Midrash sa Isaias 1:16: Kohelet Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Pesikta Rabbati

“Cast your bread on the surface of the water, for after many days you will find it (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
“Cast your bread on the surface of the water” – Rabbi Beivai said: If you sought to perform charity, perform it with those who toil in Torah study, as water stated here is nothing other than words of Torah, as it is stated: “Anyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1).¹This verse is interpreted as using the term water to refer to Torah, as implied by the continuation: “Incline your ear and come to Me, hear and your soul shall live” (Isaiah 55:3). Rabbi Akiva said: When I was coming by sea, I saw a ship that sank in the sea, and I was very sorry about a certain Torah scholar who was on it and [must have] drowned. When I arrived at the province of Kapotkeya, I saw him, that he was sitting before me and asking questions. I said to him: ‘My son, how did you ascend from the sea?’ He said: ‘Rabbi, due to your prayer, each wave cast me to another, and another to another until they caused me to reach dry land.’ I said to him: ‘My son, what deeds do you have to your credit?’ He said: ‘When I boarded the ship, a certain unfortunate man encountered me. He said to me: Perform charity for me, and I gave him a loaf. He said to me: Just as you gave me my life with your gift, so may your life be given to you.’ I read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
There was an incident involving a certain large ship that set sail in the Mediterranean Sea. The wind took hold of it and brought it to a place where there was no flowing water.²The water currents in that location swirled in such a way that the ship was unable to progress. When they realized that they were in serious trouble, they said: Let us share our supplies. If we die, all of us will die. If we live, all of us will live. The Omnipresent enlightened their eyes and they took a goat, roasted it, and suspended it on the west side of the ship. A great beast came after its aroma and began dragging [the ship] until it cast it into flowing water and they traveled on. When they arrived and entered Rome, they recounted the incident to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua. They read in their regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Bar Kappara was digging³Some commentaries contend that the text should read: Bar Kappara was strolling (Matnot Kehuna; Etz Yosef). on the coast at Caesarea. He saw a ship that had sunk in the sea and a governor ascending from it unclothed. When [bar Kappara] saw him, he approached him, inquired after his welfare, and gave him two sela. What [else] did he do? He took him into his house, fed him, gave him to drink, and gave him an additional three sela. He said to him: ‘A prominent man like you will [need to] spend an additional three sela.’ Sometime later, Jews were incarcerated in Safefasa. They said: ‘Who will go and appease [the authorities] on our behalf?’ They said to each other: ‘Bar Kappara, as he is esteemed by the government.’ He said to them: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ They said to him: ‘There are five hundred dinars here; take them and appease them on our behalf.’ He took five hundred dinars and ascended to the governmental authorities. When the governor saw him, [the governor] stood on his feet and inquired after his welfare. [The governor] said to him: ‘Why did the Rabbi trouble himself to come here?’ [Bar Kappara] said to him: ‘I am requesting from you that you have mercy on these Jews.’ [The governor] said to him: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ [Bar Kappara] said to him: ‘I have with me five hundred dinars. Take them and be appeased in our regard.’ [The governor] said to him: ‘Let these dinars be payment to you for the five sela that you gave me, and [the members of] your nation will be freed in exchange for the food and the drink that you fed me and gave me to drink in your house, and go you in peace, with great honor.’ They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua was strolling on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He saw a ship that was being tossed in the sea, and in an instant, it sank along with everything that was on it. He saw one man who was sitting on one of the planks of the ship. [His plank was tossed] from one wave to another; he ascended to dry land when he was naked, and he hid on the seacoast. It was the season when Jews ascend to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage festival. He said to them: ‘I am from the descendants of Esau your brother. Give me some minimal garments, and I will cover my nakedness, as the sea stripped me bare and I was left with nothing.’ They said to him: ‘May your entire nation be stripped bare in this manner.’ He lifted his eyes and saw Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua strolling among them. He said: ‘I see that you are an elderly and respected man in your nation, and you are wise in the ways of the dignity of people. Perform charity for me and give me a covering, for the sea stripped me bare.’ Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua had on him seven cloaks. He removed one and gave it to him. He led him to his house, fed him, gave him to drink, gave him two hundred dinars, transported him fourteen parasangs, and accorded him great honor until he brought him into his [own] house.
Sometime later, the evil emperor died, and they appointed a king in his place. He decreed on that province that all the men were to be executed and all the women to be plundered.⁴The new king was the man who had been saved from the ship. He issued the decree because the Jews of that province had treated him so poorly in his time of need. They said to Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua: ‘Go and appease them on our behalf.’ He said to them: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ They said to him: ‘There are four thousand dinars here; take them and appease them on our behalf.’ He took them and ascended, and stood at the gate of the royal palace.
