Midrash sobre II Crônicas 7:10

R. Jonathan b. Achmai and R. Juda b. Gerim had been studying the chapter concerning vows before R. Simon b. Jochai. In the evening they took leave of him and departed. On the following morning they returned and asked leave again. Whereupon R. Simon b. Jochai said unto them: "Did you not take leave of me last night?" They answered him: "Has not our master taught us that a disciple who takes leave of his teacher and remains in the same place over night must take leave again? For it is "written (I Kings 8, 66) On the ninth day (the twenty-second day, of the seventh month) he dismissed the people, and they blessed the king; and it is again written (II Chron. 7, 10) And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people. We infer from this that a disciple who, after taking leave of his master, remains over night in the same place, must take leave again." [Hence both dates are correct.] He then said to his son: "These are worthy (scholarly) men. Go and let them bestow a blessing upon you." His son went, and found them discussing the contradiction of the following passages (Prov. 4, 26) Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right; and it is written (Ib. 5, 6) So that she cannot balance the path of life; her tracks are unsteady and she knoweth it not. This presents no difficulty; the latter passage refers to such a commandment that can not be performed by others (Ib. b) and the former passage has reference to such as can be performed by others. [When it should be preferred to study.] They again propounded a question: It is written (Ib. 3, 15) She is more precious than pearls, and all the valuable things are not equal unto her. Hence, Heavenly things are equal; and it is written (Ib. 8, 2) And all the things that men wish for are not equal to her; hence even Heavenly things are included? And this they also explained that the one refers to such a case which may be performed by others, while the other refers to such a case which cannot be performed by other. Then they turned to him (the son) and said. "Wherefor hast thou come to us?" "Father sent me here to receive your blessing," was his answer. Whereupon they said to him: "May it be His will that thou sowest and never reapest; thou shalt bring in, but never carry out; thou Shalt give forth but not bring in; thy permanent house shall be waste and thy temporary dwelling shall be inhabited; thy table shall be confused, and thou shalt not see a first year." When he returned unto his father he said: "Not only did they not bless me but, on the contrary, they caused me grief with their words!" "What did they say to you?" asked his father. He recited the above. "All there are blessings!" exclaimed his father, "viz: Thou shalt sow and not reap means [allegorically] that thou shalt bear children and they shall not die. Thou shalt bring in and not give forth means that thou shalt bring in thy house wives for sons, and thy male children shall not die, so their wives will not need to leave thy house. Thou shalt give forth and not bring in means that thou shalt have daughters and their husbands shall not die, so that they shall not be compelled to return to thy house. Thy permanent house shall be ruined and thy temporary dwelling shall be inhabited — for this world is only a temporary dwelling and the world to come is the real house, as it is written (Ps. 49, 12) Their inward thought is, that their houses are to be forever. Do not read Kirbam, (their inward) but Kivrom (their graves). Thy table shall be confused, on account of many children. And thou shalt not see a first year means thy wife shall not die, so that thou shalt not be compelled to marry another."

