Midrash su Ecclesiaste 4:78

MISHNAH: Whoever possesses the knowledge of the Scripture, the Mishnah and good manners will not be easily exposed to commit crimes, as it is said (Ecc. 4, 12) And a threefold cord is not quickly broken; but whoever does not possess the knowledge of Scripture nor of Mishnah nor of good manners is not considered a civilized man.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing”: R. Samuel bar Nahmani said that R. Johanan said, “When Moshe came to bless Israel with “This is the blessing,” the Holy One, blessed be He, also blessed them with “this,” as stated (in Deut. 4:44), “And this is the Torah that Moshe placed.” And it states (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing that Moses the man of God blessed the Children of Israel.” (Deut. 33:1:) Another explanation: R. Abba said (regarding Deut. 33:1), “’Which Moses blessed,’ that is Moses; ‘the man of God,’ that is the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 15:3), ‘The Lord is a man of war.’ And why so much? To fulfill the verse (in Eccl. 4:12), ‘and the threefold string will not quickly be broken.’”⁸See Deut. R. 11:4 which appears to record the correct version of this midrash, and is brought down as one teaching together with that of R. Samuel bar Nahmani immediately above, such that the third component here is the Torah. See also ‘Ets Yosef on Tanh., Deut. 11:3. Resh Laqish said, “If it were not in Scripture, it would be impossible to say this:⁹PRK 31(suppl. 1):13. Just as when a man gives an order to his wife, she carries it out; so when [Moshe gave an order to the Holy One, blessed be He, He carried it out for him] (the Holy One, blessed be He, gave an order to Moses, he carried it out for Him).”¹⁰Although the parallel texts agree with this reading, Wm. Braude and I. J. Kapstein, Pesikta de-Rab Kahana, p. 456, n. 47, are probably correct that fear of blasphemy caused the midrashim to reverse what was said here. The context requires the original text to state that it was the Holy One who obeyed Moses. What is the meaning of (in Deut. 33:1) “the Children of Israel.” It was Israel's merit that enabled him.

