Midras Pengkhotbah 11:1: Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Shemot Rabbah

Who were the Kenites? They were the descendants of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. It is said concerning them: Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days (Eccles. 11:1). In reward for (his invitation to Moses): Call him that he may eat bread (Exod. 2:20). (This alludes to the bread. Regarding water) it is said concerning Moses (mosheh): Because I drew (meshah) him (out of the water (ibid., v. 10). Therefore the descendants of Jethro merited sitting in the chamber of hewn stone.⁸Thus Jethro cast his bread upon the waters of Moses’ Torah, and his descendants were suitably rewarded.

“On the seventh day…” – that is what is written: “Who preceded Me? I will pay…” (Job 41:3). Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Abba said: One who has no property but performs acts of charity and kindness; one who has no children but pays the wages of Bible teachers and Mishna teachers; one who does not have a house but prepares a mezuza , one who has no garment but prepares ritual fringes; one who has no sons but circumcises; one who prepares books and lends them to others, the Holy One blessed be He says: This one preceded and fulfilled My mitzvot before I provided him with the means to fulfill them; I must pay, give him money and children who will read these books. That is, “Who preceded Me” – to perform a mitzva; and I will pay his reward. Why? It is because I lack nothing, as the world and all its contents are Mine. That is why it is stated: “Everything beneath the heavens is Mine” (Job 41:3).
Another matter: “Who preceded Me? I will pay” (Job 41:3) – it is speaking of Abraham, who recognized the Holy One blessed be He on his own, just as it is written: “A wayward [sug] heart will be sated from its ways…” (Proverbs 14:14).What is, “a wayward heart will be sated from its ways”? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is a heart that is filled with dross [sigim]; it is destined to be sated because of its ways.¹⁵It will not rise to spiritual heights. “But a good man will be above him”¹⁶And will rise to spiritual heights. (Proverbs 14:14) – this is Abraham, who recognized the Holy One blessed be He on his own. There was no person who taught him how to recognize the Holy One blessed be He; rather he did so on his own. This is one of four people who recognized the Holy One blessed be He on their own. Job recognized the Holy One blessed be He on his own; from where is it derived? It is as it says: “From my practice I treasured the sayings of His mouth” (Job 23:12). Hezekiah king of Judah, too, recognized the Holy One blessed be He on his own; from where is it derived? It is as it is written in his regard: “He will eat butter and honey, by his knowledge, spurning the bad and choosing the good” (Isaiah 7:15). The messianic king recognized the Holy One blessed be He on his own. Likewise, Abraham, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The upper world and the world below are Mine,’ just as it says: “Everything beneath the heavens is Mine” (Job 41:3), and it says: “The earth and all its contents are the Lord’s” (Psalms 24:1). ‘You caused My name to be known in the world; as you live, I will grant you the upper world and the world below, as it is stated: “He blessed him, and he said: Blessed is Abram to God, the Most High, Master of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19). That is, “who preceded Me? I will pay.” Why? It is because “everything beneath the heavens is Mine.”
Another matter: “Who preceded Me? I will pay” (Job 41:3) – Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Everything that Abraham performed for the ministering angels, the Holy One blessed be He repaid his descendants upon their exodus from Egypt, and He is destined to give them in the future. You find regarding Abraham: “Please, let a little water be taken” (Genesis 18:4). The Holy One blessed be He, too, repaid his descendants: “I will take you for Me” (Exodus 6:7) – corresponding to “Please, let [a little water] be taken.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: I have derived only regarding this world, regarding the future, from where is it derived? “The peoples will take them and bring them to their place” (Isaiah 14:2).
Regarding Abraham it is written: “A little water,” and the Holy One blessed be He provided water for his descendants upon their exodus from Egypt: “You shall strike the rock, and water will emerge from it” (Exodus 17:6). Regarding the future, from where is it derived? “For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land of streams of water…” (Deuteronomy 8:7). Regarding the Messianic Era, from where is it derived? “There will be pools and streams of water on every lofty mountain and on every high hill” (Isaiah 30:25). Likewise, “I will open rivers on the bare hills” (Isaiah 41:18).
Regarding Abraham it is written: “Wash your feet” (Genesis 18:4). The Holy One blessed be He granted it to his descendants upon their exodus from Egypt: “I washed you in water” (Ezekiel 16:9). And in the Land of Israel: “Wash, purify yourselves” (Isaiah 1:16). Regarding the future, from where is it derived? “When the Lord will have washed [the excrement of the daughters of Zion]” (Isaiah 4:4).
Regarding Abraham it is written: “And recline beneath the tree” (Genesis 18:4), as he crafted a booth [sukka] for them. The Holy One blessed be He crafted booths for his descendants upon their exodus from Egypt: “That I had the children of Israel dwell in booths [basukot], [when I took them out of the land of Egypt]” (Leviticus 23:43). In the Land of Israel: “You shielded [sakota] my head on the day of battle” (Psalms 140:8). What is “the day of battle? It is the day of the arming of the thirty-one kings. Regarding the future, from where is it derived? “And a booth [sukka] will be for shade in the day…” (Isaiah 4:6). That is, “who preceded Me? I will pay…”(Job 41:3). Likewise it says: “Cast your bread upon the water, for after many days [you will find it]” (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
Another matter: “Who preceded Me? I will pay” (Job 41:3) – it is speaking of Joseph, as he preceded and observed the Shabbat before it was given: “Slaughter an animal and prepare it” (Genesis 43:16). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It was the day before Shabbat. “And prepare” is nothing other than for Shabbat, as it is stated: “It will be on the sixth day, they shall prepare…” (Exodus 16:5). The Holy One blessed be He said: Joseph, you observed the Shabbat before the Torah was given, as you live, your descendant will present his offering on Shabbat, when an individual does not present an offering. But it is incumbent upon Me to readily accept his offering. That is, “who preceded Me? I will pay.” From where is it derived that this is so? It is from what is stated regarding this matter: “On the seventh day, prince of the children of Ephraim…”

