Midrash su Isaia 14:15

(Deut. 31:14:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: BEHOLD THE DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR FOR YOU TO DIE.²⁴This verse indicates that this paragraph and the two that follow properly belong to the third section of the missing midrash on Parashah IX.: This text is related (to Prov. 11:31): BEHOLD, SHALL A RIGHTEOUS ONE BE RECOMPENSED ON EARTH?²⁵Tanh., Deut. 11:6. The sense of the midrash requires these words to be read as a question. With reference to whom is this text spoken? It speaks of none other than Moses the Righteous, for there is no one like him, not among the prophets and not among the sages. So here is the Holy One testifying concerning him after his death (in Deut. 34:10): NEVER AGAIN DID THERE ARISE IN ISRAEL A PROPHET LIKE MOSES <WHOM THE LORD KNEW FACE TO FACE>; still, he did not have the power to save himself from death. David therefore said (in I Chron. 29:15): FOR WE ARE SOJOURNERS BEFORE YOU AND TRANSIENTS LIKE ALL OUR ANCESTORS; OUR DAYS ON THE EARTH ARE LIKE A SHADOW, AND THERE IS NO HOPE. But is it not written (in Ps. 37:34): HOPE IN THE LORD AND KEEP HIS WAY, AND HE WILL RAISE YOU UP TO INHERIT THE LAND? So why does the text say (in I Chron. 29:15): AND THERE IS NO HOPE? David said: Sovereign of the Universe, in all circumstances a person has hope. If one is poor, <there is hope> until he becomes rich. <If he is> feeble, <there is hope> until be becomes strong. If he is sick, <there is hope> until he is healed. If he is confined in prison, <there is hope> until they free him. On the day of death, however, he has no hope. So here the Holy One spoke with Moses face to face, but he was not able to save himself from death. And so Solomon has said (in Eccl. 9:2): SINCE EVERYTHING <HAPPENS> TO EVERYONE, THE SAME LOT <FALLS> TO THE RIGHTEOUS AND TO THE WICKED.²⁶Cf. PRK 26:1.: R. Hanina said: In the case of an intercessory spirit,²⁷Pisqonit. Cf. Sanh. 44b, where the Tosafot and the notes of Elijah Gaon of Vilna, citing Rashi, identify this spirit with Gabriel, who was surnamed Pisqon, because he argues against the Holy One. it has authority to speak before the Holy One. <Such a one is> like a senator²⁸Lat.: senator. before the King. So he says to <the Holy one>: Sovereign of the Universe, all flesh is <destined> for death. Abraham experienced death; the wicked Nimrod experienced death; Isaac experienced death; Abimelech experienced death; Moses experienced death; the wicked Pharaoh experienced death; for Solomon has stated (in Eccl. 3:20): EVERYONE IS GOING TO THE SAME PLACE. So from now on, what gain is there for the righteous to be engaged with the Torah and good works in this world? And what loss is there for the wicked to sin and cause <others> to sin in this world? Solomon has the explanation (in vs. 21): WHO KNOWS THE LIFEBREATH OF HUMANS THAT <RISE UPWARD AND THE LIFEBREATH OF THE BEAST THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE EARTH>? THE LIFEBREATH OF HUMANS: These are the spirits of the righteous, because they are put in storage and hidden under the Throne of Glory.²⁹Shab. 152b; Deut. R. 11:10; cf. Revelation 6:9, where the souls of the martyrs are under the heavenly altar. AND THE LIFEBREATH OF THE BEAST THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE EARTH: These are the spirits of the wicked, which go down to Gehinnom. And so it says (in Is. 14:15): YOU SHALL ALSO {GO DOWN} [BE BROUGHT DOWN] UNTO SHEOL, <UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE PIT>. But where is it shown that the righteous are called ADAM? Where Jonah says so (in Jonah 4:11): SO SHOULD I NOT TAKE PITY ON NINEVEH, <THAT GREAT CITY> IN WHICH THERE ARE OVER A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND PERSONS (literally: ADAMS), AND <MANY> ANIMALS. ADAMS: These are the righteous; AND <MANY> ANIMALS: These are the wicked, in that their works are like the work of the wicked. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 11:31): BEHOLD, SHALL A RIGHTEOUS ONE BE RECOMPENSED ON EARTH?