(Fol. 30a) The following question was asked of R. Tanchum of Noy: "Is it permissible to extinguish the light on the Sabbath for the sake of a sick person?" He began his answer by saying: "O thou King Solomon! Where is thy wisdom and where is thy understanding? Not only do the words contradict your father's words but [they are at variance with] thine own utterances also. Thy father David said (Ps. 116, 17.) Not the dead can praise the Lord, and thou sayest (Ecc. 4, 2.) Thereupon praise I the dead that are already dead, and again thou sayest (Ib. 9., 4.) For a living dog fareth better than a dead lion. But this is not difficult to explain. When David said. Not the dead can praise the Lord, he meant thus: 'A man should always occupy himself with the study of the Torah and meritorious deeds before he dies; for, as soon as he dies, he becomes free from the obligation of [studying] the Torah and [fulfilling] meritorious deeds and the Holy One, praised be He! accepts no praise of him.' This is what R. Jochanan said: 'What is meant by the passage (Ps. 88, 61.) Free among the dead, i.e., as soon as a man dies he is freed from the obligation of [studying] the Torah and [fulfilling] meritorious deeds, And when Solomon says (Ecc. 4. 2.) Thereupon praise I the dead that are already dead, he refers to the time when Israel sinned in the deserts. Moses stood up before the Holy One, praised be He! and offered many prayers and supplications unto Him but was not answered. However, as soon as he said (Ex 32, 13.) Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Thy servants, he was forthwith answered. Now, did not Solomon say properly Thereupon praise I the dead that are already dead." It may be explained in another way also. The usage of the world is that if a mortal prince issue a decree, it is doubtful whether it will be complied with or not; even if it be complied with while the prince lives it may not be complied with when he is dead. But Moses, our teacher, has issued many decrees and established many ordinances and they endure forever and ever. Now did not Solomon say properly (Ecc. 4, 2.) Thereupon praise I the dead that are already dead! The passage, Thereupon praise I the dead, etc., may also be explained in another way, as R. Juda said in the name of Rab; for R. Juda in the name of Rab said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 86, 17.) Display on me a sign for good that those who hate me may see it. Thus said David before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe, forgive me this sin [of Bath Sheba].' Thou art forgiven.' answered the Lord. David then said to the Lord: 'Show me a sign while I live.' Whereupon He answered, 'During thy life I shall not make it known but during the life of Solomon, thy son, I shall make it known.' When Solomon had built the Temple he desired to place the ark in the holy of holies, but the gates had become fastened to each other [and they could not be opened]. Solomon then offered twenty-four prayer-songs but was not answered. He then began the prayer (Ps. 24, 7.) Raise your heads, O ye gates and be raised wide, ye everlasting gates, and let the king of glory enter. Thereupon the gates ran after him and opened their mouths and wanted to swallow him up, saying: Who is the King of glory? (Ib.) Solomon replied. The Lord, strong and mighty (Ib.). He then repeated Raise your heads, O ye gates, and raise up, ye everlasting doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory, the Lord of Hosts, He is the King of glory, Selah (Ib.). Still he was not answered; but as soon as he said O Lord God turn not away the face of thy anointed, remember the pious deeds of David thy servant, (II Chr. 6, 12), he was immediately answered. At that moment the faces of David's enemies turned black like the bottom of a pot and then it was known to all that the Holy One, praised be He! had forgiven David that sin. Therefore, did not Solomon properly say. Thereupon, praise I the dead, etc. This is meant by the passage (I Kings 8, 66.) On the eighth day he dismissed the people; they blessed the king and went unto their tents, glad of heart, because of all the good that the Lord had done for David his servant and for Israel his people, i.e.. And they went unto their tents, meaning they found their wives levitically pure. Joyful, because of having enjoyed the Divine Glory; glad of heart, each man's wife had become pregnant with a male child; because of all the good which God had done unto David his servant, that he forgave him that sin; and Israel his people, for they were forgiven their neglect of the observance of the day of Atonement. And when Solomon said (Ecc. 9, 4.) For a living dog fareth better than a dead lion, he meant that which R. Juda said in the name of Rab; for R. Juda in the name of Rab, said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 39, 5.) Let me know, O Lord, my end, and what the measure of my days is, I wish to know when I shall cease to be, i.e., thus said David before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe let me know my end.' Whereupon the Lord answered him: 'It has been decreed by me that the time of the death of mortal man shall not be known; And the measures of my days what are they (Ib.), David again asked. 'It is decreed by me answered the Lord,' that the measure of the days of a man shall not be known.' Again David asked: 'I wish to know when I shall cease to be.' The Lord then said to him: 'Thou wilt die on the Sabbath.' 'Let me die rather on the first day of the week,' begged David. 'The first day of the week is the day on which thy son Solomon shall be king, and one kingdom must not encroach on the other even by so much as a hair's breath.' 'Let me then die on the Sabbath eve,' pleaded David. Whereupon the Lord said Far better is a day in thy courts than a thousand (Ps. 84, 11), i.e., 'I like one day in which thou art studying the Torah better than a thousand burnt offerings which Solomon, thy son, will sacrifice before me upon the altar.' (Ib. b) Each Sabbath day he would sit and study. On that Sabbath when he was to die, the angel of death came and stood before him, but was unable to do anything because David never once ceased studying. [Said the angel to himself] What shall I do? There was an orchard in the back of David's house; the angel of death went there and shook the trees. David [hearing the noise] went out to see [the cause of the noise]; as he ascended the ladder the angel caused it to break. David fell down and consequently stopped studying; whereupon the angel of death took his life. It so happened that Solomon sent to ask the following questions in the academy: 'My father died and lies in sun; what shall I do? [Am I allowed to remove him from the sun?] And the dogs of my father's house are hungry, what shall I do?' They answered him: 'Cut up a carrion and place the pieces before the dogs. As to thy father, place a loaf of bread or an infant upon his body and then you may carry it away from the sun.' Did not Solomon, therefore, say properly? For a living dog fareth better than a dead lion. And as to the question, which I have been asked in your presence, I say this: a lamp is called Ner and the soul is called Ner; it is better that a human light (lamp) be extinguished than that God's light (life) be extinguished."

