Midrash su Deuteronomio 31:28

Listen, heavens and I will speak: Happy is the one born of a woman who says like this to the creation of the Heavens. As a king would say to his servants, "Listen and hear my words"; so did he say to the heavens and the earth, "Be quiet until all of my words are finished." "Listen, heavens": This is what is stated in the verse (Jeremiah 32:36) - "If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth below could be fathomed, then would I also reject all the seed of Israel." Since they exist forever and Israel exists forever, they were summoned to testify that Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they negate them, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, to kill them. It is written (Deuteronomy 11:17), "and He will shut up the skies and there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its produce." Hence, he summoned them to testify when Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they refuse, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 31:28), "and I will bring the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you." And this is why he brought them for testimony - as it is [found] in the Pesikta [that] man is compared to the twelve constellations: At the beginning when he is born, he is compared to a lamb, as he is soft, but he grows up to be like an ox. When he grows [older], he becomes twins, meaning to say complete, and the evil impulse grows in him. And at the beginning, it is weak like a crab; but afterwards when it grows, it becomes strong like a lion. And if he sins, it becomes like a virgin. And if he adds [more] transgressions, they are measured in the scales. And if he continues in his rebellion, he is brought down to the pit below, to the pit and Geihinom - like a scorpion placed in the earth and in ditches. But if he repents, he is thrown out - like one who slings his arrows with a bow. That is why we are accustomed to mention the dead on Shabbat, so that they do not return to Geihinom. As so is it [found] in Torat Kohanim (on Deuteronomy 21:8), "'Atone for your people' - those are the living; 'that You have redeemed' - those are the dead. From here, [we learn] that the living redeem the dead." Hence we are accustomed to mention the dead on Yom Kippur and to distribute charity for their sake. As so did we learn in Torat Kohanim, "It is possible that from when they died, charity does not help them. [Hence] we learn to say, 'that You have redeemed.'" From here, [we learn] that when we distribute charity for their sake, we take them out and bring them up like an arrow from the bow. He [then] immediately becomes soft like a goat and is rendered pure like the time that he was born, and we pour pure water from a pail upon him. And he grows with great pleasure like a fish enjoying the water. So does he immerse at all times in the rivers of afarsimon and milk, and oil and honey; and he always eats from the tree of life that is planted inside the partition of the righteous, and its branches leans over the table of each and every righteous one. And he lives forever. To here is new. But from here and onward is from the old.

“There is no man who rules the spirit to retain the spirit, and there is no rule over the day of death. There is no release in war, and wickedness will not rescue its owner” (Ecclesiastes 8:8).
“There is no man who rules the spirit.” The Rabbis say: “There is no man who rules the spirit” of the angel of death, to prevent him from taking him. From where is it derived that angels are called spirits? As it is stated: “He makes his angels spirits” (Psalms 104:4). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” a person cannot say to the angel of death: ‘Wait for me until I make my accounting, and then I will come.’ “There is no release in war,” a person cannot say: ‘My son, my servant, or a member of my household will take my place.’ “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – one cannot commute his sentence and one cannot appeal his conviction.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: “There is no man who rules the spirit” – there is no prophet of Israel who controls the spirit of the Holy One blessed be He, to prevent Him from [conveying prophesy through] him, as it is stated: “I would say: I will not mention Him, [and I will not speak anymore in His name, but in my heart it would be as a burning fire]” (Jeremiah 20:9). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” [as it is written:] “Those who are to death, to death…” (Jeremiah 15:2).²⁵The prophet cannot refrain from conveying his prophecy even if it is a prophecy of death and destruction. “There is no release in war,” [as it is written:] “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner.” Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The cynics of that generation were muttering with their mouths, pointing with their fingers, and were saying: “The vision that he is foretelling [is for many days to come]” (Ezekiel 12:27). The prophet said to them: “For it is in your days, defiant house” (Ezekiel 12:25).
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: There is no man who rules the spirit of the kingdoms, to prevent their [rule] over him. “And there is no rule over the day of death,” as it is stated: “Snares of death confronted me” (Psalms 18:6). “There is no release [mishlaḥat] in war,” as it is written: “A band [mishlaḥat] of destroying animals” (Psalms 78:49).²⁶One cannot escape the retribution of God by waging war against those He sends against Israel (Midrash HaMevoar). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – but had they repented, they would have mitigated it.²⁷Attempting to emulate the wicked nations will not spare them; repentance will.
The Rabbis say: There is no man who rules his own spirit to bring about its termination from him. Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “And fashions [veyotzer] the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1) – [God] bound [tzar] the spirit of man within him, as were it not so, when trouble would come, he would take it and cast it from within him. Rabbi Levi said: Approximately fifty-two times “King David” is written; when he was close to death, it is written: “The days of David drew near to die” (I Kings 2:1) because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: The two trumpets that were [used] in the days of Moses were interred. One verse says: “They shall sound them…and they shall congregate to you” (Numbers 10:3), and one verse says: “Assemble to me all the elders of your tribe” (Deuteronomy 31:28); where were the trumpets?²⁸Moses asked the Levites to assemble the people for him instead of blowing the trumpets himself and thereby calling them to assembly. Say that they had already been interred in the days of Moses. The Holy One blessed be He said: Why should it be that he will die and his sons will be sounding the trumpets?²⁹As a sign of honor for him upon his death, as is done for kings. No, because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Simon: The Holy One blessed be He accorded great honor to Moses, as He said to him: “Craft for you two trumpets” (Numbers 10:2), but not for Joshua.³⁰The phrase “for you” is understood to mean that the trumpets were to be used only by Moses.

