רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃
악인은 이를 보고 한하여 이를 갈면서 소멸하리니 악인의 소욕은 멸망하리로다
Midrash Tehillim
The original text is in Hebrew and it is a conversation between two rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemia. Rabbi Yehuda says, "Around the wicked they will walk, as it says (Isaiah 66:24), 'And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me.' At that time, the righteous will give thanks to God for the suffering that He brought upon them in this world, as it says (Isaiah 12:1), 'And in that day thou shalt say: I will give thanks unto Thee, O LORD; for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me.' The vineyard is written for the righteous, as it says (Psalms 80:15), 'The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel.' Rabbi Nechemia challenges Rabbi Yehuda's interpretation of the verse and says, "How long will you interpret the verse in this manner? Rather, the wicked will walk around the righteous, as it says (Psalms 92:8), 'When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever.' When the wicked leave Gehenna and see the righteous in Gan Eden, their souls will diminish. This is what is written (Psalms 112:10), 'The wicked shall see it, and be vexed; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away.' When God announces the commandments that were belittled in this world, that is when shame will befall humans. God will say, 'Why should you be stoned for keeping the Sabbath? Why should you be burned for eating matzah? Why should you be killed for wearing tzitzit? Why should you be stabbed with a spear for fulfilling My will?' (Zechariah 13:6) And he shall say, 'These are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.' These wounds caused me to love my Father in Heaven. Woe to those who belittle the commandments in this world." [Source: Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Brachot 10a.]
Kohelet Rabbah
“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).
“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).
Vayikra Rabbah
“The son of an Israelite woman, and he was the son of an Egyptian man, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and an Israelite man fought in the camp. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed; they brought him to Moses. And the name of his mother was Shelomit, daughter of Divri, of the tribe of Dan” (Leviticus 24:10–11).
“The son of an Israelite woman…went out” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: That is what is written: “Around the wicked will walk” (Psalms 12:9) – the righteous walk around the wicked. How so? When the righteous emerge from the Garden of Eden and see the wicked being judged in Gehenna, their soul is joyous within them. That is what is written: “They will emerge and see the corpses of the people who betray Me” (Isaiah 66:24). At that moment, they give praise and thanks to the Holy One blessed be He for the suffering that He inflicted upon them in this world.1The righteous thank God for having punished them for their sins in this world, so that they can receive reward in the World to Come. That is what is written: “You will say on that day: I thank You, Lord, that You were angry with me; Your wrath has turned against” (Isaiah 12:1) the nations of the world, and “You comfort me” (Isaiah 12:1) through them. When? “As lowliness is lifted up [kerum]” (Psalms 12:9) – when the Holy One blessed be He will exalt a lowly vineyard [kerem] in His world. The vineyard of the Holy One blessed be He is none other than Israel, as it is stated: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the people of Judah, the plant of His delight” (Isaiah 5:7).
Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: Until when are you going to distort the Bible for us? Rather, the wicked walk around the righteous, as it is written: “Around, the wicked will walk” (Psalms 12:9). How so? When the wicked ascend from Gehenna and see the righteous sitting tranquilly within the Garden of Eden, their soul diminishes within them.2Meaning, they will be consumed with grief. That is what is written: “The wicked one sees and is angered” (Psalms 112:10). When? “As lowliness is lifted up ” – when the Holy One blessed be He will exalt the mitzvot that are treated with contempt. ‘Why are you going out to be stoned?’ ‘Because I circumcised my son.’3The reality of this world has often caused conversations such as to this to take place between Jews, when one is sentenced to death by the ruling authorities for having observed mitzvot. ‘Why are you going out to be burned?’ ‘Because I observed Shabbat.’ ‘Why are you going out to be beheaded?’ ‘Because I ate unleavened bread.’ ‘Why are you being lashed with a whip?’ ‘Because I made a sukka, because I took a palm branch, because I donned phylacteries, because I placed sky-blue wool [on my garment], because I performed the will of my Father in Heaven.’ That is what is written: “One will say to him: What are those wounds?” (Zechariah 13:6). [He will answer:] ‘These wounds caused me to be beloved to my Father in Heaven.’
Another matter: When is “as lowliness is lifted up [kerum]” – when the Holy One blessed be He will publicize the origin [karman] of the mamzerim.4In this sense, “lifted up” means they will be separated from the rest of the congregation. They were already publicized by Moses, as it is stated: “Take out the blasphemer” (Leviticus 24:14).5The blasphemer was of illegitimate lineage, and he was eventually executed and thereby removed from the congregation.
“The son of an Israelite woman…went out” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: That is what is written: “Around the wicked will walk” (Psalms 12:9) – the righteous walk around the wicked. How so? When the righteous emerge from the Garden of Eden and see the wicked being judged in Gehenna, their soul is joyous within them. That is what is written: “They will emerge and see the corpses of the people who betray Me” (Isaiah 66:24). At that moment, they give praise and thanks to the Holy One blessed be He for the suffering that He inflicted upon them in this world.1The righteous thank God for having punished them for their sins in this world, so that they can receive reward in the World to Come. That is what is written: “You will say on that day: I thank You, Lord, that You were angry with me; Your wrath has turned against” (Isaiah 12:1) the nations of the world, and “You comfort me” (Isaiah 12:1) through them. When? “As lowliness is lifted up [kerum]” (Psalms 12:9) – when the Holy One blessed be He will exalt a lowly vineyard [kerem] in His world. The vineyard of the Holy One blessed be He is none other than Israel, as it is stated: “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the people of Judah, the plant of His delight” (Isaiah 5:7).
Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: Until when are you going to distort the Bible for us? Rather, the wicked walk around the righteous, as it is written: “Around, the wicked will walk” (Psalms 12:9). How so? When the wicked ascend from Gehenna and see the righteous sitting tranquilly within the Garden of Eden, their soul diminishes within them.2Meaning, they will be consumed with grief. That is what is written: “The wicked one sees and is angered” (Psalms 112:10). When? “As lowliness is lifted up ” – when the Holy One blessed be He will exalt the mitzvot that are treated with contempt. ‘Why are you going out to be stoned?’ ‘Because I circumcised my son.’3The reality of this world has often caused conversations such as to this to take place between Jews, when one is sentenced to death by the ruling authorities for having observed mitzvot. ‘Why are you going out to be burned?’ ‘Because I observed Shabbat.’ ‘Why are you going out to be beheaded?’ ‘Because I ate unleavened bread.’ ‘Why are you being lashed with a whip?’ ‘Because I made a sukka, because I took a palm branch, because I donned phylacteries, because I placed sky-blue wool [on my garment], because I performed the will of my Father in Heaven.’ That is what is written: “One will say to him: What are those wounds?” (Zechariah 13:6). [He will answer:] ‘These wounds caused me to be beloved to my Father in Heaven.’
Another matter: When is “as lowliness is lifted up [kerum]” – when the Holy One blessed be He will publicize the origin [karman] of the mamzerim.4In this sense, “lifted up” means they will be separated from the rest of the congregation. They were already publicized by Moses, as it is stated: “Take out the blasphemer” (Leviticus 24:14).5The blasphemer was of illegitimate lineage, and he was eventually executed and thereby removed from the congregation.