He said: “The crooked cannot be mended, and deficiency cannot be counted” (Ecclesiastes 1:15) – in this world, one who is crooked can be mended, and one who is mended can become crooked. But in the future, one who is crooked cannot be mended, and one who is mended cannot become crooked. “And deficiency cannot be counted” – there are wicked ones who associate with one another in the world; one of them repented before his death, and one did not repent. It turns out that this one stands in the company of the righteous, and that one stands in the company of the wicked. He [the one who did not repent] sees him [the other one] and says: ‘Woe is me, perhaps there is favoritism in this matter? [Both] I and that one have stolen, both I and that one have killed; yet that one is standing in the company of the righteous, and this one [referring to himself] is standing in the company of the wicked.’ They [the angels] respond and say to him: ‘Fool of the world, you were despicable, and you were cast aside after your death for three days; did they not drag you to the grave with ropes? “Beneath you maggots are spread and worms are your cover” (Isaiah 14:11). When your friend understood this, he repented from that path. You, too, had the opportunity to repent, but did not do so.’ He says to them: ‘Allow me to go and repent,’ and they respond to him and say: ‘Fool of the world, do you not know that this world is like Shabbat, and the world from which you came is like the day before Shabbat. If a person does not prepare on the day before Shabbat, what will he eat on Shabbat? Moreover, this world is like the sea, and the world from which you came is like dry land. If a person does not prepare on dry land, what will he eat at sea? Moreover, this world is like the wilderness, and the world from which you came is like civilization. If a person does not prepare in civilization, what will he eat in the wilderness?’ What does he do? He folds his hands and eats his flesh, as it is stated: “The fool folds his hands and eats his flesh” (Ecclesiastes 4:5). He says: ‘Allow me to see my friend in his glory [in heaven].’ They say to him: ‘Fool of the world, we are commanded from the mouth of the Almighty, that the wicked will not stand alongside the righteous, and not the righteous alongside the wicked, not the impure alongside the pure, and not the pure alongside the impure. About what are we commanded? It is about this gate, as it is stated: “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter into it”’ (Psalms 118:20).

R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: "Whoever wears Phylacteries upon his head, Phylacteries upon his hand, fringes on his cloak and has a Mezuzah on his door-post, these all will preserve him from sin, as it is said (Ecc. 4, 12) And a threefold cord is not quickly broken, and again there is another verse (Ps. 24, 8) The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear the Lord."

Solomon had declared: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive (Eccles. 4:2). However, later he retracted this statement, saying: A living dog is better than a dead lion (ibid. 9:4). They replied to him: Solomon, you were merely prattling, making no sense at all. First you said: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead, but now you say: A living dog is better than a dead lion. He retorted: I say to you: The prophet cried out: O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord (Ezek. 37:4), and they hearkened to him, but the prophet also called out to the living: Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob (Jer. 2:4), and they did not listen nor pay heed to him. Thus it says of them: For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that refuse to hear the teaching of the Lord (Isa. 30:9).

R. Chama b. Bissa went to the college and spent twelve years there. When he was returning, he said: "I shall not act as b. Chachinai did." He went and sat down in the house of study [of that city] and sent word to his house that he had arrived. R. Oshiya, his son, immediately came and [incognito] occupied a seat before him. He began to question him concerning some traditions, and seeing that he was sharp in every law, the father felt discouraged, saying to himself: "If I were here I would have had a son [of my child I left] like this one." He then went home. His son also entered. R. Chama, [under the impression that he was a stranger,] got up for him, believing that he had come to ask him something. Whereupon his wife remarked: "Is there then such a law that one should get up before his son?" Rami b. Chama thereupon applied the following passage (Ecc. 4, 12) And a three-fold cord cannot quickly be broken loose. This refers to R. Oshiya, the son of R. Chama b. Bissa.

(Exod. 7:1:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. It is written (in Ps. 24:7): O GATES, LIFT UP YOUR HEADS…. Who said this verse? Solomon said it, when he made the ark.⁴⁴Below, Numb. 3:14 and the notes there; Tanh., Exod. 2:7; Shab 30a; MQ 9a; Sanh. 107b; Exod. R. 8:1; Numb. R. 14:3; 15:13; M. Pss. 24:10; cf. Lam. R. 2:10:13; Eccl. R. 4:3:1. He made an ark of ten cubits. Then he lifted it up to bring it into the Holy of Holies. When he reached the Sanctuary, the entrance was ten cubits. Now the ark (aron) was ten cubits, and ten cubits cannot get inside of ten <cubits>. Moreover, those who were bearing it <needed space>. When he saw that he was unable to bring it in, he felt ashamed and did not know what to do. He began to pray to the Holy One. What did Solomon do? He went and brought in the coffin (aron) of his father David. Then he prayed and said (in II Chron. 6:42): MY LORD GOD, DO NOT TURN AWAY THE FACE OF YOUR ANOINTED; REMEMBER THE GOOD DEEDS OF YOUR SERVANT DAVID. As soon as he mentioned the merit of his father David, he was answered immediately. What is written next (in II Chron. 7:1)? WHEN SOLOMON FINISHED PRAYING, FIRE CAME DOWN [FROM HEAVEN…, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE HOUSE.] Also the Holy Spirit cried out (in Eccl. 4:2): THEN I PRAISED THE DEAD. Solomon began saying (in Ps. 24:7): O GATES, LIFT UP YOUR HEADS. At that time the gates were seeking to crush his skull, because they were of the opinion that perhaps he was speaking on his own authority. (Ibid., cont.): SO THAT THE KING OF GLORY MAY COME IN. They said to him (in Ps. 24:8 & 10): WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY? He said to them (in vs. 10, cont.): THE LORD OF HOSTS, HE IS THE KING OF GLORY. SELAH. When he had said that to them, they left him alone.