(Numb. 10:2 translated literally:) “Make for yourself (lekha),” [i.e.,] at your own expense (literally: from what belongs to you [lekha]).²⁷Numb. R. 15:16. (Ibid.:) “Make for yourself.” For yourself you shall make [them] and not for others. You are to use them, and no one else is to use them. You yourself know that in the case of his disciple Joshua, he did not use those [trumpets] but horns (shofars). When they came to fight against Jericho, there gathered in Jericho seven peoples. It is so stated (in Josh. 14:11), “When you crossed the Jordan and came unto Jericho, the citizens of Jericho, the Amorites, the Perizzites, [the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites,] the Hivites, and the Jebusites fought against you." Did seven peoples make up the citizens of Jericho, in that it says [here], “the citizens of Jericho: the Amorites….” R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “Jericho was the door bolt [for unlocking] the land of Israel. They said, ‘If Jericho is conquered, the whole land will be conquered immediately.’ For that reason seven peoples gathered within it.” What is written (in Josh. 6:20)? “So the people shouted when [the priests] blew on the horns.” [This] teaches that even though Joshua was [Moses'] disciple, he did not use them (i.e. the silver trumpets). Moreover you should not say [this only] about Joshua but even [about] our master Moses, [in that the trumpets] were hidden while he was [still] alive. R. Isaac said, “Note that when Moses was going to depart this world, he said (in Deut. 31:28), ‘Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes [and your officials].’ But where were the trumpets? After all, he did not say, ‘Blow on them for [those people] to gather.’ It is simply that [it was already] while he was [still] alive that they were hidden.” R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “It was to fulfill what was said (in Eccl. 8:8), ‘nor is there control on the day of death….’” Ergo (in Numb. 10:2), “Make for yourself....” Make it for yourself, but you shall not use them all the days of your life. Another interpretation (of Numb. 10:2), “Make for yourself.” You are to use them because you are a king, but another is not to use them except King David, as stated (in II Chron. 29:26, 28), “And the Levites stood… the song was sung and the trumpets were blown.”²⁸Numb. R. 15:16. Our masters have said, “The trumpets that were in the sanctuary were also hidden, but King David used the harp, as stated (in Ps. 57:9), ‘Awake, my glory; awake, O lyre and harp.’” R. Shimon Hassida said, “A harp was hanging above David's bed.²⁹yBer. 1:1 (2d); Ber. 3:b; PRK 7:4; PR 17:3; M. Pss. 22:8; Ruth R. 6:1; Lam. R. 2:19 (22). When midnight arrived, a north wind would blow strongly on it, and it would play of its own accord. Immediately David and the students would arise to occupy themselves with the Torah; and driving sleep from their eyes, they would meditate on the Torah until the dawn arose. Therefore, David said (ibid.), ‘Awake, my glory.’ It is customary for the dawn to awaken the people, but (ibid. cont.) ‘I will awaken the dawn.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 57:9), “Awake my, glory.” What is the meaning of “my glory?” [My glory is] due to the glory of my Creator. For the [evil] drive would say to him, “David, are you not a king? It is customary for kings to arise at three hours into the day; so why are you arising at midnight?” Then [David] said to it, “Empty is my glory. My glory is nothing before the glory of my Creator.” It is therefore stated, “Awake my glory (words which can also be rendered: empty is ['urah] my glory.”³⁰The form ‘urah can be either a simple imperative (AWAKE) from the root ‘WR or a past intensive passive (WAS EMPTY) from the root ‘RH. (Ps. 119:62:) “At midnight I will arise to praise You.” David said, “It is my duty to arise at midnight and to praise You for the wonders that You have done with my ancestor (Ruth) at midnight.” It is so stated (in Ruth 3:8–9), “Now it came to pass at midnight that the man was startled, [so he turned aside, and here was a woman lying at his feet]. Then he said, ‘Who are you?’ And she said, ‘I am your handmaid Ruth.’” R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said, “She said to him, ‘Are you sending me away with [mere] words?’ He said to her (Ruth 3:13) ‘”As the Lord lives,” I am not sending you away with [mere] words.’” (Ruth 3:13:) “As the Lord lives.” [This oath] teaches that he had imposed an oath on his [evil] drive, which was inciting him by saying to him, “You are an unmarried man and she is an unmarried woman. Now is the time to seduce her.” Immediately this righteous man swore, “As the Lord lives, I am not touching her tonight.” And not only Boaz, but all the righteous impose an oath on their [evil] drive. Thus you find it so with David, for when Saul fell into his hands, what did David say (in I Sam. 26:10)? “And David said, ‘As the Lord lives, the Lord shall smite him; either he will die when his day comes or he will go down and perish in battle; [the Lord forbid that I lay my hand on the Lord's anointed].’” Why did he swear two times? R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “His [evil] drive came and said to him, ‘If you had fallen into his hand, he would have shown you no mercy and killed you. [Moreover] according to the Torah it is permissible to kill him, since here he is pursuing [you].’ He therefore hastened to swear two times, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’” Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the universe, You know the power of the evil drive, how strong it is.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “Remove it little by little in this world, and I will take it away from you in the future.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 62:10), “build up, complete the highway³¹The biblical text renders, BUILD UP, BUILD UP THE HIGHWAY. [take away some stone] (i.e. the evil drive)!” It also says (in Is. 57:14), “Build up, build up; clear out a way; remove an obstacle (i.e. the evil drive) from the way of my people!” Then in the world to come I will root it out of you, as stated (in Ezek. 36:26), “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh.” Thus has R. Tanhuma bar Abba interpreted.