Midrash sobre Job 36:24

(Fol. 58a) Our Rabbis taught: "He who sees Jewish troops or bands shall say the fol-following grace: 'Praised be He who understandeth their secrets (the minds of men);' for their knowledge is not equal to one another's, just as their features are not like one another's.'" Ben Zoma saw troops on the elevation of the Temple mound. He said: "Blessed is He who understandeth their secrets, and blessed is He who created them all to serve me." He (b. Zoma) said: "Behold, how much labor did Adam, the first man, have until he got bread to eat; plowed, sowed, reaped, heaped together in sheaves, threshed winnowed, cleansed, ground, sieved, kneaded and baked; only after all these was he able to eat; but I rise in the morning and find all this done and prepared for me. And how much labor did Adam, the first man, have before he found a garment with which to clothe himself; he sheared the sheep, whitened the wool, dispersed it, spinned it, weaved, dyed, and sewed; only after [doing] all these did he find garments to clothe himself; but I rise in the morning and find everything done for me. All nations are anxious to come to the door of my house, and I rise and find everything [prepared] for me." Ben Zoma was accustomed also to say: "What says a good guest? 'The master of the house troubled himself so much for me; he brought so much wine for me; he brought so much meat for me, and he brought so many rolls for me; and all this trouble was on my account only.' But what says a bad guest? 'What trouble was the master of the house put to. How little wine he brought, how little meat he brought, how little rolls he brought, and all this trouble was for the sake of his own wife and children only [not for me] .' Concerning the good guest, the passage says (Job 36, 24.) Reflect that thou shouldst magnify his work, but regarding the bad guest it says (Ib. 37, 24.) Therefore do men fear him." And the man mas old in the days of Saul (I Sam. 17, 12.) Raba, and according to some R. Zebid, and according to others, R. Oshiya, said: "This is Jesse, David's father, who used to go out with troops and enter with troops, and lectured before a crowd." Ulla said: "We have a tradition that Babylon has no troops." In a Baraitha we are taught: They are not called "troops" if loss than sixty myriads. Our Rabbis taught: "He who sees Kings of Israel shall say, 'Blessed be He who shared his honor with those who fear Him'; and if he see kings of other nations he shall say, 'Blessed be He who shared His honor with [one who is] flesh and blood.' Seeing wise men of Israel, he shall say, 'Blessed be He who shared his wisdom with those who fear Him'; and if he see the wise men of other nations he shall say, 'Blessed be He who gave from his wisdom to [one who is] flesh and blood.'" R. Jochanan said: "A man should always try his utmost to go out to meet the Kings of Israel, and not only to meet the Kings of Israel [did the Rabbis urge], but also to meet kings of other nations, because if he will have merit [to see the King Messiah] he will then note the distinction between the Kings of Israel and the kings of other nations." R. Shesheth was blind, yet, when the whole community once went out to meet the king, he went out with them and was met by a certain heretic who laughed at him saying: "All the earthen pitchers are indeed going to the stream [to draw water]; whither do the broken vessels go?" "Come!" R. Shesheth said unto him, "I will show thee that I know more than you do." When the first company of troops passed by making a great noise, the heretic asked, "Has the king passed?" "No." replied R. Shesheth. When a second group of troops passed, the heretic again asked whether the king had passed. Again R. Shesheth answered "No." A third company passed in a very quiet manner. The heretic asked: "Is the king coming now?" Whereupon R. Shesheth answered: "Yes." The heretic asked him how he knew this. R. Shesheth replied: "The kingdom on the earth is like the kingdom in Heaven, for it is written (I Kings 19, 12.) After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; after the fire there, was heard the sound of a soft whisper." When the king approached. R. Shesheth began to say, "Praised be He, etc.; whereupon the heretic interrupted him saying: "Since you do not see, how can you bless?" What happened to that heretic? Some say his associates pierced his eyes; according to others, R. Shesheth himself looked at him and he thereupon became a heap of bones.