(Deut. 31:14:) “Then the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Behold the days are drawing near for you to die.”²²This verse indicates that this paragraph and the two that follow properly belong to the third section of the missing midrash later on. This text is related (to Prov. 11:31), “Behold, shall a righteous one be recompensed on earth?”²³The sense of the midrash requires these words to be read as a question. With reference to whom is this text spoken? It speaks of none other than Moses the righteous, for there is no one like him, not among the prophets and not among the sages. So here is the Holy One, blessed be He, testifying concerning him after his death (in Deut. 34:10), “Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses.” Still, he did not have the power to save himself from death, all the more so other people. And David therefore said (in I Chron. 29:15), “For we are sojourners before You and transients like all our ancestors; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.” But is it not written (in Ps. 37:34), “Hope in the Lord and keep His way, [and He will raise you up to inherit the land?” So why does the text say (in I Chron. 29:15), “and there is no hope?” David said, “Master of the world, in all circumstances a person has hope. If one is poor, he hopes until he becomes rich. If he is feeble, he hopes until be becomes strong. [If] he is sick, he hopes until he is healed. If he is confined in prison, he hopes until they free him. On the day of death, however, he has no hope.” As see here that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with Moses face to face, but he was [still] not able to save himself from death. And so Solomon has said (in Eccl. 9:2), “Since everything [happens] to everyone, [the same lot to the righteous and to the wicked].²⁴Cf. PRK 26:1. R. Hanina said, “In the case of an intercessory spirit,²⁵Pisqonit. Cf. Sanh. 44b, where the Tosafot and the notes of Elijah Gaon of Vilna, citing Rashi, identify this spirit with Gabriel, who was surnamed Pisqon, because he argues against the Holy One. it has authority to speak before the Holy One, blessed be He. [Such a one is] like a senator²⁶Lat.: senator. before the king. So he says to [the Holy One, blessed be He], ‘Master of the world, all flesh is [destined] for death. Abraham experienced death, Nimrod experienced death; Isaac experienced death, Abimelech experienced death; Moses experienced death, Pharaoh experienced death; for Solomon has stated (in Eccl. 3:20), “Everyone is going to the same place.” So from now on, what gain is there for the righteous to be engaged with the Torah and good works in this world? And what loss is there for the wicked to sin and cause [others] to sin in this world?’ Solomon has the explanation (in vs. 21), ‘Who knows the lifebreath (spirit) of humans (literally, the Children of Adam) that rise upward [and the lifebreath (spirit) of the beast that goes down into the earth]?’ ‘The spirit of humans,’ these are the spirits of the righteous, because they are put in storage and hidden under the throne of glory;²⁷Shab. 152b; Deut. R. 11:10. ‘and the spirit of the beast that goes down into the earth,’ these are the spirits of the wicked, which go down to Gehinnom. And so it says (in Is. 14:15), ‘You shall also be brought down unto Sheol, [unto the uttermost parts of the pit].’” But where is it shown that the righteous are called Adam? Where Jonah says so (in Jon. 4:11), “So should I not take pity on Nineveh, [that great city] in which there are over a hundred and twenty thousand persons (literally, Adams), [who do not know their right hand from their left, and many animals].” “Adams,” these are the righteous; “who do not know their right hand from their left, and many animals,” these are the wicked, in that their actions are like the actions of the animals. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 11:31), “Behold, shall a righteous one be recompensed on earth?”

We know that Nebuchadnezzar claimed divinity, because it is written: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High (Isa. 14:14). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wretch! Yet thou shalt be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit (ibid., v. 15). What did He do to him? He exiled him into the desert though he was a king, and compelled him to eat grass like a beast, as it is said: Thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee (Dan. 4:29). To the beasts and the cattle he appeared like a female beast, and they had intercourse with him, as it is said: The destruction of the beast, which made them afraid (yehitan) (Hab. 2:17). This corresponds to what is stated in the verse Neither shalt thou make marriages (tithaten) with them (Deut. 7:3). Nevertheless, a human heart was given to him so that he might realize that he had once ruled the entire world, and now was having intercourse with beasts and animals. And it is written about him: And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever (Dan. 4:31).