What did Solomon do? Our sages of blessed memory said: He raised the coffin of his father, David, and prostrated himself before it, praying: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed. R. Berechiah declared in the name of R. Helbo: At that time David came to life, as you may understand for yourself from David’s own words: O Lord, Thou broughtest up my soul from the netherworld; Thou didst keep me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (Ps. 30:4). Solomon said: Master of the Universe, make it go in for his sake: Remember the good deeds of David Thy servant (II Chron. 6:42). And his prayers were answered immediately, as it is said: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed. What is written after that? Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, etc. (ibid. 7:1). The Holy Spirit then cried out, saying: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead (Eccles. 4:2). Thereupon Solomon began to pray: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7). The gates wanted to crush his head, for they thought that he had called himself the King of glory. They said to him: Who is this King of glory? (ibid., v. 10), and he replied: The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. When he responded in this way, they were appeased. If they had not been, they would have fallen on his head and crushed him.

...Why was the Holy Blessed One called the King of glory?  Because He distributes glory to those who fear Him.  How so?  A king of flesh and blood, no one rides on his horse, and no one sits on his throne. But the Holy Blessed One had Solomon sit upon His throne, as it says "Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king" (I Chronicles 29:23).  And [the Holy Blessed One] had Elijah ride on His horse.  What is the horse of the Holy Blessed One? Whirlwind and storm! As it says "God travels in whirlwind and storm and clouds are the dust on His feet" (Nachum 1:3) and it is written "Elijah ascended in the storm to heaven" (II Kings 2:11).  A king of flesh and blood, no one uses his scepter, but the Holy Blessed One, gave His scepter to Moses, as it says "Moses took the staff of God in his hand" (Exodus 4:20).  A king of flesh and blood, no one wears his crown, but the Holy Blessed One will have the Messiah wear His crown.  What is the crown of the Holy Blessed One? Finest gold, as it says "His head is finest gold, His locks are curled, black as a raven." (Song of Songs 5:11),  and it is written, "You have set upon his head a crown of fine gold" (Psalms 21:4). A king of flesh and blood, no one wears his clothing, but Israel wears the clothing of the Holy Blessed One.  What is the clothing of the Holy Blessed One? Strength, as it says "the LORD is robed, girded with strength" (Psalms 93:1), and He gave it to Israel as it says "God gives strength to Israel, God blesses His people with peace" (Psalms 29:11)... 

When Solomon erected the Temple he prayed: Lord of the Universe, if a man should pray unto You in this Temple for money, and You know that the money will be harmful to him, do not give it to him, but if You should foresee that the money will be beneficial to him, fulfill his plea, as it is said: And render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest—for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men (II Chron. 6:30). Because the wicked in this world are wealthy and dwell in tranquility, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reward them only a little for the good deeds they perform in this world, as it is said: And repayeth them that hate Him to their face (Deut. 7:10). But it is also written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever (Ps. 92:8). However, in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will open his treasure house to his righteous servants in the Garden of Eden, while the wicked, who have eaten the fruits of interest here, will consume their own flesh with their teeth and will be confounded, as it is said: The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh (Eccles. 4:5). They will then cry out: Would that we had been workmen and carried burdens on our shoulders, as it is said: Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labor and striving after the wind (ibid., 6).

When Solomon erected the Temple he prayed: Lord of the Universe, if a man should pray unto You in this Temple for money, and You know that the money will be harmful to him, do not give it to him, but if You should foresee that the money will be beneficial to him, fulfill his plea, as it is said: And render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest—for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men (II Chron. 6:30). Because the wicked in this world are wealthy and dwell in tranquility, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reward them only a little for the good deeds they perform in this world, as it is said: And repayeth them that hate Him to their face (Deut. 7:10). But it is also written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever (Ps. 92:8). However, in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will open his treasure house to his righteous servants in the Garden of Eden, while the wicked, who have eaten the fruits of interest here, will consume their own flesh with their teeth and will be confounded, as it is said: The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh (Eccles. 4:5). They will then cry out: Would that we had been workmen and carried burdens on our shoulders, as it is said: Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labor and striving after the wind (ibid., 6).

Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's name: 'Behold, it was good' refers to the Good Desire; 'And behold, it was very good' refers to the Evil Desire. (It only says 'very good' after man was created with both the good and bad inclinations, in all other cases it only says 'and God saw that it was good') Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said Solomon: 'Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbor.' (Ecclesiastes 4:4).

