Midrash sa Eclesiastes 6:4: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Vayikra Rabbah

(Lev. 22:26-27:) “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” This text is related (to Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are like the great deep….”²⁷See above, Gen. 2:8; below, Numb. 1:1. “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous ones, in that they have been compared with mountains, where it is stated (in Micah 6:2), “Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord.” (Ps. 36:7, cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:5), “The depths covered them.” “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous, [for] just as these mountains grow herbs, so the righteous possess good works. (Ibid., cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, [for] just as the deep does not grow herbs, so the wicked do not possess good works. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as the mountains are suitable for sowing and producing fruit; so do the righteous produce fruit, in that they do good for themselves and do good for others.²⁸Lev. 27:1. To what is the matter comparable? To a gold bell with a pearl²⁹Gk.: margarites, margaritis, margaritarion, or margellion. clapper. Similarly the righteous do good for themselves and do good for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:9), “Tell the righteous that [all is] well for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their works.” (Ps. 36:7 cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked. Just as the deep is unable to sow and grow fruit, so the wicked do not possess good works and do not grow fruit. Instead they are distressing for themselves and for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:10), “Woe to the bad wicked, as the recompense of his hands will be done to him.” He is bad for himself and bad for others. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains [and Your judgments are like the great deep].” Transpose the text and interpret it:³⁰See also Gen. R. 33:1; PRK 9:1; M. Pss. 36:5. Your righteousness over your judgments is like the mighty mountains over the great deep. Just as these mountains hold down the deep, so that it does not rise up and inundate the earth, so the works of the righteous hold back the divine retributions, so that they will not come into the world. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as these mountains have no end, so there is no end to the reward of the righteous in the world to come. (Ibid., cont.:) “Your judgments are like the great deep.” Just as the deep has no limit, so there is no limit to the divine retributions of the wicked in the world to come. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains (literally, mountains of God); [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Ishmael and R. Aqiva [differ]. R. Ishmael says, “Since the righteous (rt.: tsdq) carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, treats them with a charity (rt.: tsdq) like the mountains of God. But since the wicked do not carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, deals strictly with them, even unto the great deep.” R. Aqiva says, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is as strict with the former as with the latter. From the righteous he collects in this world for a few evil deeds which they have committed, in order to render them full payment in the world to come; while he gives prosperity in abundance to the wicked and pays them in this world for the few good deeds that they have done, in order to punish them in the world to come.” R. Meir says, “[Scripture] has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, and it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode.³¹Above, Gen. 2:8, and the note there. It has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, even as stated (in Ezek. 34:14), “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the mountains of the Lofty One of Israel shall be their fold.” And it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode, as stated (in Ezek. 31:15), “Thus says the Lord God, ‘In the day that he went down to Sheol, I caused him to mourn (he'evalti); I covered him with the deep.’” The written text is "I led" (hovalti, not “I caused… to mourn [he'evalti]”).³²Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2. So interpreted the verse means: “I led him [into Geihinnom]. R. Judah bar Ammi told a parable, “One does not make a cover for a vat of silver, gold, bronze or iron, but rather of clay, because that is a material of the same sort. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Geihinnom is darkness,’ as stated (in Ps. 35:6), ‘Let their path be darkness and slipperiness, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.’ Moreover, the deep is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2), ‘with darkness upon the face of the deep.’ And the wicked are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15), ‘for their works are in darkness; so they say, “Who sees us and who knows about us?”’ So let darkness come and cover darkness, just as you have said (in Eccl. 6:4), ‘For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness; even its name is covered in darkness.’”

