Midrash sobre Salmos 89:33

“It is better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:4).
“It is better that you do not vow” – Rabbi Meir said: Better than both is one who does not vow at all, but rather brings his sheep to the Temple Courtyard, consecrates it, and slaughters it, as it is stated: “If you refrain from vowing, [there will be no sin in you]” (Deuteronomy 23:23).
Rabbi Huna said: There was an incident involving one who vowed and did not pay. He set sail in the Mediterranean Sea, and his ship sank in the sea and he died. Rabbi Shmuel said: Anyone who vows and does not pay causes for himself that his wife will die, as it is written: “I, when I came from Padan, Rachel died on me…” (Genesis 48:7).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: Anyone who vows and does not pay causes [himself] to come to four transgressions: Idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, bloodshed, and slander, and all of them are derived from Jacob.¹⁰While fleeing Esau, Jacob took a vow that he was to fulfill upon his return to Canaan (see Genesis 28:20–22), but he did not fulfill it immediately upon his return. Idol worship, as it is written: “Remove the foreign gods” (Genesis 35:2). Forbidden sexual relations, as it is written: “That he had defiled Dina his daughter” (Genesis 34:5). Bloodshed, as it is written: “Jacob’s two sons, […each] took [his sword…and killed all the males]” (Genesis 34:25). And slander, as it is written: “He heard the words of Laban’s sons [saying: Jacob has taken everything that was our father’s]” (Genesis 31:1).
Rabbi Mana said: Anyone who vows and does not pay causes death to come upon him, as it is stated: “For the Lord your God will demand it of you [and it will be a sin for you]” (Deuteronomy 23:22), and Rabbi Ami said: There is no death without sin, and there is no suffering without iniquity. There is no death without sin, as it is stated: “The soul that sins, it will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). And there is no suffering without iniquity, as it is stated: “I will punish their transgressions with a rod and their iniquity with plagues” (Psalms 89:33).

R. Ami said: "Death does not come except through sin, and afflictions do not come except through iniquity; death does not come unless through sin, as it is written (Ez. 18, 20.) The soul that sinneth, she alone shall die; afflictions do not come except through iniquity, as it is written (Ps. 89, 33.) Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquities with plagues. (Ib. b.) The following objection was raised: "The ministering angels said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe, why hast Thou decreed death unto Adam, the first man?' 'Because,' said the Lord unto them, 'I gave him one light commandment and he transgressed it.' They then said to Him, 'Did not Moses and Aaron die although they fulfilled the entire Torah?' Whereupon the Lord answered, 'There is but one chance for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, etc. (Ecc. 9, 2). [This is contrary to R. Ami's opinion.] R. Ami said like the Tana of the following Baraitha; for we are taught that R. Simon b. Elazar said: "Moses and Aaron also died on account of their sins, as it is said (Num. 20, 12.) Because ye had no confidence in me, etc. But if they had had confidence, then their time to depart from the world would not have come." Another objection was raised from the following: [It is taught in a Baraitha.] "Four died in consequence of the instigation of the serpent, viz., Benjamin, the son of Jacob; Amram, the father of Moses; Jesse, the father of David, and Chilab, the son of David. We know of all by tradition except that of Jesse, the father of David, which the Scripture explains, for it is written (II Sam. 17, 25.) And Abshalom placed Amassa instead of Jo'ab as captain over the army; and Amassa was the son of a man, whose name was Yithra, the Israelite, who had gone into Abigail, the daughter of Nachash, the sister of Zeruyah, Jo'ab's mother. Was Abigal then the daughter of Nachash? Behold" she was the daughter of Jesse, as is written (I. Chr. 2, 16. And their (Jesse's sons) sisters were Zeruyah and Abigail. We must therefore say that it means 'the daughter of him who died [for the sin committed] through the instigation of the serpent." Now, according to whose opinion has this been taught? Shall we say it is in accordance with the sages of the ministering angels [mentioned above]? Behold, [according to that one], Moses and Aaron also died in consequence of the instigation of the serpent [why then but Jesse]? We must assume then that it agrees with the opinion of R. Simon b. Elazar, who, though he says that Moses and Aaron died on account of their sins, nevertheless contends that death is possible without sin. We therefore derive the fact that there is death without sin and affliction without iniquities. Hence the theory of R. Ami is refuted. This refutation is sustained.

