כִּי־ב֭וֹ יִשְׂמַ֣ח לִבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י בְשֵׁ֖ם קָדְשׁ֣וֹ בָטָֽחְנוּ׃
װאָרום מיט אים פֿרײט זיך אונדזער האַרץ, װאָרום אױף זײַן הײליקן נאָמען האָבן מיר זיך פֿאַרזיכערט.
Shemot Rabbah
“They brought the Tabernacle” – that is what is written: “Might and grandeur are her garment, and she laughs at the final day” (Proverbs 31:25). What is “at the final day”? It is that all the reward of the righteous is prepared for them in the World to Come. That is, “she laughs at the final day.” There was an incident involving Rabbi Abahu who was departing from the world and saw all the good that was prepared for him in the World to Come. He began rejoicing and said: ‘All this is for Abahu? “But I said: For nothing I labored, I expended my strength for emptiness and futility; indeed, my portion is from the Lord and my accomplishment is from my God”’ (Isaiah 49:4).6He had thought that he was undeserving. That is, “she laughs at the final day.”
Another matter, when is the Torah favorable [mesaḥeket] for one who toils in it? On the final day, as it is stated: “She laughs [vatisḥak] at the final day.” Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yosei ben Patros, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, each and every one of them recited a verse at the moment of their departure from the world. One of them recited: “Therefore, everyone who is pious to You should pray at the time of searching, so the torrent of mighty waters does not reach him” (Psalms 32:6). One recited: “How great is Your goodness that You have in store for those who fear You, which You have created for those taking refuge in You, to be bestowed before the people” (Psalms 31:20). And one recited: “For our heart rejoices in Him” (Psalms 33:21). That is [proof] that at the time of departure of the righteous, the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward that they are given and causes them to rejoice.
Ben Azai said: “Weighty [yakar] in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). When does the Holy One blessed be He inform the righteous of the honor [yekar] that is prepared for them? It is adjacent to their death, as it is stated: “The death of His pious ones.” At that moment they see and laugh. That is why, “she laughs at the final day.” There was an incident involving a certain disciple of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai who went out of the Land of Israel and returned wealthy. The disciples would see him and envy him, and they, too, sought, to go out of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Shimon knew and he took them to a certain valley near Meron. He prayed, saying: ‘Valley, valley, fill with gold dinars!’ It began flowing with gold dinars before them. He said to them: ‘If it is gold you seek, here is gold, take it for yourselves; however, know that anyone who takes now, it is his portion of the World to Come that he is taking, as the reward for Torah is given only in the World to Come.’ That is, “she laughs at the final day.”
There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta who arrived [home] on the day before Shabbat and he did not have a source of sustenance.7He did not have enough money to buy food for Shabbat. He exited the city and prayed before God and he was given a gem from the heavens. He gave it to a money changer and bought provisions for that Shabbat. His wife said: ‘From where are these [provisions]?’ He said: ‘From the sustenance provided by the Holy One blessed be He.’ She said to him: ‘If you do not tell me where they are from, I will not taste anything.’ He began relating to her, he said to her: ‘This is how I prayed before God, and it was given me from the heavens.’ She said to him: ‘I will not taste anything until you say to me that you will return it at the conclusion of Shabbat.’ He said to her: ‘Why?’ She said to him: ‘Would you like your table to be lacking and the table of your colleagues intact?’8Do you want to be lacking in the World to Come? Rabbi Shimon went and informed Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] of the incident. He said to him: ‘Tell her that if your table is lacking, I will complete it from my portion.’ He went and told it to her. She said to him: ‘Go with me to the one who taught you Torah.’ She said to him: ‘Rabbi, does a person see his counterpart in the World to Come? Does each and every righteous one not have a world to himself, as it is stated: “For the man goes to his eternal [olamo] home, and the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5)? Olamim is not written, but rather, olamo.’9The singular term is used rather than the plural, indicating that each righteous individual sees only his own eternal home and not multiple eternal homes. Apparently, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi could not refute the argument of Rabbi Shimon’s wife. When [Rabbi Shimon] heard that, he went to return it. Our Rabbis say, the latter miracle was greater than the former. When he extended his hand to return it, immediately, an angel descended and took it from him. Why? Because the reward for Torah is given only in the World to Come, for the final day. That is, “she laughs at the final day.”
Another matter, “might and grandeur are her garment” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant” (Exodus 34:29). “She laughs at the final day,” these are the cynics of Israel, who mocked him and said to one another: ‘Is it possible that the Divine Presence will rest by means of the son of Amram?’ He did not act,10Moses did not respond to their mocking (Etz Yosef). but when God said to him to erect the Tabernacle, he began laughing at them, as it is stated: “She laughs at the final day.” He said to them: ‘Come, let us erect the Tabernacle.’ They began to carry it and come to him, as it is stated: “They brought the Tabernacle.”