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Berekhya said that Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The schism that was between Reḥavam and Yerovam was fitting to have been between David and Sheva ben Bikhri, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The Temple has not yet been constructed and I am introducing a schism in the kingdom of the House of David? Rather, let the Temple be constructed and then, what will ultimately happen, will happen.
Rabbi Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) – He placed in their heart love of the world. Rabbi Yonatan said: He has placed in their heart fear of the angel of death. Neḥemya, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, said: “And behold it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). “And behold it was...good,” this is man; “and behold it was…good,” this is the good inclination, “very,” this is the evil inclination. Is the evil inclination “very good”? It is to teach you that were it not for the evil inclination, man would not build a house, would not marry a wife, and would not beget children, as Solomon says: “[I saw all toil and all skilled action;] that it is man’s envy of his neighbor” (Ecclesiastes 4:4).
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” – He placed in their heart love of the world, He placed in their heart love of young children. To what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to a king who had two sons, one big and one small. The big one cleans and the small one sullies; nevertheless, he loves the small one more than the big one.
Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: “The world [ha’olam],” the ineffable name was concealed [ho’olam] from them.⁴⁷The word ha’olam is written in the verse without the vav such that it can be read ho’olam. This is analogous to a king who made a feast [and] invited guests. Once they ate and drank, they said to him: ‘Give us swords and spears and we will play with them.’ He gave them myrtle branches and they struck each other and wounded each other. The king said to them: ‘If, when I gave you myrtle branches, this is what you did, had I given you swords and spears, all the more so.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If, at a time when I concealed the ineffable name from them, they killed with appellations,⁴⁸By invoking names of God in cursing other people. had I given and revealed to them the ineffable name, all the more so.’ There was a Persian woman who cursed her son with one element of the ineffable name. Shmuel heard her and said: ‘Go prepare a shroud for him.’
Rabbi Ḥanina had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Eneini bar Naḥshon is here.’ He sent for him and he came, and his own son entered and hid under the bed. When he was about to transmit it, that child sneezed. His father [Rabbi Ḥanina] said: ‘Go out of here. You are not worthy to hear it, and this one is not worthy to receive it.’⁴⁹Rabbi Ḥanina said to his son that he must leave because he is not worthy to hear it, and he also took this as a sign that he should not reveal the name to Eneini (Etz Yosef).
One doctor in Tzippori had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Pinḥas bar Ḥama is here.’ He sent for him and he came. [The doctor] asked him [a question] and said to him: ‘Have you ever taken anything from a Jew?’ He said to him: ‘I have taken first tithe.’ [The doctor] resolved not to entrust it to him, saying: ‘Perhaps he will demand something from a person and he will not give it to him, and he will become angry with him and kill him.’ It is taught, one does not entrust the name to just any person, and not to one who has lived half his life, but rather, to one who has lived most of his life. In addition, one entrusts it only standing, and one entrusts it only in a place of purity, and near water. Initially, they would entrust it to any person. When the sinners became more prevalent, they instituted that it should be entrusted only to the modest among the priests, and the modest among the priests would obscure it in the melody of the priests.
Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I ascended to the platform with Samson, my mother’s brother, and I cocked my ear in the direction of the High Priest, but he obscured it in the melody of the priests. And Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I heard it and I fell on my face. Those nearby, when they hear it, fall on their faces and say: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.” These and those⁵⁰Those nearby and those farther away would not move from there until the time when it was forgotten [shenitalem] from them, as it is stated: “This is My name forever [le’olam]” (Exodus 3:15), le’elem is written.⁵¹It is written without a vav, such that it can be read le’elem, meaning for concealment. To what purpose? “But so that man will not discover the work that God has performed from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).⁵²This is to prevent people from discovering the secrets of Creation.