He said to them: ‘Go and say to the king: One Jewish man is standing at the gate and he wishes to ask after the welfare of the king.’ [The king] said: ‘Bring him in.’ When the king saw him, he threw himself off his throne and fell on his face. He said: ‘What business does my master have here, and why did my master trouble himself to come here?’ [Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua] said: ‘It is so you will have mercy on that province and abrogate that decree.’ He said to him: ‘Is there any untruth written in the Torah?’ He said to him: ‘No.’ He said to him: ‘Is it not written in your Torah: “An Amonite and a Moavite shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4)? Why? “Because they did not greet you with bread and with water” (Deuteronomy 23:5). And it is written: “Do not despise an Edomite, as he is your brother” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Am I not a descendant of Esau your brother?⁵The Edomites were descendants of Esau. This man was Roman, and the Sages identified Rome as descendants of the Edomites. But they did not treat me with kindness. One who violates the Torah incurs liability to be executed.’
Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said to him: ‘Even though they have incurred liability toward you, pardon them and have mercy on them.’ He said to him: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ He said to him: ‘I have with me four thousand dinars. Take them and have mercy on them.’ He said to him: ‘Let these four thousand be given to you in exchange for the two hundred that you gave me, and the entire province will be pardoned because of you, in exchange for the food and the drink that you fed me and gave me to drink. Go into my treasury and take for yourself seven cloaks of garments in exchange for the cloak that you gave to me. Go in peace to your people, and I will pardon them because of you.’ They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
There was an incident involving a certain man who each day would take one loaf and cast it into the Mediterranean Sea. One day he went and purchased a fish. He cut it open and found a jewel in it. They said to him: This is the man who received a return for his loaves. They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There was an incident involving a merchant who was walking along the way along with a certain soldier. As they were walking together they developed a fondness for one another. When they entered the city, [the merchant] brought him in with him, fed him, and gave him to drink. Sometime later this merchant was arrested for selling garments stained with blood.⁶The suspicion was that he had attacked travelers and stolen their garments. That soldier heard, and he came to him. He said to [the merchant]: ‘What are you doing here?’ [The merchant] recounted the incident to him. [The soldier] said to him: ‘When you go out to be tried, say to them that so-and-so knows to speak in my favor.’ When he went out to be tried, he said: ‘So-and-so knows to speak in my favor.’ They said to [the soldier]: ‘What favorable [considerations] do you know about this [individual]?’ He said to them: ‘The brother of someone who was killed owed me [money], but he did not have anything to give. He gave me his⁷The garments of his dead brother. garments, and I gave them to this one to sell them for me.’ They said: ‘A trustworthy one received it from a trustworthy one,’ and he was freed. They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Simai interpreted it regarding Abraham our patriarch. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You said: “I will take a loaf of bread [and you shall sustain your heart]” (Genesis 18:5); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “Behold I will rain bread down to you from the heavens” (Exodus 16:4). In the settlement, as it is stated: “A land of wheat and barley” (Deuteronomy 8:8). And in the future as it is stated: “There will be an abundance of grain in the land” (Psalms 72:16).
You said: “And wash your feet” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “I will wash you in water…” (Ezekiel 16:9).⁸The verse means that God cleansed them of the impurity of Egypt. In the settlement, as it is stated: “Wash and be purified” (Isaiah 1:16). And in the future as it is stated: “When the Lord will have washed away the excrement of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4).
You said: “Please let a little water be taken” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “Arise, well, [give voice for it]” (Numbers 21:17).⁹Israel recited this expression of praise and gratitude for the miraculous well that provided water for them in the wilderness. In the settlement, as it is stated: “A land of streams of water…” (Deuteronomy 8:7). And in the future as it is stated: “It will be on that day, the mountains will drip nectar and the hills will flow with milk; all the streams of Judah will flow with water…” (Joel 4:18).
You said: “Recline under the tree” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “He spread a cloud for a screen” (Psalms 105:39). In the settlement, as it is stated: “You shall dwell in booths seven days; every native in Israel shall dwell in booths” (Leviticus 23:42). And in the future as it is stated: “It will be a shelter for shade by day…” (Isaiah 4:6).

For great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11). This is Yom Kippur, when the books of life and death are sealed. Whence do we know that this verse also refers to the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Isaiah reminded (the people) that this was so, when he said: Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek justice (Isa. 1:16–17). That is, one must repent during those days. Then he added: Come now, and let us reason together (ibid., v. 18), that is, on the tenth day, the day of admonition, during which the Holy One, blessed be He, cleanses away (lit. whitens) the sins of Israel, as is said: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (ibid.). For His camp is very great. This refers to the angels who plead in behalf of or against the Israelites. For He is mighty who fulfilleth His word (Joel 2:11). Who is the mighty one amongst them (the angels)? He who fulfilleth His word.