Another matter, when is the Torah favorable [mesaḥeket] for one who toils in it? On the final day, as it is stated: “She laughs [vatisḥak] at the final day.” Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yosei ben Patros, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, each and every one of them recited a verse at the moment of their departure from the world. One of them recited: “Therefore, everyone who is pious to You should pray at the time of searching, so the torrent of mighty waters does not reach him” (Psalms 32:6). One recited: “How great is Your goodness that You have in store for those who fear You, which You have created for those taking refuge in You, to be bestowed before the people” (Psalms 31:20). And one recited: “For our heart rejoices in Him” (Psalms 33:21). That is [proof] that at the time of departure of the righteous, the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward that they are given and causes them to rejoice.
Ben Azai said: “Weighty [yakar] in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). When does the Holy One blessed be He inform the righteous of the honor [yekar] that is prepared for them? It is adjacent to their death, as it is stated: “The death of His pious ones.” At that moment they see and laugh. That is why, “she laughs at the final day.” There was an incident involving a certain disciple of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai who went out of the Land of Israel and returned wealthy. The disciples would see him and envy him, and they, too, sought, to go out of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Shimon knew and he took them to a certain valley near Meron. He prayed, saying: ‘Valley, valley, fill with gold dinars!’ It began flowing with gold dinars before them. He said to them: ‘If it is gold you seek, here is gold, take it for yourselves; however, know that anyone who takes now, it is his portion of the World to Come that he is taking, as the reward for Torah is given only in the World to Come.’ That is, “she laughs at the final day.”
There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta who arrived [home] on the day before Shabbat and he did not have a source of sustenance.7He did not have enough money to buy food for Shabbat. He exited the city and prayed before God and he was given a gem from the heavens. He gave it to a money changer and bought provisions for that Shabbat. His wife said: ‘From where are these [provisions]?’ He said: ‘From the sustenance provided by the Holy One blessed be He.’ She said to him: ‘If you do not tell me where they are from, I will not taste anything.’ He began relating to her, he said to her: ‘This is how I prayed before God, and it was given me from the heavens.’ She said to him: ‘I will not taste anything until you say to me that you will return it at the conclusion of Shabbat.’ He said to her: ‘Why?’ She said to him: ‘Would you like your table to be lacking and the table of your colleagues intact?’8Do you want to be lacking in the World to Come? Rabbi Shimon went and informed Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] of the incident. He said to him: ‘Tell her that if your table is lacking, I will complete it from my portion.’ He went and told it to her. She said to him: ‘Go with me to the one who taught you Torah.’ She said to him: ‘Rabbi, does a person see his counterpart in the World to Come? Does each and every righteous one not have a world to himself, as it is stated: “For the man goes to his eternal [olamo] home, and the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5)? Olamim is not written, but rather, olamo.’9The singular term is used rather than the plural, indicating that each righteous individual sees only his own eternal home and not multiple eternal homes. Apparently, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi could not refute the argument of Rabbi Shimon’s wife. When [Rabbi Shimon] heard that, he went to return it. Our Rabbis say, the latter miracle was greater than the former. When he extended his hand to return it, immediately, an angel descended and took it from him. Why? Because the reward for Torah is given only in the World to Come, for the final day. That is, “she laughs at the final day.”
Another matter, “might and grandeur are her garment” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant” (Exodus 34:29). “She laughs at the final day,” these are the cynics of Israel, who mocked him and said to one another: ‘Is it possible that the Divine Presence will rest by means of the son of Amram?’ He did not act,10Moses did not respond to their mocking (Etz Yosef). but when God said to him to erect the Tabernacle, he began laughing at them, as it is stated: “She laughs at the final day.” He said to them: ‘Come, let us erect the Tabernacle.’ They began to carry it and come to him, as it is stated: “They brought the Tabernacle.”
Bereshit Rabbah
“These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years” (Genesis 25:7).
“Abraham expired and died at a good old age, aged and content, and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:8).
“These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life.” It is written: “The Lord knows the days of the faultless; their legacy will last forever” (Psalms 37:18). “The Lord knows the days of the faultless” – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Be faultless” (Genesis 17:1). “Their legacy will last forever” – “these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life,” as the Holy One blessed be He was fond of the years of the righteous and recorded them in the Torah, so the legacy of their days would be remembered forever – “at a good old age, aged and content.”
“[Abraham] expired” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: The pious men of old would suffer from intestinal illness for ten or twenty days [before dying], which teaches you that sickness cleanses [the soul]. Rabbi Yehuda said: Anyone in whose regard “expiring” is stated, died of intestinal illness.
It is written: “Might and grandeur are her clothing, [and she rejoices at the final day]” (Proverbs 31:25) – the entire reward granted to the righteous is prepared for them in the future, and the Holy One blessed be He shows them the granting of the reward that he is destined to give them in the future while they are still in this world, and their souls are satisfied [with what they have seen], and they go to sleep, [i.e., expire peacefully].
Rabbi Elazar said: This is analogous to a feast that the king prepared. He invited the guests [beforehand] and showed them what they would be eating and drinking. Their souls were satisfied, and they went to sleep [with this feeling of satisfaction]. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He shows the righteous the granting of their reward that he is destined to give them in the future while they are still in this world, and they go to sleep, as it is stated: “For now, I would lie down and be silent. [I would sleep; then there would be rest for me]” (Job 3:13) – this shows that at the moment of the departure of the righteous [from this world], the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward granted to them.
