מדרש אויף ירמיהו 35:7

(Genesis 24:34): It was learned — there were 13 that never tasted the taste of death. These were them: The milcham [phoenix] bird and its [species], Enoch the son of Yered, Serah the daughter of Asher, Batya the daughter of Pharaoh, Jabez, Hiram the king of Tyre, Elijah, Ebed-melech the Kushite, the Messiah, the cohort of Jonadab the son of Rechab, Rabbi Judah the Prince's grandson, Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Levi, and Eliezer the servant of Abraham. Why the milcham bird? Because when Eve ate from the tree, and afterward they both gave [from it] to all the creatures to taste, when they gave [it] to the milcham bird, it did not want to eat [it]. The Holy One, blessed be He, [then] said, "I will make it stand forever as an example for all the generations. It and its species will testify about the merit of the Jewish people in the future." And it is still in that city that the angel of death built, and they are fruitful and multiply like the other creatures. But when they become a thousand years old, they become small like a chick and then grow to be like an eagle and never die. Why Enoch? Since everyone in his generation was completely wicked and he was completely righteous. Hence, he resembled the ministering angels. Serah the daughter of Asher, because she had always been righteous. And when the sons of Jacob went up from Egypt and found Joseph alive, the holy spirit disappeared from Jacob until the day he was told, Joseph is still alive (Genesis 45:26). At that time, he said to her, "You should likewise live forever." And it clung to her since she had always been righteous. So she is still sheltered in the Garden of Eden. Batya the daughter of Pharaoh, because she raised Moses and saved him from death. Jabez, because everyone in his generation was righteous, but he was the greatest of them all. And he was Othniel the son of Kenaz. Hiram the king of Tyre went into the Garden of Eden but left. He entered because he toiled [in building] the Temple. Hence they placed him in the Garden of Eden for 400 years. In the end, he became haughty-hearted and said: I am a god; I sit enthroned like a god (Ezekiel 28:2) — hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Ezekiel: say to the prince of Tyre, "Because you have been so haughty [... You have been] in Eden, the Garden of God, etc." (Ezekiel 28:2-13). So He therefore expelled him from the Garden of Eden and he is [now] in Geihinnom. And were it not that the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to punish Hiram, the Temple would still not be destroyed. As it were, the Temple would have been embarrassed to [take part in] hurting Hiram. Once the Temple was destroyed, He permitted the ministering angels to give him his full sentence for everything he said in front of the divine presence. Why Elijah? Because he was a righteous zealot, son of a zealot. Hence He gave him a covenant of peace to live forever. Ebed-melech the Kushite, because he had mercy upon the prophet Jeremiah, peace be upon him, and took him out from the pit. [So] Jeremiah prayed for him to the Holy One, blessed be He, and He gave Him eternal life. Why the Messiah? Because he was in a wicked generation and he saw his fathers, the kings of the House of David, worshipping idolatry; but he repudiated them and chose the Holy One, blessed be He, and sought mercy for the Jewish people, to fast and to pray for them, as it is stated: But he was wounded because of our sins, etc. and by his bruises we were healed (Isaiah 53:5). Hence he was hidden, so that he will redeem the Jewish people with the ingathering of the exiles and rejoice with them during the resurrection of the dead. Why Jonadab and his cohort? Because he was in a wicked generation, but when he heard the rebukes that Jeremiah was giving over to the Jewish people at the time of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, that the Temple would be destroyed in the future and the Jewish people exiled, he stood and made his children and all of his cohort take an oath that they would not build houses, etc. so that you may live long (Jeremiah 35:7). Because of this, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: There shall [never] cease to be a man of the line of Jonadab, etc. (Jeremiah 35:19). And they are still in the land of Eden and they will live forever. Rabbi Judah the Prince's grandson, due to his great humility and righteousness, he was of a lowly spirit. He never lifted his eyes even towards his wife, all the more so towards the wife of his fellow. And due to his great modesty and fear [of God], he merited to enter the Garden of Eden while living. Why Rabbi Yehoshua the son of Levi? Since he never asked [to annul] his oath, and [due to] that which happened with the angel of death. Eliezer, because he said, "I am a descendant of Cham who was cursed together with his descendants by Noah to be a servant to his brothers forever. It is better for me to serve a servant of God, may He be blessed, and not to serve a servant of idolatry." So he converted and stood with Abraham to learn humility, righteousness, and justice. Come and see his humility! For when they wanted to honor him greatly in Aram Neharaim, he belittled himself and said: I am the servant of Abraham (Genesis 24:34). And also [because] he was suspected of something that was not true about him.

Blessed is the one who does not have a passion for wine, for you find such to be the case with the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, in that their ancestor had commanded and told them not to drink wine. But what was his reason for not drinking wine? It is simply that he had heard Jeremiah prophesying that the temple would be destroyed. He said to them: From now on you are to be in mourning. (Jer. 35:7:) YOU SHALL NOT BUILD A HOUSE, [SOW SEED,] PLANT A VINEYARD, OR OWN SUCH THINGS; BUT YOU SHALL DWELL IN TENTS ALL {THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE} [ALL YOUR DAYS]. Now they had observed the commandments of their ancestor; but when Jeremiah was prophesying to Israel < and > telling them to repent, they were not doing so. The Holy One said to Jeremiah: You are telling them to repent, and they are not doing so. Now in the case of the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, when their ancestor gave them a simple commandment, they observed it; but when I tell Israel to repent, they do not observe < my commandment >. It is so stated (in Jer. 35:14): THE {WORD} [WORDS] OF JONADAB BEN RECHAB HAVE BEEN UPHELD. HE COMMANDED HIS CHILDREN NOT TO DRINK WINE, AND TO THIS DAY THEY HAVE NOT DRUNK IT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE {OBSERVED} [OBEYED] THE COMMANDMENTS OF THEIR ANCESTOR. BUT I SPOKE {TO YOU} [UNTO YOU] {FROM EARLY MORNING TO LATE EVENING} [CONSTANTLY], AND YOU DID NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME. What is written there? The Holy One said to Jeremiah: Say to them: By your life, whereas you have heeded this commandment, your lineage shall never disappear from before me, even as it is written (in vs. 19): THEREFORE, THUS SAYS THE LORD [OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL]: SOMEONE BELONGING TO JONADAB BEN RECHAB SHALL NOT {EVER} BE CUT OFF [FROM STANDING] BEFORE ME FOR EVER. He therefore enlightens them concerning wine (in Lev. 10:9): DRINK NO WINE OR INTOXICATING LIQUOR. Isaiah said (in Is. 24:11): THERE IS A CRY OVER WINE IN THE STREETS; ALL GLADNESS IS OBSCURED. What is the meaning of ALL GLADNESS IS OBSCURED (rt.: 'RB)?³³Above, Exod. 11:8. < That > all gladness has become dark, just as you say (in Gen. 1:5):³⁴Also Gen. 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31. AND THERE WAS EVENING ('RB). (Is. 24:11, cont.:) THE JOY OF THE EARTH HAS {COME TO AN END} [DEPARTED], because Zion has come to an end. Thus it is written (in Ps. 48:3 [2]): BEAUTEOUS LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world wine is a sign of a curse, but in the world to come I will make it into fresh grape juice. Thus it is stated (in Joel 4:18 [3:18]): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THAT DAY THE MOUNTAINS SHALL FLOW WITH FRESH GRAPE JUICE….

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."