“That which is warped cannot be straightened, and that which is lacking cannot be counted” (Ecclesiastes 1:15).
“That which is warped cannot be straightened.” In this world, one who is warped can be straightened, and one who is lacking can be counted. But in the future, one who is warped cannot be straightened, and one who is lacking cannot be counted. There are those among the wicked who were friends with each other in [this] world. If one of them repented during his lifetime, before his death, and one of them did not repent before his death, the one who did so in his lifetime is privileged to stand in the company of the righteous, and the other one stands in the company of the wicked. He sees his counterpart and says: ‘Is there, perhaps, favoritism in this world? Woe to that man.¹⁰⁷He is referring to himself. The same is true of the third-person reference (“he”) in the next sentence. He and that one, we were together in the world. We were as one, we stole as one, we robbed as one, and we did all the evil deeds in the world together. Why is that one in the company of the righteous and this man is in the company of the wicked?’ They say to him: ‘You great fool, you were repulsive after your death for two or three days. They did not place you into a coffin, and they dragged you to your grave with ropes. “The maggot is spread under you and worms cover you” (Isaiah 14:11). Your counterpart saw your repulsiveness and took an oath to abandon his wicked path, and he repented like a righteous man. His repentance enabled him to take life, honor, and a portion here with the righteous. Why [are you being punished] to this extent? It is because you had the opportunity to repent, and had you repented, all would have been well for you.’
He says to them: ‘Allow me, and I will go and repent.’ They respond to him and say: ‘Oh, you great fool, don’t you know that this world is comparable to Shabbat, and the world from which you came is comparable to the day before Shabbat? If a person does not prepare on the day before Shabbat, what will he eat on Shabbat? Don’t you know that the world from which you came is comparable to dry land and this world is comparable to the sea? If a person does not prepare on dry land, what will he eat at sea? Don’t you know that this world is comparable to a wilderness, and the world from which you came is comparable to a settlement? If a person does not prepare in the settlement, what will he eat in the wilderness?’ Immediately, he grits his teeth and eats his flesh, as it is stated: “The fool folds his hands, and eats his flesh” (Ecclesiastes 4:5). He says: ‘Allow me and I will see the glory of my counterpart.’ They say: ‘You great fool, we are commanded from the mouth of the Almighty that neither will the righteous stand among the wicked, nor the wicked among the righteous, not the pure alongside the impure, nor the impure alongside the pure. What are we commanded regarding this gate? “This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous will enter it” (Psalms 118:20).’ Immediately, he rends his garments and pulls out his hair, as it is stated: “The wicked will see and be angered” (Psalms 112:10).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Eliezer ! Thou hast made thyself like a threefold cord, as it is said, "And a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Eccles. 4:12). I also will apply to thee this verse: "Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God" (Deut. 18:13). Do not read thus, but: "Thou shalt be perfect before the Lord thy God."

What is meant by On behalf of the living unto the dead? We leave the living to the life of the world, and we inquire of the dead through the dead. Another explanation of On behalf of the living unto the dead. He said to them: Normally we ask about the needs of the dead from the living, perhaps we should consult the dead about the needs of the living. Another comment on this verse. He said: Our dead are not truly dead, for it is said: Let the saints exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their beds (Ps. 149:5). You find that after they had erected the calf, Moses arose and recited a prayer in which he recalled the departed, as it is said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, etc. There were many righteous men with him among the living in the camp, yet he mentioned only the departed. If he had done otherwise, they would have perished.³³See above note 28. Thus Solomon exclaimed: Therefore I praised the dead (Eccles. 4:2).

... The angels said before the Holy One, ‘Master of the World! Isn’t this Jerusalem?!’ as it is said “This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have placed her…” (Yechezkel 5:5) He replied to them, “But she exchanged My judgments for wickedness more than the nations…” (Yechezkel 5:6) They said to Him, “But they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out with Your great strength…” (Devarim 9:29) He replied to them, “For My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to vanity…” (Yirmiyahu 18:15) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the forefathers!’ He replied to them, “…the fathers are kindling fire…” (Yirmiyahu 7:18) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the children!’ He replied to them, “But they rebelled against Me and would not consent to hearken to Me…” (Yechezkel 20:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Yehudah!’ “And Judah did what displeased the Lord…” (Melachim I 14:22) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the leaders!’ He replied to them, “Its heads judge for bribes…” (Micha 3:11) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribes!’ He replied to them, ‘and Gad, and Reuven and the half tribe of Menashe…’ They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Dan!’ He replied to them, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image.” (Shoftim 18:30) They said to Him,’ act for the sake of the students!’ He replied to them, “…And those who hold onto the Torah did not know Me…” (Yirmiyahu 2:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the prophets!’ He replied to them, “[It was] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests…” (Eicha 4:13) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the kings!’ He replied to them, “And the altars that were on the roof, [the roof of] Ahaz's upper chamber, which the kings of Judah had made…” (Melachim II 23:12) The ministering angels said to Him, ‘act for our sake!’ He replied to them, “But they mocked the messengers of God…” (Divre HaYamim II 36:16) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of Your name which is called upon them!’ He replied to them, ‘they have profaned My holy name.’ They said to Him, ‘You do not want to be appeased, what is the image of their father doing by You?’ “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Eicha 2:1) This statement with which they clothed You, what has it done to You?! If the thing were not written, it would be impossible to say “The Lord has done what He devised, He has carried out His word…” (Eicha 2:17) They said to Him, ‘Master of the World! Is this not Jerusalem about whom you wrote “Behold on [My] hands have I engraved you…”’ (Yeshayahu 49:16) He replied to them, “I, too, shall clap My hands, one upon the other, and I shall put My fury to rest…” (Yechezkel 21:22) Since Zion saw that He did not want to be appeased, she started up and said “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." (Yeshayahu 49:14) May it be Your will Lord our God and God of our fathers that Your Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, that your Presence return within it, that You gather my exiles from the four corners of the world, that they rebuild the cities of Yehudah and settle Shechem and inherit it speedily. Amen.

