Why three < animals >? To correspond to the three glories of the world (i.e., the patriarchs). The bull corresponds to Abraham (in Gen. 18:7): THEN ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD. (Exod. 29:1): AND TWO RAMS [WITHOUT BLEMISH]. <These> [correspond to] Isaac and Jacob. (Ibid., cont.:) ALSO UNLEAVENED BREAD. By their merit I will bless their bread. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: When the offerings used to be brought, an Arbelian se'ah <of wheat> produced a se'ah of fine flour, a se'ah of regular flour, a se'ah of coarser meal,⁴⁶Lat.: cibarium. a se'ah of coarse bran, <and> a se'ah of variegated flour; but now one brings a se'ah of wheat to grind and only takes away as much as he brought plus a little extra.⁴⁷yPe’ah 7:4 (20a); ySot. 1:8 (17b); 9:14 (24b). Why? Because the shewbread has ceased. See how the offerings which were offered upon the altar were beneficial for them! For whatever was offered from a species blessed that species. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: Even the establishment of an altar was done only for the atonement of Israel. Why was it named an altar (MZBH)? M, because it pardons (mohel) the sins of Israel; Z, because it is a good memorial (zikkaron) for Israel; B, because it is a blessing (berekhah) for Israel; <and> H, because it is life (hayyim) for Israel. The unleavened bread and the shewbread blessed the bread, and the first fruits blessed the fruit of the tree. <There is> a story about R. Johanan ben Eleazar, who dwelt under a fig tree; and the fig tree was full of beautiful figs. A dew came down and the figs absorbed honey. The wind kneaded them with the dust. A certain goat came and dripped milk in the honey. Then he called his students and said to them: Come and see an example⁴⁸Gk.: deigma. resembling the world to come. And why all this? Because the offerings were brought <to the altar>. <There is> a story about a certain scribe, who went up to Jerusalem each and every year. Now the people of Jerusalem knew him to be mighty in the Torah. They said to him: Take fifty gold coins each and every year and dwell with us. He said to them: I have one vine which is for me the most beautiful of them all, and it bears me three crops⁴⁹Gk: diphoros (“bearing fruit twice in the year”). in each year. So it bears six hundred barrels in each year. The first bears three hundred; the second, two hundred; and the third, one hundred. So I sell them at a very dear price, but all this gain is <attributable> to Jerusalem, on account of the libation of wine which they offer. When they abrogated it, all these good things were withheld. So you find that, when Israel was exiled to Babylon, Ezra said to them: Go up to the land of Israel. But they were unwilling. The Holy One said: When you offered the shewbread, you sowed little and brought in much. Now, however, (as in Hag. 1:6) YOU HAVE SOWN MUCH AND BROUGHT IN LITTLE; YOU EAT WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH.⁵⁰Below, Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 7:7. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU DRINK WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, ever since the libation of wine has ceased,⁵¹So Tanh., Exod.8:13. The Buber text writes the verb with an added Y and would be translated: “Ever since he has abrogated libation of wine.” (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE PUT ON CLOTHES, WITHOUT BEING WARM, ever since they abrogated the vestments of priesthood. The prophet has said (in Hab. 3:17): FOR THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM, ever since they abrogated the first fruits. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NO YIELD ON THE VINES, ever since they abrogated the drink offerings. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WORK OF THE OLIVE HAS FAILED, ever since they abrogated the oil of olives for the light. (Ibid., cont.:) AND FIELDS OF GRAIN PRODUCE NO FOOD. What is the meaning of AND FIELDS OF GRAIN (WShDMWT)? AND FIELDS OF CATTLE (WShDY BHMWT). <Therefore, THE FIELDS PRODUCE NO CATTLE >, ever since they abrogated the < commandments pertaining to> firstlings. (Ibid., cont.:) THE FLOCK HAS BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE FOLD, ever since they have abrogated the daily sacrifices. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NO HERD IN THE STALLS, ever since they abrogated the bulls <which they offered>.⁵²The bracketed words are from Tanh., Exod. 8:13. R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said (in Sot. 9:12): SINCE THE DAY THAT THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED THERE HAS BEEN NO DAY IN WHICH THERE WAS NO CURSE. It is so stated (in Ps. 7:12 [11]): AND GOD IS ANGRY EVERY DAY. In the world to come, however, the Holy One will restore the blessings which <the land> had acquired, as stated (in Ezek. 36:8): BUT YOU, O MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, SHALL BRING FORTH YOUR BRANCHES AND RAISE UP YOUR FRUIT FOR MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, BECAUSE THEY ARE SOON TO COME.

You find that after the Israelites were exiled to Babylonia, Ezra urged them to go up to the land of Israel. But the were unwilling to do so. Ezra then called out to them: Ye have sown much, and brought in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink, ye clothe you, but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes (Hag. 1:6). You have sown much and brought in little occurred when the commandment of the show-bread was abrogated. Ye eat, but ye have not enough indicates that the libation of water had ceased. Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink alludes to the fact that the wine libation had ceased. Ye cloth you, but there is none warm applies to the time when the wearing of priestly garments was suspended. And he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes alludes to when the community sacrifices were eliminated. All this transpired because sacrifices were abandoned (after the destrction of the Temple).