Midrash su Salmi 2:12

Another matter, “your belly is a pile of wheat,” but would one of pine cones not be fairer than one of wheat? But it is possible for the world to exist without pine cones, but it is not possible for the world to exist without wheat. Rabbi Idi said: Just as this wheat kernel is cleft, so Israel’s circumcision is cleft.³¹This is a reference to peria, the process in which the membrane under the foreskin is split and pulled back (Maharzu). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥananya said: Just as wheat absorbs, so too Israel absorbs the property of the nations of the world. That is what is written: “You shall devour all the peoples…” (Deuteronomy 7:16), and it is written: “You will consume the wealth of the nations and in their glory you will revel” (Isaiah 61:6). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Just as with wheat, its waste is measured with it, so too Israel, “from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water” (Deuteronomy 29:10).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Just as these wheat kernels, when they go out for sowing go out by measure, and when they enter from the grain pile they enter by measure, so too Israel, when they descended to Egypt they descended by number, as it is stated: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended to Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:22), and when they ascended, they ascended by number, as it is stated: “some six hundred thousand men on foot” (Exodus 12:37). Rabbi Ḥonya said regarding the statement of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Just as the landowner does not monitor boxes of manure, and not boxes of hay, and not boxes of straw, and not chaff; why? Because they are considered worthless; so too, the Holy One blessed be He does not monitor the nations of the world, why, because they are considered worthless, as it is stated: “All the nations are like nothing before Him…” (Isaiah 40:17). Whom does He monitor? Israel, as it is stated: “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12), “take a census of the entire congregation of Israel” (Numbers 1:2).
Rabbi Neḥemya [said] in the name of Rabbi Avun: The nations of the world have no planting, have no sowing, and have no root, and the three of them are in one verse: “It is as though they were not planted, as though they were not sown, as though their trunk had not taken root in the earth” (Isaiah 40:24). However, Israel has planting, as it is stated: “I will plant them in this land” (Jeremiah 32:41), and it is written “I will plant them upon their land” (Amos 9:15). They have sowing, as it is stated: “I will sow her for Me in the land” (Hosea 2:25). They have root, as it is stated: “It is coming that Jacob will take root” (Isaiah 27:6).
To what is this matter comparable? Hay, chaff, and straw were deliberating with each other. This one said: The land was sown for my sake, and that one said: The field was sown for my sake. The wheat said to them: Wait until the [time for] threshing arrives and we will know for whose sake the field was sown. The time of the threshing arrived, and when they entered the threshing floor, the field owner emerged to winnow it. The chaff went with the wind, he took the hay and cast it to the ground, he took the straw and burned it, and he took the wheat and made it into a pile. People would pass and everyone who saw it would kiss it, just as it says: “Kiss the grain” (Psalms 2:12). So too the nations of the world; these say: We are the true Israel, and the world was created for our sake, and those say: We are the true Israel and the world was created for our sake. Israel said to them: Wait until the day the Holy One blessed be He will arrive and we will know for whose sake the world was created. That is what is written: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven [and all the wicked people and all the evildoers will be like straw; and that coming day will burn them]” (Malachi 3:19), and it is written: “You will winnow them and the wind will carry them” (Isaiah 41:16). However, it is stated in Israel’s regard: “But you will rejoice in the Lord, you will be glorified in the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 41:16).

R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "He who withholds from imparting an Halacha to a disciple is considered as if he would rob him of the inheritance of his ancestors, for it is said (Deut. 33, 4) The law which Moses commanded us is the inheritance of the congregation of Israel. Hence the law is considered as an inheritance to all Israel since the creation of the world." R. Chana b. Bizna, in the name of R. Simon the Pious said: "He who withholds (or denies) the explanation of an Halacha to a disciple, even the embryos in the entrails of their mothers, curse him, as it is said (Prov. 11, 26) Him that withholdeth corn, (Fol. 92) (l'om) the people will (ye'kabuhu) denounce, and the word l'am refers to embryos, as it is said (Num. 23, 8) How shall I denounce (Kabo) whom God … , and Bar means the Torah, as it is said (Ps. 2) And if one do teach." What will be his reward for such? Raba, in the name of R. Shesheth, said: "He will be rewarded with the blessing with which Joseph was blessed, as it is said (Pr. 11, 26) But blessing will be heaped upon the head of the one (Mashbir) that selleth it, and Mashbir refers to Joseph; as it is said (Gen. 48, 6) And Joseph, he was the governor over the land, he it was that sold corn to all the people." R. Shesheth said again: "He who teaches the Torah in this world will be rewarded by teaching it in the world to come, as it is said (Prov. 11, 25) He that refresheth [others] will do the same in the future." Mar Zutra said: "Whence do we infer the resurrection from the Torah? It is said (Deut. 33, 6) May Reuben live, and not die, i.e., he may live in this world, and not die in the world to come." Rabina says: From the following (Dan. 12, 2) And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to disgrace and everlasting abhorrence. And R. Ashi said: From (Ib. ib. 13) But thou, go [thy way] toward the end; and thou shalt rest, and arise for thy lot at the end of the days. R. Elazar said: "A leader of a congregation, who leads them humbly, will be rewarded by leading the same in the world to come, as it is said (Is. 49, 10) For he that hath mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will he guide them." R. Elazar said again: "Wisdom is of great importance, as it was placed between two divine names (I Sam. 2, 3) For a God of knowledge is the Lord." Another thing said R. Elazar: "Every man who possesses wisdom may consider himself as if the Temple were built in his days, as both wisdom and temple are placed between two divine names." R. Elazar said further: "He who possesses no knowledge does not merit that one should have mercy upon him, as it is said (Is. 27, 11) For it is not a people of understanding; therefore he that made it will not have compassion upon it, and he that formed them will not be gracious unto them." R. Elazar said also: "He who feeds one who does not possess any knowledge, will suffer as a reward for it, as it is said (Ob. 1, 7) They that eat thy bread have struck thee secretly a wound, there is no understanding in them." R. Elazar said again: "A man that has no knowledge will finally be exiled, as it reads (Is. 5, 13) Therefore are my people led into exile, for want of knowledge."

Thus, it is written concerning the nations: Why are all the nations in an uproar? And why do the people mutter in vain? (Ps. 2:1). This entire psalm alludes to the nations. For at the conclusion of this psalm, it is written: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Do homage in purity, etc. (ibid., vv. 11–12). David said to them: Take heed, lest you deviate from the right path, and He be angry, and ye perish in the way (Ps. 2:12), for He might become angry with you, even over a trivial matter. In reference to Israel, however, it is written: Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with thanksgiving (Ps. 100:2). This psalm was undoubtedly said with reference to Israel, for David composed it in thanksgiving, as it is written: A psalm of thanksgiving (ibid., v. 1).