Midrash sa Job 14:5: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Midrash Tehillim

(Lev. 26:3:) “If [you walk] in My statutes (huqqim).” This text is related (to Job 14:5), “If his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have set limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass.” What is the meaning of “If his days are determined?” When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He determined the days of each and every one, as stated (in Gen. 1:14), “and let them be for signs, seasons, days, and years.” Now to whom did He give them? To Israel, as stated (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes (huqqim) and His ordinances to Israel.” (Job 14:5, cont.:) “The number of his months is with You; You have set his limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel. “If you have carried out My statutes (huqqim), the adversary (Satan) shall not touch you, as stated, ‘that he shall not pass.’ But if you do not carry out My statutes, behold that the adversary will touch you, as stated (of death in Is. 28:19), ‘As often as he passes, he shall seize you.’¹In other words, Israel is safe from the death-dealing Adversary as long as the statutory limits (huqqim) remain intact through Israel’s observance of them. I said so to Solomon, when he asked for wisdom. And what did I say to him? (I Kings 3:13:) ‘I have also granted you what you did not ask, both riches and honor.’ So if you fulfill the Torah, the angel of death shall not touch you, as stated to him (in I Kings 3:14), ‘If you go in My ways to fulfill My statutes and My commandments as David your father did, [then I will lengthen your days].’” Ergo, (in Job 14:5) “You have set limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass….” If the first Adam had observed the Torah and the commandments that I gave him, he would not have died. Therefore, it is written (in Lev. 26:3) “If you walk in My statutes (huqqim)….”

(Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES (huqqim)…. This text is related (to Job 14:5): IF HIS DAYS ARE DETERMINED, [THE NUMBER OF HIS MONTHS IS WITH YOU; YOU HAVE SET LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS]. What is the meaning of IF HIS DAYS ARE DETERMINED?¹Tanh., Lev. 10:1. When the Holy One created the world, he determined the days of each and every one, as stated (in Gen. 1:14): AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS, SEASONS, [DAYS, AND YEARS]. Now to whom did he give them? To Israel, as stated (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, [HIS STATUTES (huqqim) AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL]. (Job 14:5, cont.:) THE NUMBER OF HIS MONTHS IS WITH YOU; YOU HAVE SET HIS LIMITS (huqqim). The Holy One said to Israel: If you have carried out {his} [my] statutes (huqqim), the Adversary (Satan) shall not touch you, although it is stated (of Death in Is. 28:19): AS OFTEN AS HE TRANSGRESSES, HE SHALL SEIZE YOU.²Buber has noted the amplified, more understandable parallel in Tanh., Lev. 10:1: The Holy One said to Israel: “If you have carried out my statutes (huqqim), the Adversary shall not touch you, as stated (in Job 14:5): THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS. But if you do not carry out my statutes (huqqim), then the Adversary shall touch you, as stated (in Is. 28:19): AS OFTEN AS HE TRANSGRESSES, HE SHALL SEIZE YOU.” In other words, Israel is safe from the death-dealing Adversary as long as the statutory limits (huqqim) remain intact through Israel’s observance of them. (Job 14:5, cont.:) YOU HAVE SET HIS LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS. I said so to Solomon, when he asked for wisdom. And what did I say to him? (I Kings 3:13:) I HAVE ALSO GRANTED YOU WHAT YOU DID NOT ASK, BOTH RICHES AND HONOR. So if you fulfill the Torah, the angel of death shall not touch you, as stated to him (in I Kings 3:14): THEN I WILL LENGTHEN YOUR DAYS. (Job 14:5:) YOU HAVE SET LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS…. If the first Adam had observed the Torah, the ordinances that I gave him, he would not have died. Therefore, it is written (in Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES (huqqim)….

Another matter, a lamp to my feet. When did David say this verse? When he was going to the Valley of Rephaim. Nevertheless, he did not go to battle until he inquired with the Urim and Thummim if he should fight against the sons of Manasseh who fell upon him, as it is stated in Chronicles 1:12:21, "As he was going to Ziklag, Manasseh's raiders fell upon him, etc." They helped David and killed the raiders, as it is stated in Samuel 1:30:17, "And David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day, etc." And who was enlightening them? Lightning and thunder were lighting the way for him. "Be my light, O Lord, and my salvation." Similarly, when he was going to the Valley of Rephaim, he did not go to battle until he inquired with the Urim and Thummim. Also, when Samuel came to anoint David, the angels were arguing before the Lord, saying, "Master of the universe, why are you taking the kingship away from Saul and giving it to David?" He said to them, "I will show you the difference between Saul and David. Saul went and inquired with the Urim and Thummim. When he saw the Philistines, he said to the priest, 'Withdraw your hand,' and he did not finish what he was saying, as it is stated in Samuel 1:14:19, "And it came to pass, as Saul talked unto the priest, etc." But David, when the Philistines attacked him in the Valley of Rephaim, at that very moment, he began to inquire with the Urim and Thummim, as it is stated in Samuel 2:5:22-23, "And they continued to attack and scatter in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired again of God, and God said to him, 'Do not attack them from the front, rather circle around and come against them from the balsam trees, etc.' And David attacked them, etc." And why did He give him a sign with the tops of the balsam trees and not from behind them? Rabbi Berechiah said, "Because they were all thorns." And whenever Israel is in distress, etc. (Job 14:1) If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. Regarding the symbol given to Job, Rabbi Berechiah said that it was placed at the beginning of the book because it is full of thorns. As long as Israel is in distress, their suffering is before Him, as it says, "I am with him in trouble" (Psalm 91:15). When the Philistines approached and Israel saw them only eight cubits away, they asked David, "What shall we do?" He replied, "We have already been commanded from Heaven not to stretch out our hand against them until we see the tops of the trees waving." If we do reach out to them, they will kill us. It is better to die innocent than to die guilty. Instead, let us and you direct our eyes to our Father in Heaven. As soon as we put our trust in God, all the trees began to wave. They immediately reached out and struck the Philistines, as it says, "So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines" (2 Samuel 5:25). God said to His angels, "See what is between Saul and David. Who caused David to be saved and His word to shine upon him? Be a lamp to his feet."