“It will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1). Where was it said of them?³⁵Where was it said, “You are not My people.” When they performed that action,³⁶The making of the Golden Calf. the Holy One blessed be He called them Moses’ people, as it is stated: “Go, descend, as your people have become corrupted” (Exodus 32:7). Immediately, Moses girded his loins in prayer, as it is stated: “Moses implored the Lord his God…” (Exodus 32:11). This is analogous to a king who saw his wife kissing a eunuch.³⁷One of the king’s servants. He said to her attendant: ‘I am divorcing her, I am casting her out of my house. Let her go to her father’s house.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘Because I found her kissing a eunuch.’ He said to him: ‘Now she will produce for you fine and mighty sons, and they will descend with you to war.’³⁸The attendant suggests that sons begat by the eunuch will be soldiers for the king. [The king responded] ‘There is no expectation from him, he will not beget for me.’ [The attendant said:] ‘Are you angry over a matter that does not involve any benefit?’ So, “Lord, why will your wrath be enflamed against Your people…” (Exodus 32:11). Moses said to him: ‘The calf that Israel crafted, does it assist You? Does it cause rains to fall and You produce the dews?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Is there any expectation from it?’ Moses said to Him: ‘If it has no substance, why are You angry?’ “Lord, why will your wrath be enflamed against Your people…Why will [Egypt] say…Remember Abraham…” (Exodus 32:11–13). What is written thereafter? “The Lord reconsidered the evil [that He had spoken to do to His people]” (Exodus 32:14). That is, “it will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God].”
Another matter, “it will be that instead…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is written before the matter? “Go, take for yourself a wife of licentiousness…He went and took Gomer, …and she conceived and bore him a son” (Hosea 1:2–3), and the entire matter.³⁹Consider the whole episode of Gomer, which is found in Hosea. “Call his name Not My People, as you are not My people” (Hosea 1:9), and then, “it will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1). If, when He was angry at them, He was so fond of them; when he loves them, all the more so. To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who became angry at his wife. He said: ‘I am divorcing her and I will not have mercy on her children. She is not my wife and I am not her husband.’ He went down to the marketplace and went to the goldsmith. He said to him: ‘Craft gold jewelry for my wife.’ His friend went and found him at the goldsmith who had crafted jewelry for his wife. He went and told her neighbors: ‘Have you not heard that the king is quarreling with his wife and he is saying in her regard: I am divorcing her? Now, I saw him at the goldsmith saying to him: Craft jewelry for my wife.’ So, when the Holy One blessed be He became angry with Israel, He said to Hosea: “Take for yourself a wife of licentiousness…”; I will not seek her, “the land will stray…” (Hosea 1:2); I will have no mercy upon her, “call her name No Mercy” (Hosea 1:6); she is not Mine and I am not hers, “as you are not My people and I will not be yours” (Hosea 1:9). Hosea said to the nations of the world: ‘What do you think? Because He said to them these matters, “as you are not My people,” that He is angry at them? See what He says to them. What is written thereafter? “It will be that instead of it being said of them: [You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God].”’
Likewise, Isaiah says: “Hear, heavens and listen, earth, [as the Lord has spoken: I have reared children and raised them up and they have rebelled against Me]” (Isaiah 1:2), “Woe, sinful nation” (Isaiah 1:4). What is written thereafter? “Let us go now and reason together, [says the Lord; if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool]”⁴⁰Undyed wool, which is white. (Isaiah 1:18). “Wash, purify…[cease performing evil” (Isaiah 1:16). To what is this matter comparable? It is to the son of a king to whom his father said: ‘Go to school.’ He went to the marketplace and he began playing with the lads. His father knew that he had not gone to school. He cursed him and sounded words of reprimand. Then he said to him: ‘Wash your hands and come dine with me.’ So, Isaiah said: “I have reared children…[and they have rebelled against Me].” When he concludes the entire matter, what does he say: “Let us go now and reason together, [says the Lord; if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool].”
Likewise Jeremiah, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “What do you see, Jeremiah? I said: [I see] a branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11), “a steaming pot…from the north evil will be released” (Jeremiah 1:13–14). What is written thereafter? “Go, and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: [So said the Lord: I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials]… Israel is sacred [to the Lord…]” (Jeremiah 2:2–3). This is analogous to a king who took a wife. He would say there is none fairer than she, there is none more praiseworthy than she, there is none more level-headed than she. Her attendant entered the house and saw her repulsive, the house untidy, the beds unmade. Her attendant said: ‘If only you would have heard how your husband has praised you in the marketplace. That praise is not consistent with these actions.’ The attendant said: ‘If when she is repulsive he praises her so, were she proper, all the more so.’ So, Jeremiah’s generation were sinners, and he says to them: “I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth…” (Jeremiah 2:2). Jeremiah said: ‘If only you would hear what He is saying about you: “Go, and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: So said the Lord: I have remembered for you the kindness of your youth…Israel is sacred [to the Lord].”’ He said: ‘If when they are sinning so, He is fond of them, when they are performing His will, all the more so.’ Here, too, “you are not My people…” What is written thereafter? “It will be that instead […it will be said of them: Children of the living God]” (Hosea 2:1).