Midras Yesaya 24:23: Devarim Rabbah, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Kohelet Rabbah & Bamidbar Rabbah

Another matter, “the Lord your God has multiplied you, [and, behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance]” (Deuteronomy 1:10) – why did he bless them like the stars? Just as among the stars, there are levels upon levels, so, too, among Israel there are levels upon levels.³⁸Priests, Levites, and Israelites (see Etz Yosef). Just as the stars are neither fathomable nor quantifiable, so Israel is neither fathomable nor quantifiable. Just as the stars rule from one end of the world to the other, so does Israel. [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not liken them to the sun and the moon, which are larger than stars?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The sun and the moon will have shame in the future.’ From where is this derived? As it is written: “The moon will be disgraced and the sun will be ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 24:23). ‘But the stars will never have shame.’ From where is this derived? So it is written: “You will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am the Lord your God, and there is no other, and My people will nevermore be ashamed” (Joel 2:27).

(Pr. 30, 15) The leech hath two daughters crying, Give, give. Said R. Chisda in the name of Mar Ukba: "This refers to heresy and the government, which are never satisfied, the first of catching men to her belief, and the second, duties." R. Chisda in the name of Mar Ukba said further: "The Gehenna cries, saying, 'Bring me in the two daughters, who always cry in this world, Bring in to me, bring in to me.' It reads (Pr. 2, 19) All that come unto her return not again, and they will not reach the paths of life. If they do not return again, they will certainly not reach the paths of life? It means, therefore, that they who repent and return from heresy, die that they may not return to heresy again." Does not the same apply to other sins? Are we not taught in a Baraitha: It was said of Elazar b. Durdia who left not out one prostitute. He was once informed that there was a prostitute in one of the sea countries, who received a pocketful of dinars in reward, and he took this amount and passed seven rivers until he reached her. She, however, caused him to repent. He then placed himself between two mountains, saying: "O ye mountains, pray for me," to which they answered: "Instead of praying for thee, we must pray for ourselves, for it is said (Is. 54, 10) For the mountain may depart, and the hills may be removed." He then said: "Heaven and earth, pray for me," and they also answered: "We have to pray for ourselves, as it is said, (Ib. 51, 6) For the heavens shall vanish." He then said: "The sun and moon pray for me!" Whereupon they replied: "We have to pray for ourselves, as it is said (Ib. 24, 23) Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed." He then said: "Stars and planets, pray for me." Whereupon they replied: "Before we do it for you, let us rather pray for ourselves, for it is said (Ib. 34, 4) And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved." He then exclaimed: "I see that I can rely upon myself," and having put his head between his knees, he wept until his soul departed. A heavenly voice was then heard, saying, "R. Elazar b. Durdia is prepared for life in the world to come." (Hence we see that he who has repented from sin, also died? Because he, Elazar was involved in such, it is similar to heresy.) Rabbi, when he heard this, wept, saying: "There is again one who bought his world in one moment while another must work for it all his life." And again, it is not enough for those who repent, that they get a share in the world to come, but they are named also rabbis [as the heavenly voice said, Rabbi Elazar].

R. Abahu said further that Solomon was questioned: "Who is supposed to be the man who has a share in the world to come?" And he answered [with the passage] (Is. 24, 23) … and before His elders shall be golry, [i.e., who is respected in his old age for the wisdom which he gathered during all his life. As it happened to Joseph b. R. Joshua, who was in a state of catalepsy, and when he awoke his father asked him: "What have you seen in the other world?" And he answered: "I have seen a reversed world: he who is here highly esteemed is there considered of the lowest class, and vice versa." His father rejoined: "Not a reversed world, but a rational one, have you seen." He continued questioning: "And how are we considered there?" And he answered: "The same as in this world. I also heard a saying: 'Happy are they who came here with their study in their hands.' I also heard that those who were killed by the government, none of the creatures could approach them [because of their high standing]." Who is meant by those who were killed by the government? Shall we assume that R. Akiba and his comrades are meant? Is it then only because they were killed? (And not because they were the greatest men of their generation)? It refers to those who were killed in Lydda