מדרש אויף איוב 7:1

With whose opinion does our Mishnah agree? Neither with that of R. Maier, nor with that of R. Juda, nor with that of R. Jose, nor with that of R. Nathan; for we are taught in a Baraitha that R. Maier says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, and on the Day of Atonement their sentence is fixed." R. Joshua says: "All are called to account on the New Year's Day, but each sentence is passed upon at its special time: on Passover in respect to grain; at Pentecost in respect to the fruit of the trees; at Tabernacles in respect to rain; and man is called to account on the New Year's Day, and his sentence is passed upon on the Day of Atonement." R. Jose says: "Judgment is every day passed upon men, as it is said (Job 7, 1) Thou rememberest him every morning." R. Nathan holds that men are judged at all times, as it is said (Ib.) Thou triest him every moment. [Hence our Mishnah agrees with no authority]. And if you should say that the Mishnah indeed agrees with the opinion of R. Juda, and our Mishnah refers to the passing of judgment, even so there would still remain difficulty about [the judgment of] men [for R. Juda says it is on the Day of Atonement, while our Mishnah says on New Year's Day]. Said Raba: "The Tana of our Mishnah is in accord with the academy of R. Ishmael; for it was taught in the academy of R. Ishmael: At four periods is the world judged: on Passover, in regard to grain; on Pentecost, in regard to the fruit of trees; on Tabernacles, in regard to rain; but man is judged on New Year's Day and the final sentence is passed upon him on the Day of Atonement. But our Mishnah speaks only about the opening of the trial. Said R. Chisda: "What is the reason of R. Jose's opinion?" Did not R. Jose give as reason the passage (Job 7, 18) Thou rememberest him every moment? We must therefore say that R. Chisda asked as follows: "Why does not R. Jose, in support of his opinion, quote the same passage as R. Nathan? Because trying is not judging, but merely investigating." If so, then remembering is also not judging, but merely investigating the case]. Therefore, said R. Chisda, the opinion of R. Jose is based on the following passage (I Kings 8, 59) That God may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel every day. Another thing said R. Chisda: "When a king and the people appear before justice, the king should be considered first; as it is written (Ib.) To maintain the cause of his servant (David, the king); and after this it says, and the cause of His people." Why so? If you wish, you may say because it would not be good ethics to have the king sit outside of the court during the trial of the people; and if you wish you may say, it [the king] should be tried before the court gets excited with anger. Said R. Joseph: "According to whom do we nowadays pray for the sick and for the faint [scholars]? It is according to the opinion of R. Jose [who maintains that man is judged every day]. And if you wish you can say it agrees even with the opinion of the Rabbis, as, for example, with that of R. Isaac who said that it is well that man should cry for help before as well as after, the divine decree."

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The heavens were perfected [nishtakhlelu] through [the addition of] the sun, moon, and constellations, and the earth was perfected through [the addition of] trees, vegetation, and the Garden of Eden. Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The creations were all made in generic form [mekhulalim],⁵When they were first created they were without their full shape and detail, and during the six days of creation they expanded and developed into their full form. and they gradually expanded.
“And their entire host [tzevaam]” – Rabbi Elazar said: There are three kinds of tzava:⁶The word is used in three different senses. The common denominator of them all is that they refer to things that come in abundance. The tzava of the heavens and the earth, the tzava of the students, and the tzava of suffering. The tzava of the heavens and the earth, as it is stated: “The heavens and the earth and their entire host [tzevaam] were completed.” The tzava of the students, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “All the days of my teaching students [tzeva’i], I wait until my replacement comes” (Job 14:14) – until my replacement arises. The tzava of suffering, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Behold, there is suffering [tzava] for man upon earth” (Job 7:1).
[Another interpretation of this last verse:] All a person’s aspirations [tzivion] are only on the earth.⁷For earthly matters, such as achieving wealth and comfort. But of what benefit is it for him, since “his days are like the days of a hired laborer” (Job 7:1).
Naḥman son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: If one merits, tzava⁸A great deal of success. will be his, but if not, the tzava⁹Great tragedy. will be upon him.¹⁰The word “upon” in Job 7:1 is written (ketiv) על, but pronounced (keri) עלי, allowing for two interpretations: Either the tzava is for the benefit of the man, or it overcomes him. When one builds a building, if he is fortunate, the tzava is his. If he falls from it and dies, the tzava overcomes him. If one eats his bread and enjoys it, tzava is his. If it gets stuck in his throat and chokes him, the tzava overcomes him. And the Holy One blessed be He has appointed many kinds of tzava for man in order to collect His due – many bears, many lions, many snakes, many fiery serpents, many scorpions.¹¹The lesson is that the pursuit of material gain may ultimately be detrimental to a person. Moreover, “his days are like the days of a hired laborer.”