Rabbi Acha ben Jacob said: This expression, "three years old" (Gen. 15:9), is said only with reference to the mighty in power, as it is said, "And a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Eccles. 4:12).

Another teaching about "A son of an Israelite woman went out" - Regarding that which is written "I returned and saw all of the oppression" (Kohelet 4:1), Daniel the Tailor interpreted the verse as referring to Mamzerim. "The tears of the oppressed", the fathers of these sinned, and these [the children] are shamed, how does it concern them? So too, this one's father committed incest, what is the child's sin, and how does it concern him? "And they have no comforter", rather "their oppressors are empowered", this refers to Israel's Great Sanhedrin, who comes at them with the power of Torah, and pushes them away in the name of "a mamzer will not enter the community of the Lord." (Devarim 23:3). "They have no comforter" - says the Holy Blessed One: it is upon me to comfort them; in this world they are cast aside, but in the future, as Zecharia said, "I see a people all of gold", as it is written (Zechariah 4:2) “I see a menorah all of gold, with a bowl [gulah] above it". Two speak; one says "an exile [gulah]" and one says "a redeemer [goalah]". According to the one who says exile, that they were exiled to Babylon and the Shechina was exiled with them, as it says (Isaiah 43:14) "For your sake I send to Babylon". And according to the one who says a redeemer [goalah], a redeemer [paroka], as it says (Isaiah 47:4 "Our redeemer, the LORD of Hosts is Their Name", and it is written (Micah 2:14) "One who makes a breach goes before them; they enlarge it to a gate... [and leave by it]. Their king marches before them, God at their heads".

Esau said to Jacob: Divide all that my father has left into two portions, and I will choose (first), because I am the elder. || Jacob said: This wicked man has not satisfied his eye with wealth, as it is said, "Neither are his eyes satisfied with riches" (Eccles. 4:8). What did Jacob do? He divided all that his father had left as the one part, and the other part was to be the land of Israel and the Cave of Machpelah. What did Esau do? He went to Ishmael in the wilderness in order to consult him, as it is said, "And Esau went unto Ishmael" (Gen. 28:9). Ishmael said to Esau: The Amorite and the Canaanite are in the land, and Jacob trusts (in God) that he will inherit the land, therefore take all that thy father has left, and Jacob will have nothing.

(Devarim 11:26) "Behold, I set before you this day blessing and curse": Because it is written (Ibid. 30:19) "The life and the death have I set before you, the blessing and the curse," lest Israel say: Since the Holy One Blessed be He has set before us two ways, the way of life and the way of death, we can choose whichever we wish; it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and you shall choose the life, you and your seed." An analogy: A man is sitting at the crossroads, with two paths stretching before him, one, whose beginning is level and whose end is thorns, and one whose beginning is thorns and whose end is level. He apprises the passersby: This path whose beginning you see to be level — for two or three steps you will walk on level ground, and, in the end, on thorns. And this path whose beginning you see to be thorny — for two or three steps you will walk in thorns, and in the end you will walk on level ground. Thus did Moses speak to Israel: You see the wicked prospering — For two or three days they will prosper in this world, and in the end, they will be cast away, as it is written (Proverbs 24:20) "For there is no (good) end for the wicked one," and (Koheleth 4:1) "Behold, the tears of the oppressed (in Gehinnom)." And (Ibid. 5) "The fool folds his hands together (in contentment), and, (in the end) he eats his own flesh." And it is written (Proverbs 4:19) "The way of the wicked is pitch darkness." They see the righteous suffering in this world. Their end is to rejoice, viz. (Devarim 8:16) "to benefit you in your latter end." And it is written (Koheleth 7:8) "Better the end of a thing than its beginning." And (Jeremiah 29:11) "For I (the L-rd) know the thoughts that I think concerning you … to give to you a (goodly) end and a hope." And it is written (Psalms 97:11) "Light is sown for the righteous one," and (Proverbs 4:18) "The path of the righteous is like shining light."