Another interpretation (of Ps. 36:7 [6]): YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS LIKE THE MIGHTY MOUNTAINS (literally: MOUNTAINS OF GOD); < YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE LIKE THE GREAT DEEP >. R. Ishmael and R. Aqiva < differ > {say}: [R. Ishmael says:] Since the righteous (rt.: TsDQ) carry out the Torah, which was given from THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD, [the Holy One treats them with a charity (rt.: TsDQ) LIKE THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD. But since the wicked do not carry out the Torah, which was given from THE MOUNTAINS OF GOD,] the Holy One deals strictly with them, even unto the great deep. There are a lot of interpretations for this verse, but in order not to be tiresome, < I am stopping here >.³⁸As Buber explains in his note, these words from the copyist explain his omitting the rest of the section. Buber has filled in the following bracketed section from parallel texts, mainly from Tanh., Lev. 8:5. [R. Aqiva says: The Holy One is as strict with the former as with the latter. From the righteous he collects for a few evil works which they have committed in this world, in order to render them full payment in the world to come; while he gives prosperity in abundance to the wicked and pays them for the few good works that they have done in this world, in order to punish them in the world to come. Rabbi Meir says: < Scripture > has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, and it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode.³⁹Above, Gen. 2:8, and the note there. It has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, even as stated (in Ezek. 34:14): I WILL FEED THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE, AND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF THE LOFTY ONE OF ISRAEL SHALL BE THEIR FOLD. And it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode, as stated (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN (he'evalti); I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP. The Written Text is "I led" (hovalti) (not I CAUSED… TO MOURN [he'evalti]).⁴⁰Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2. So interpreted the verse means: “I led him < into Gehinnom >. R. Judah bar Ammi told a parable: One does not make a cover for a vat of silver, gold, bronze, iron, [or of lead], but of clay, because that is a material of the same sort. Similarly, the Holy One said: Gehinnom is darkness, as stated (in Ps. 35:6): LET THEIR PATH BE DARKNESS AND SLIPPERINESS, WITH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD PURSUING THEM. Moreover, the deep is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. And the wicked are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15): FOR THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS; SO THEY SAY: WHO SEES US? AND WHO KNOWS ABOUT US? So let darkness come and cover darkness, just as you have said (in Eccl. 6:4): FOR IT COMES IN VANITY AND GOES IN DARKNESS; EVEN ITS NAME IS COVERED IN DARKNESS.]

“A bull, or a sheep, or a goat, when it is born, shall be seven days under its mother and from the eighth day on, it shall be accepted as a fire offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 22:27).
“A bull, or a sheep, or a goat” – that is what is written: “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains” (Psalms 36:7). The mountains produce herbs and the righteous have good deeds. Alternatively, “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains” – just as mountains are fit to be sown and produce fruit, so, the righteous produce fruits for themselves and for others. To what is the matter comparable? To a golden bell whose clapper is of pearls;¹The clapper is heard but is hidden from sight. So too, the reward of the righteous in the World to Come is not perceived or shared with others. However, all benefit from the righteous in this world, as all benefit from the beauty of the golden bell (Etz Yosef). so, the righteous benefit themselves and benefit others, as it is stated: “Tell the righteous that it is good, as they will eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10). “Your judgments are vast depths” (Psalms 36:7), these are the wicked. Just as the depths cannot be sown and do not produce fruits, so, the wicked do not have good deeds and they do not produce fruits. Rather, they distress themselves and others, as it is stated: “Woe to the wicked, that he is evil” (Isaiah 3:11), evil for himself and evil for others.
“Your righteousness [tzidkatekha] is like mighty mountains; [Your judgments are vast depths].” Transpose the verse and expound it: Your righteousness over your judgments is like mighty mountains over vast depths. Just as these mountains suppress the depths so they do not inundate the world, so too, charity [tzedaka] suppresses punishment so it will not come to the world. “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains” – just as these mountains are endless, so too, there is no end to the reward given to the righteous. “Your judgments are vast depths” – just as the depths are unquantifiable, so the punishment of the wicked in the future is unquantifiable.
Another matter, “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains.” Rabbi Yishmael says: The righteous, who fulfill the Torah that was given from the mighty mountains, the Holy One blessed be He performs with them charity like the mighty mountains. But the wicked, who do not fulfill the Torah that was given from the mighty mountains, the Holy One blessed be He is exacting with them to the vast depths. Rabbi Akiva says: He is exacting with these and those. From the righteous He collects payment in this world for the small number of wicked deeds that they performed in this world in order to give them a good reward in the future, and He bestows peace upon the wicked and repays them for the small number of good deeds that they performed in this world in order to exact retribution from them in the future.
Rabbi Meir says: The righteous were likened to their abode, as it is stated: “In good grazing land I will herd them, and on the mountains of the height of Israel will be their pasture” (Ezekiel 34:14). The wicked were likened to their abode, as it is stated: “So said the Lord God: On the day that he descended to the netherworld I caused mourning; I covered the depths for him” (Ezekiel 31:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi said: This is analogous to the fact that one crafts a cover for an earthenware vat neither of silver, nor of gold, nor of other metals, but rather, of earthenware, because it is of the same kind. So, the Holy One blessed be He said: Gehenna is darkness, as it is written: “Let their way be dark and slippery” (Psalms 35:6); the depths are darkness, as it is stated: “Darkness was upon the surface of the depths” (Genesis 1:2); and the wicked are darkness, as it is stated: “Their actions are in the darkness” (Isaiah 29:15). Let darkness come and cover darkness, as it is stated: “For he came in futility, and departs in darkness, and his name is covered in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 6:4).