You shall not take": What is the intent of this? (Leviticus 19:12) "You shall not swear falsely in My name" speaks only of swearing. Whence is it derived that it is also forbidden to take it upon oneself to swear? From "You shall not take the name of the L rd your G d in vain." So long as you do not take it upon yourself to swear I am your G d, (tempering justice with mercy.) Once you take it upon yourself to swear, I am your "Judge" (connoting absolute justice). For it is written (Exodus 34:7) "and cleanse He will not cleanse." It cannot be said that he will not be cleansed (at all), for it is written "and cleanse," and it cannot be said that he will be (entirely) cleansed for it is written "He will not cleanse." The meaning must perforce be that He cleanses those who repent, and He does not cleanse those who do not repent. I might think that here, too, (in the instance of a vain oath) the same obtains. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 20:7) "for the L rd will not cleanse, etc." Because of (the following) four things R. Mattia b. Charash went to R. Elazar b. Hakappar in Ludia. He said to him: My master, did you hear of the four divisions of atonement expounded by R. Yishmael? He answered: One verse states (Jeremiah 3:14) "Repent, you wayward sons" — which indicates that penitence atones. Another verse states (Leviticus 16:30) "On this day, atonement will be made for you" — which indicates that Yom Kippur atones. One verse states (Psalms 89:33) "I will punish their offense with the rod, and their transgression with plagues" — which indicates that afflictions atone. And another verse states (Isaiah 22:14) "This transgression will not be forgiven you until you die" — which indicates that death atones. How are these four verses to be reconciled? If one transgresses a positive commandment and repents, he "does not move from there" until he is forgiven. And of this it is written "Repent, you wayward sons." If one transgresses a negative commandment and repents, there is no power in penitence to atone; but penitence suspends (punishment) and Yom Kippur atones. And of this it is written "On this day atonement will be made for you." If one willfully transgresses (sins punishable by) krithuth (cutting-off) and judicial death penalty and repents, there is no power in penitence to suspend, but penitence and Yom Kippur atone for one half, and afflictions purge and atone for the other half. And of this it is written "I will punish their offense with the rod, and their transgression with plagues." If one desecrates the name of heaven and repents, there is no power in penitence to suspend or on Yom Kippur to atone, or in afflictions alone to purge. But penitence, Yom Kippur, and afflictions suspend, and the day of death purges. And of this it is written ("This transgression will not be forgiven you) until you die." And (I Samuel 3:14) "The transgression of the house of Eli will not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering." It is not atoned for by sacrifice or offering, but it is atoned for by death. Rebbi says: I used to think that they day of death does not atone, but (Ezekiel 37:13) "when I open your graves (and take you out of your graves, etc.") indicates that the day of death does atone. Rebbi says: For everything from "You shall not take the name" and down, penitence does atone. From "You shall not take the name" and up, including "You shall not take the name," penitence suspends and Yom Kippur atones. And which is from "You shall not take the name" and down? A positive commandment and a negative commandment, aside from "You shall not take the name." (Which is) from "You shall not take the name" and up? Transgressions punishable by judicial death penalty, death at the hands of Heaven, kareth, forty lashes, sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, and "You shall not take the name" among them.

(Fol. 86) R. Mathia b. Cheresh asked R. Elazar b. Azariah of Rome: "Have you heard of the four kinds of atonement, about which R. Ishmael expounded?" "There are only three," replied he, "for penitence, the fourth one, is combined with each of them. When one has transgressed a positive commandment, and repents before he leaves the place [of transgression] he is forgiven, as it is said (Jer. 3, 22) Return O backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings. If he has transgressed a prohibitive commandment, and offers repentance, his repentance causes the suspension of sentence, and penitence on the Day of Atonement forgives, as it is said (Lev. 16, 30) For on that day shall He make atonement for you, to cleanse you from, all your sins. If he has committed sins for which the penalties are Karoth, or death by Beth Din, then Penitence together with the Day of Atonement suspends [the sentence in Heaven] and afflictions finish the atonement, as it is said (Ps. 89, 33)Then will I visit with the rod their transgressions, and with plagues their iniquity. But he who has on his conscience the defamation of the name of the Lord, penitence cannot suspend, nor can the Day of Atonement atone for, nor will affliction end, his punishment; but all three together only suspend sentence, and death completes the atonement; as it is said (Is. 22, 14) And it was revealed in my ears by the Lord of hosts: Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven unto you, until ye die."