"I have set My bow [qeshet] (Genesis 9:13)": my appearance [qishuti], a thing that is similar to me. Really? Rather as straw is like grain. "When I bring clouds over the earth (Genesis 9:14)": Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yudan son of Simon: "Like one who was holding in his hand boiling flour, he seeks to give it to his son, and his son to his servant". "When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God (Genesis 9:15): this is the measure of judgment above, "and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth": Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yudan Giyori were walking to hear the Torah from Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai, some say on parasha Nedarim, others on parashah Nesakhim, and they received farewells but stayed there one more day, and they said "We must receive farewells a second time". One of them interpreted and said to them: "So it is written: "Then Joshua blessed them and dismissed them, and they went to their homes (Joshua 22:6)". Teaching what does it say: "Furthermore, when Joshua sent them off to their homes, he blessed them (Joshua 22:7)"? Rather at the time when Israel was conquering and dividing the land the tribe of Reuben and Gad were with them and did that for fourteen years and they received farewells from Joshua to go "to their tents". And they were there several days further and they repeated the receiving of farewells from him for a second time, and so it is said: "Furthermore, when Joshua sent them". Rabbi Yudan said: "The tribe of Reuben and Gad were the attendants of Joshua and joined with him at the Jordan, and when they saw that his attendants were lessened they returned and joined up with him until his house. The later blessing was greater than the first; see! It is written: "and said to them, “Return to your homes with great wealth—with very much livestock, with silver and gold, with copper and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing. Share the spoil of your enemies with your kinsmen (Joshua 22:8)"". And another interpreted that thus it is written: "On the eighth day he let the people go. They bade the king good-bye (1 Kings 8:66)". Teaching what does it say: "On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people to their homes. They bade the king goodbye (2 Chronicles 7:10)"? Rather they received a farewell from him, and they stayed there several days afterward and they repeated the receiving of farewells a second time, and thus is it said: "On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he dismissed the people". Rabbi Levi said: "It is written: "They observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the Feast seven days (2 Chronicles 7:9)": do you not have seven days before the festival which had among them Shabbat and Yom Kippur, and Israel was drinking, eating, rejoicing, and lighting lights for seven days? And finally they returned and felt upset about the matter. They said: "You will say that in our hands is a sin because we desecrated Shabbat and did not fast on Yom Kippur". And so to pacify them that the Holy One, blessed be He, was pleased with their deeds, he emitted a divine voice that said to them: "All of you are from the children of the World to Come", and the later blessing was greater than the first, as it is said: "and went to their homes, joyful and glad of heart (1 Kings 8:66)". Rabbi Yitzchak said: ""Joyful" because they found their wives pure, and "glad of heart" because they became pregnant with males". Rabbi Levi said: "He emitted a divine voice that said to them: "All of you are from the children of the World to Come"". And another interpreted that thus it is written: "She went away (2 Kings 4:5)". Teaching what does it say: "She came and told the man of God (2 Kings 4:7)"? Rather "and the oil stopped (2 Kings 4:6)" because the oil was more valuable, and she came to ask if she should sell or not sell. The later blessing was greater than the first: "And you and your children can live on the rest (2 Kings 4:7)": until the dead live. And when Shimon son of Yochai saw them that they were people of refinement, he sent with them one companion of the scholars to know what they were interpreting on the road and one of them interpreted: "As it is written: "The angel of God, who had been going ahead of the Israelite army, now moved and followed behind them (Exodus 14:19)". Teaching what does it say: "And the pillar of cloud shifted from in front of them and took up a place behind them"? Rather this is the measure of judgment because it was threatening Israel the Holy One, blessed be He, turned it around and it threatened the Egyptians". And another interpreted: "It is written: "When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth (Genesis 9:15): "between God": this is the measure of judgment above, "and all living creatures, all flesh that is on earth": this is the measure of judgment below. The measure of judgment about is hard, and the measure of judgment below is bendable". And one from them interpreted: "Wisdom is better than rubies; no goods can equal her (Proverbs 8:11)" and in another place it says: "She is more precious than rubies; all of your goods cannot equal her (Proverbs 3:15)". "Your goods": these are the commandments and good deeds. "Your goods": these are gemstones and pearls". Rabbi Acha in the name of Rabbi Tanchuma son of Rabbi Chiyya: "My goods and your goods cannot equal her "For only in this should one glory: In his earnest devotion to Me. For I Hashem act with kindness, Justice, and equity in the world; For in these I delight —declares the Hashem (Jeremiah 9:23)". The Parthian King Artaban sent to Rabbi Judah a priceless pearl and he said to him: "Send to me something of a value like the value of this". So Rabbi sent to him a mezuzah. He sent and said to him: "I sent to you an item of great value and you sent to me an item whose value is one polar!" He said to him: "My goods and your goods cannot equal her". And further you sent me something that it is necessary for me to protect, but I sent you something which is full of knowledge and will protect you, as it is said: "When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you (Proverbs 6:22)": "When you walk it will lead you" in this world. "When you lie down it will watch over you": in the time of death. "And when you are awake it will talk with you": in the future to come".