Another matter, “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The righteousness that you performed on behalf of Noah in the ark “is like the mighty mountains,” as it is stated: “The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4). Your judgments that You performed with his generation, You were exacting with them to “the vast depths,” as it is stated: “On that day all the wellsprings of the vast depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). When You remembered him, you did not remember him alone, but rather, “God remembered Noah and every beast” (Genesis 8:1).
When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi went to Rome, he saw there marble pillars covered with tapestries so they would not crack in the heat or contract in the cold. He saw a certain poor man there with a reed mat beneath him and a reed mat on his back.²Such a mat was hard and uncomfortable to sit or lie on, but also did not provide good protection from the elements. Regarding the pillars he read: “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains.” Where You bestow, You bestow benevolently. Regarding the poor man he read: “Your judgments are vast depths.” Where You strike, You are very exacting.
Alexander of Macedonia went to the king at the end of the earth, beyond the mountains of darkness. He went to a certain province named Carthage in which there were only women. They went out before him and said to him: ‘If you engage in battle with us and overcome us, your reputation will emerge to the world as one who destroyed a district of women. If we engage in battle with you and overcome you, your reputation will emerge to the world as one who was overcome by women, and you will no longer stand before kings.’ When he went out, he wrote on the gate of the city wall: ‘I, Alexander of Macedonia, was a fool until I came to the province of Carthage and learned counsel from women.’
He went to another province named Africa and they emerged before him with golden apples, golden pomegranates, and golden bread. He said: ‘What is this, is gold eaten in your land?’ They said to him: ‘Did you not have it in your land?’³Do you not have food in your land, that you came here for regular food? He said to them: ‘I did not come to see your products, I came to see your judicial system.’ While they were sitting, two men came for judgment before the king. One said: ‘My master the king: I purchased a ruin from this man, and I dug, and I found buried treasure in it. I said to him: Take your treasure, as I purchased a ruin, I did not purchase treasure.’ The other said: ‘Just as you fear the punishment for robbery, so do I fear it. When I sold it to you, I sold you the ruin and everything in it.’ The king addressed one of them and said to him: ‘Do you have a son?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He addressed the other, he said to him: ‘Do you have a daughter?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to them: ‘Go and marry one to the other, and both of them can partake of the treasure.’ Alexander of Macedonia became astonished. The king said to him: ‘Why are you astonished? Did I not judge well?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘If this case had been in your land, what would you have done?’ He said to him: ‘Beheaded this one and beheaded that one and the treasure would have gone to the king’s palace.’ [The king] said: ‘Does the sun shine in your land?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘Does rain fall in your land?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘Are there, perhaps, small domesticated animals in your land?’ [He said: ‘Yes.’] He said to him: ‘May that man despair,⁴The king said to Alexander: That man, i.e., you, should despair. it is only thanks to the small domesticated animals that the sun shines upon you and the rain falls upon you. Due to the small domesticated animals you survive.’ That is what is written: “The Lord will save man and animal” (Psalms 36:7); man, thanks to animal, the Lord will save.
Israel said: ‘Master of the universe, we are like man, save us like an animal,⁵Although we are human and sin with full knowledge of the consequences, save us like you would an animal, which cannot be held accountable for its actions. because we are drawn after You like an animal.’ That is what is written: “Draw me after you, we will run” (Song of Songs 1:4). To where are we drawn after you? To the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “They are sated by the rich fare of Your House; You give them to drink from the stream of Your delights [adanekha]” (Psalms 36:9).⁶The midrash interprets the word adanekha to mean Your Edens. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Menaḥem said: Your Eden [ednekha] is not written here, but rather, Your Edens [adanekha]. This teaches that each and every righteous person has an Eden of his own.
“The Lord will save man and animal.” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The law of man and the law of animal are equal. The law of man: “On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised” (Leviticus 12:3). The law of animal: “From the eighth day on, it shall be accepted [as a fire offering to the Lord].”