Another matter, “behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens,” that is what is written: “Cast your bread upon the water, for after many days you will find it” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). Rabbi Ḥanin said: When the Holy One blessed be He called Abraham, he answered Him: “He said: Here I am [hineni]” (Genesis 22:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, with that same expression I will reward your descendants,’ as it is stated: “Behold, I [hineni] will rain down bread for you from the heavens.” In his regard, the verse says: “He who walks wholeheartedly is a righteous man” (Proverbs 20:7), this is Abraham, in whose regard it is written: “Walk before Me, and be wholehearted.” (Genesis 17:1).
“Happy are his children after him” (Proverbs 20:7). You find that everything that Abraham our patriarch performed himself for the ministering angels, the Holy One blessed be He performed for his descendants in the wilderness. He said: “Let a little water be taken” (Genesis 18:4) by means of an intermediary. The Holy One blessed be He provided water by means of an intermediary. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock” (Exodus 17:6).⁷Rather than God providing water for the Israelites directly, He commanded Moses to strike the rock and cause water to emerge. [Abraham] said: “And wash your feet” (Genesis 18:4), and He repaid them in the wilderness, as it is stated: “I will bathe you in water” (Ezekiel 16:9). [Abraham] said: “And recline beneath the tree” (Genesis 18:4), and the Holy One blessed be He “spread a cloud like a curtain” (Psalms 105:39). [Abraham] accompanied them, as it is stated: “Abraham was going with them to see them off” (Genesis 18:16), and the Holy One blessed be He repaid his descendants, as it is stated: “And the Lord was going before them by day” (Exodus 13:21). [Abraham] said: “I will fetch a piece of bread” (Genesis 18:5), and the Holy One blessed be He said: “Behold, I will rain down bread for you.” Rabbi Yehuda Halevi ben Rabbi Shalom said in the name of Rabbi Yona, and also Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: The manna should have fallen for them for [all of their] forty-two journeys. Where did it [begin to] fall? It was at Alush. Why at Alush? It was due to the merit that Abraham said: “Knead [lushi] and prepare cakes” (Genesis 18:6), that the Holy One blessed be He repaid his descendants: “Behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens.”