“I know that everything that God does, it will be forever, one cannot add to it, nor can one subtract from it; God did so, so they would fear before Him” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
“I know that everything that God does, it will be forever…” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It would have been fitting for Adam, the first man, to have lived and endured forever.⁵⁴As the verse states that “everything God does, it will be forever,” and God created Adam. Why was death imposed upon him? “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Rabbi Elazar said: From the beginning of the creation of the world it is stated: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). To what purpose? “And let the dry land appear” (Genesis 1:9). Why, then, is it written: “He calls upon the waters of the sea and pours them on the face of the earth; the Lord is His name” (Amos 9:6)? [He did so] twice, once in the generation of the flood and once in the generation of the dispersion, because “God did so, so they would fear before Him.”
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “This entire matter that I command you, you shall take care to perform, do not add to it and do not subtract from it” (Deuteronomy 13:1). But the righteous add to it and do not subtract from it. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: From here [it may be derived] that an altar outside the Temple can be permitted only by a prophet, and Elijah stood and sacrificed at the peak of the Carmel.⁵⁵Once the Temple was constructed it became prohibited to offer a sacrifice in any other place. However, Elijah the prophet did so on Mount Carmel in a confrontation with idolatrous priests, in order to demonstrate to the people the truth of God and the falsehood of idolatry. See I Kings chapter 18. Rabbi Samlai of Broyera said: [Elijah] said to Him: “It was by Your word that I performed all these matters” (I Kings 18:36).
Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “Your house and your kingdom will remain steadfast” (II Samuel 7:16). When? “If your descendants observe My covenant…” (Psalms 132:12). If not, “I will exact retribution for their transgression with a rod” (Psalms 89:33). Rabbi Yudan said: Great is fear [of God], as the heavens and the earth were created only due to fear; that is what is written: “God did so, so they would fear before Him.” Rabbi Yirmeya said: Great is fear, as Solomon concluded two books that he wrote with nothing other than fear. That is what is written in the book of Proverbs: “Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). In this book, it is written: “The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God [and keep His commandments, for this is all of man]” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was ascending from Ḥamat Gader, and Rabbi Yonatan encountered him. [R’ Yonatan] said to him: ‘How does my master interpret these verses?’ [Reish Lakish] transmitted the matter to him and this is how these verses are read.⁵⁶The reference is to the verses the midrash will now quote. The common theme is that the natural world is meant to maintain its basic structure, as indicated by the verse: “I know that everything that God does, it will be forever.” The Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavenly shall be the heavenly and the earthly shall be the earthly. Moses rose and transformed the heavenly into the earthly and the earthly into the heavenly. That is what is written: “Moses ascended to God” (Exodus 19:3); “The Lord descended on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 19:20).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the earthly shall eat and drink and that the heavenly shall not eat and shall not drink. Abraham rose and made the heavenly eat and drink; that is what is written: “He stood over them under the tree and they ate” (Genesis 18:8).⁵⁷The midrash assumes that Abraham’s guests, whom he had given to eat, were angels. Were they eating? Rabbi Natan said: They appeared to be eating; each bit would disappear in turn. Moses rose and made the earthly not eat and drink; that is what is written: “He was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, he did not eat bread and he did not drink water” (Exodus 34:28).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that sea shall be sea and that dry land shall be dry land. Moses rose and transformed sea into dry land. That is what is written: “The children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry land” (Exodus 14:16). Elisha, the disciple of his disciple, transformed dry land into sea. That is what is written: “Make this valley full of trenches…[that valley will be filled with water]” (II Kings 3:16–17).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the heavens shall laud him, as it is stated: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Moses rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Listen heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32:1). Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that the sun and the moon shall laud him, as it is stated: “From the rising of the sun until its setting, the name of God is praised [mehulal]” (Psalms 113:3); it is written mehalel [praises].⁵⁸The word praised [mehulal] is written without a vav, such that it can be vocalized mehalel [praises]. Thus, instead of the verse stating “the name God is praised,” the verse can be read “the name of God it praises.” Joshua, [Moses’s] disciple, rose and silenced them, as it is stated: “Sun, stand still in Givon; and Moon, in the valley of Ayalon” (Joshua 10:12).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that summer shall be summer and that winter shall be winter. Samuel rose and transformed summer into winter, as it is stated: “Is it not wheat harvest today? [I will call to the Lord and He will send thunder and rain]” (I Samuel 12:17).⁵⁹In the land of Israel, it generally rains only during the winter. The wheat harvest occurs in late spring. Elijah rose and transformed winter into summer, as it is stated: “There shall not be dew or rain these years, except by my word” (I Kings 17:1).
Likewise, the Holy One blessed be He decreed that day shall be day and night shall be night. Jacob, our patriarch, rose and transformed day into night, as it is stated: “He encountered the place, and stayed the night there, because the sun had set [ki va]” (Genesis 28:11); in fact, He extinguished [kava] the sun.⁶⁰God made the sun set early so that Jacob would spend the night in that location. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He set the sun prematurely and spoke with him in private. This is analogous to a friend of the king who would visit him infrequently. The king would attend to all the residents of the province on his request, and he would say: ‘Extinguish the torches and lamps so I can speak with my friend in private.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He concealed the sun prematurely and spoke with Jacob in private. Deborah and Barak rose and transformed night into day. That is what is written: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day” (Judges 5:1). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiyya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: Six miracles were performed on that day: On that day they came,⁶¹The people came to Deborah to ask for help in the war against the Canaanites. on that day they sent for him⁶²She sent for Barak. and he sent.⁶³Barak sent messengers to marshal the forces. On that day they waged war. On that day Sisera was killed. On that day they distributed the spoils. On that day they recited a song, as it is stated: “Deborah and Barak ben Avinoam sang…on that day.”⁶⁴These events, some of which individually took longer than the average length of a day, all took place on the same miraculously lengthy day.