Midrash su I Re 21:19
וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הֲרָצַ֖חְתָּ וְגַם־יָרָ֑שְׁתָּ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֨ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בִּמְק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לָקְק֤וּ הַכְּלָבִים֙ אֶת־דַּ֣ם נָב֔וֹת יָלֹ֧קּוּ הַכְּלָבִ֛ים אֶת־דָּמְךָ֖ גַּם־אָֽתָּה׃
E gli parlerai dicendo: Così dice l'Eterno: Hai forse ucciso e preso possesso? e gli parlerai, dicendo: Così dice l'Eterno: Nel luogo in cui i cani leccavano il sangue di Nabot, i cani leccheranno il tuo sangue, anche il tuo.'
Kohelet Rabbah
“If a man begets one hundred, and lives many years, and the days of his years are many, but his soul is not sated from the good, and he did not have a burial; I say, a stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3).
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Rabbi Jochanan said: Cain did not know that the secrets are revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He. He took the corpse of his brother Abel and hid it in the field. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Where is Abel thy brother?" (Gen. 4:9). He replied to Him: Sovereign of the world ! A keeper of vineyard and field hast Thou made me. A keeper of my brother Thou hast not made me; as it is said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: || "Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?" (1 Kings 21:19). "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10). When Cain heard this word he was confused. And He cursed him, that he became a wanderer on the earth because of the shedding of the blood, and because of the evil death.
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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
THE POWER OF REPENTANCE
REPENTANCE and good deeds are a shield against punishment. Rabbi Ishmael said: If repentance had not been created, the world would not stand. But since repentance has been created, the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is stretched forth to receive the penitent every day, and He says, Repent, ye children of men. "Repent, ye children of men" (Ps. 90:8). Know thou the power of repentance. Come and see from Ahab, king of Israel, for he had robbed, coveted, and murdered, as it is said, "Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?" (1 Kings 21:19). He sent and called for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who gave him thrice daily forty stripes, and in fasting and with prayer he rose up early and retired late, before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he did not return any more to his evil deeds. His repentance was accepted, as it is said, || "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days" (1 Kings 21:29).
REPENTANCE and good deeds are a shield against punishment. Rabbi Ishmael said: If repentance had not been created, the world would not stand. But since repentance has been created, the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is stretched forth to receive the penitent every day, and He says, Repent, ye children of men. "Repent, ye children of men" (Ps. 90:8). Know thou the power of repentance. Come and see from Ahab, king of Israel, for he had robbed, coveted, and murdered, as it is said, "Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?" (1 Kings 21:19). He sent and called for Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who gave him thrice daily forty stripes, and in fasting and with prayer he rose up early and retired late, before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he did not return any more to his evil deeds. His repentance was accepted, as it is said, || "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days" (1 Kings 21:29).
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