Midrash su Ecclesiaste 2:26

R. Abba b. Cahana based his [Purim] lecture on this passage (Ecc. 2, 26) For to a man who is good in His presence He giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy, this refers to Mordecai, the upright; but to the sinner he giveth employment to gather up and to bring together, that refers to Haman; that he may give it to him that is good before God, refers to Mordecai, concerning whom it is written (Est. 8, 2) And Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. Rabba b. Uphran based his [Purim] lecture on the following passage (Jer. 49, 39) And I will set up my thrown in Elam, and I will destroy thence kings and princes; i.e., kings, refers to Vashti, and princes, refers to Haman and his ten sons. R. Dimi b. Isaac based his [Purim] lecture on (Fol. 11) this passage (Ezra, 9, 9) For. we. are bondmen; yet in our bondage hath our God not forsaken us, but hath extended unto us kindness before the kings of Persia. When did He extend unto us kindness? In the time of Mordecai. R. Chanina b. Papa based his [Purim] lecture on this passage (Ps. 66, 12) Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but Thou didst bring us out unto abundance, i.e., through fire, refers to the time of Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked; through water, refers to the time of Pharaoh. But Thou didst bring us out unto abundance, refers to the time of Haman. R. Jochanan based his lecture on this passage (Ib. 98, 3) He hath remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have been the salvation of our God. When did all the ends of the earth see it? In the time of Mordecai and Esther. Resh Lakish based his lecture on this passage (Prov. 28, 15) As a roaring lion and greedy bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people. As a roaring lion, refers to Nebuchadnezzar concerning whom it is written (Jer. 4, 7) The lion is come up from his lair. Greedy bear, refers to Ahasuerus, about whom it is written (Dan. 7, 5) And behold, there was another, a second beast, like a bear. Concerning which R. Joseph was taught that this refers to the Persians who eat and drink like a bear, and are fleshy like a bear, and let their hair grow like a bear, and have no repose like a bear; wicked ruler, refers to Haman; over a poor people, refers to Israel, who were then poor in meritorious deeds. R. Nachman b. Isaac based his lecture on this passage (Ps. 124, 2) If it had not been the Lord who was for us, when men rose up against us. Men, — not a king (referring to Haman). Raba based his lecture on this passage (Prov. 29, 2) When the righteous are in authority, the people will rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan; i.e., when the righteous rule, refers to Mordecai and Esther, [then] the people rejoice, as it is written (Est. 8, 15) And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, etc. And the city of Shushan was glad and joyful. But when the wicked rule, this refers to Haman, [then] the people groan, and so says the passage (Ib. 3, 15) And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed. R. Mathna preached with the following passage (Deut. 4, 7) For what great nation is there that hath God so nigh unto it? R. Ashi recited with the following passage (Ib. ib. 34) Or hath God essayed to go to take himself a nation from the midst of a nation.

It happened once that a certain man traveled to a distant island while his son remained in the land of Israel to study Torah. Prior to his death, this man willed all his property to his slave, with the exception that his son was to have the privilege of selecting one item from among his possessions for himself. Following his death, the slave gathered together all of the man’s possessions and brought them and the will to the land of Israel. He said to the son: “Your father is dead, and he has bequeathed to me all his possessions with the exception of any single thing you desire to select from among them.” What did the son do? He went to his teacher and related to him what had transpired. The teacher said to him: “Your father was indeed a man of profound wisdom, thoroughly informed in the law. He said to himself: ‘If I should simply entrust my property to the care of my slave, he will abscond with it and squander it; therefore, I will bequeath it to him as a gift so that he will guard it carefully, but to my son I will leave the privilege of selecting one thing for himself.’ When you go with him to court, let him bring the will with him, and then say to the court: ‘My masters, my father bequeathed to me the right to select the one thing I desire most from all his property, and the only thing I truly desire is this slave.’ Then you will obtain both the possessions and the slave.” He did as he was instructed, and the court gave him the property and the slave. For the law states that if a slave acquires property, both the property and the slave belong to the master. Solomon declared: For to the man who is good in His sight He giveth wisdom and knowledge (Eccles. 2:26), this was the father: but to the sinner He giveth the task to gather and to heap up (ibid.), this was the slave; that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God, (ibid.) applies to the son.