"Happy is the man who makes the Eternal his trust" (Tehillim 40:5) - this is Yosef. "And does not turn to the proud" (ibid.) - since he said to the chief of drinks, "remember me... and mention me..." (Bereishit 40:14), two years [in jail] were added for him. "Happy is the man who makes the Eternal his trust" - Rabbi Yudan said, many myriads of proud ones who "pursue deceit" (Tehillim 40:5) - woe to him and to one who trusts in him. "Dreams come with much brooding" (Kohelet 5:2) - Paroh said, "Whose existence is dependent on whom? Me on my god, or my god on me?" He said to him, "You are dependent on your god: behold it is written "And it was at the end [of two years, and Paroh dreamed that he was standing on the Nile,]" (Bereishit 41:1)". "For from the jailhouse one can come to rule" (Kohelet 4:14) - this is Yosef, who came from the jail of paroh and came to rule - "And Paroh sent [for Yosef]..." (Genesis 41:14). "And even in his kingship can come to poverty" (Kohelet 14:4) - in the kingship of Yosef was born the poverty of Potifar. Another take, "And it was at the end" (Bereishit 41:1) - "I saw all life which walks under the sun" (Kohelet 4:15) - this is Yosef. "they were with the second son" (ibid.) these are the two years that were added for him. And why were two years added for him? So that Paroh could dream and he could grow great by means of this dream, as it says "And it was at the end of two years of days." (Bereishit 41:1)

"Happy is the man who makes the Eternal his trust" (Tehillim 40:5) - this is Yosef. "And does not turn to the proud" (ibid.) - since he said to the chief of drinks, "remember me... and mention me..." (Bereishit 40:14), two years [in jail] were added for him. "Happy is the man who makes the Eternal his trust" - Rabbi Yudan said, many myriads of proud ones who "pursue deceit" (Tehillim 40:5) - woe to him and to one who trusts in him. "Dreams come with much brooding" (Kohelet 5:2) - Paroh said, "Whose existence is dependent on whom? Me on my god, or my god on me?" He said to him, "You are dependent on your god: behold it is written "And it was at the end [of two years, and Paroh dreamed that he was standing on the Nile,]" (Bereishit 41:1)". "For from the jailhouse one can come to rule" (Kohelet 4:14) - this is Yosef, who came from the jail of paroh and came to rule - "And Paroh sent [for Yosef]..." (Genesis 41:14). "And even in his kingship can come to poverty" (Kohelet 14:4) - in the kingship of Yosef was born the poverty of Potifar. Another take, "And it was at the end" (Bereishit 41:1) - "I saw all life which walks under the sun" (Kohelet 4:15) - this is Yosef. "they were with the second son" (ibid.) these are the two years that were added for him. And why were two years added for him? So that Paroh could dream and he could grow great by means of this dream, as it says "And it was at the end of two years of days." (Bereishit 41:1)

(Bamidbar 27:18) "And the L-rd said to Moses: Take ("kach) for yourself Joshua the son of Nun": "kach" connotes "seizing," for a friend is acquired only with great difficulty — whence they ruled: One should acquire a friend for himself to learn Scripture with him, to learn Mishnah with him, to eat with him, to drink with him, and to tell his secrets to him. And thus is it written (Koheleth 4:9) "Two are better than one … (12) and the three-fold cord is not soon sundered." The Holy Spirit responded to Moses: Set up an interpreter for Joshua, and have him ask, expound, and teach rulings in your lifetime, so that Israel not say to him: "In the lifetime of your teacher you did not speak, and now you (suddenly) speak?" Others say: he (Moses) lifted him from the ground and placed him between his knees, and Moses and Israel would lift their heads to hear the voice of Joshua. And this is what it said: "Blessed is the L-rd, who gave Torah to Israel by the hand of Moses our teacher."

"Jacob is the chevel of His inheritance": "chevel" is a lot, as it is written (Psalms 16:5) "chavalim have fallen to me in pleasant places," and (Joshua 17:5) "And the lots of Menasheh fell — ten." (Ibid. 19:9) "From the chevel of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Shimon": Just as a chevel (a rope) is three-fold, so Jacob was the third of the fathers, and he received reward over and against all of them. When Abraham was born, what is written? (Proverbs 17:17) "And a brother (Abraham) is born for affliction" (see beginning of # 311). When Israel was born, what is written? (Koheleth 4:9) "Better the two than the one." When Jacob was born, what is written (Ibid. 4:12) "And the three-fold cord is not soon sundered."