When Rabbi Abahu was dying, he was shown thirteen rivers of [precious] balsam oil. He asked: ‘Whose are these?’ They said to him: ‘Yours.’ He said: ‘These are for Abahu? “And I had said: For nothing I labored, I expended my strength for emptiness and futility; but indeed, my portion is from the Lord”’ (Isaiah 49:4).
Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, and Rabbi Yosei ben Parta, the three of them recited these verses as they were dying. One of them said: “For this, everyone who is devoted to You should pray at the time of finding” (Psalms 32:6); “For our heart rejoices in Him…” (Psalms 33:21). Another said: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalms 23:5); “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice” (Psalms 5:12). Another said: “For one day in Your courtyard is better than one thousand” (Psalms 84:11). The Rabbis say: “How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You” (Psalms 31:20). All this shows that at the moment of the departure of the righteous from the world, the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward granted to them.
Ben Azai says: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His devoted ones” (Psalms 116:15). When does the Holy One blessed be He show them the reward that is prepared for them?1When does He show them how precious they are in His eyes? It is adjacent to their death. That is what is written: “the death of His devoted ones.” That is why: “And she rejoices at the final day” (Proverbs 31:25).
What is the difference between the death of youths and the death of the elderly? Rabbi Yehuda said: A lamp, when it becomes extinguished on its own, [when the oil has run out,] it is good for it and good for the wick. But when it does not become extinguished on its own, [and there is still oil in it,] it is bad for it and bad for the wick. Rabbi Abahu said: A fig, when it is picked at its proper time, it is good for it and good for the fig tree.2This is why the Torah makes a point of writing that Abraham died “at a good old age, aged and content.” But when it is picked not at its proper time, it is bad for it and bad for the fig tree.3If a person dies in ripe old age, this is the natural course of things, but if he dies young, before his time, it is unnatural and detrimental to his soul, which was not able to reach its full potential.
Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and his students – and some say it was Rabbi Akiva and his students, and others say it was Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta and his students – had the routine that they would come early in the day and sit and study beneath a certain fig tree. The owner of the fig tree would come early each day and pick its fruit. They said: ‘Is he, perhaps, suspicious of us?’4Is that why he keeps coming by when we are here? What did they do? They changed their place. He went to them and said to them: ‘My masters, the one mitzva that you sat and afforded me, that you were sitting and studying beneath my fig tree, you have deprived me of it.’ They said to him: ‘We had said that perhaps you were suspicious of us.’ He reassured them and they returned to their place. What did he do? He woke up early in the morning, but he did not go to pick the fruit.5He refrained from picking the fruit while they were there, as he did not want to make them feel that he suspected them. The sun shone upon it [the tree] and they [the figs] became infested with worms. They said: ‘The owner of a fig tree knows when it is the proper time to harvest the fig tree, and he picks its fruits [at that specific time]. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He knows when it is the proper time for the righteous to depart from the world and he removes them [at that specific time].’ That is what is written: “My beloved descended to his garden, to the beds of fragrant plants, [to eat in the gardens, to pluck lilies]” (Song of Songs 6:2).6The Beloved One in Song of Songs refers to God. Plucking the lilies is a metaphor for removing the righteous from this world.
“At a good old age [beseiva]” – Reish Lakish said: There are three people in whose regard seiva is stated: Abraham, and it was beneficial for him; David,7I Chronicles 29:28. and it was beneficial for him; Gideon,8Judges 8:32. and it was not beneficial for him. Why? “Gideon crafted it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27) – for idol worship.
“Abraham expired and died at a good old age, aged and content, and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 25:8).
“These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life.” It is written: “The Lord knows the days of the faultless; their legacy will last forever” (Psalms 37:18). “The Lord knows the days of the faultless” – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Be faultless” (Genesis 17:1). “Their legacy will last forever” – “these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life,” as the Holy One blessed be He was fond of the years of the righteous and recorded them in the Torah, so the legacy of their days would be remembered forever – “at a good old age, aged and content.”
“[Abraham] expired” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: The pious men of old would suffer from intestinal illness for ten or twenty days [before dying], which teaches you that sickness cleanses [the soul]. Rabbi Yehuda said: Anyone in whose regard “expiring” is stated, died of intestinal illness.
It is written: “Might and grandeur are her clothing, [and she rejoices at the final day]” (Proverbs 31:25) – the entire reward granted to the righteous is prepared for them in the future, and the Holy One blessed be He shows them the granting of the reward that he is destined to give them in the future while they are still in this world, and their souls are satisfied [with what they have seen], and they go to sleep, [i.e., expire peacefully].
Rabbi Elazar said: This is analogous to a feast that the king prepared. He invited the guests [beforehand] and showed them what they would be eating and drinking. Their souls were satisfied, and they went to sleep [with this feeling of satisfaction]. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He shows the righteous the granting of their reward that he is destined to give them in the future while they are still in this world, and they go to sleep, as it is stated: “For now, I would lie down and be silent. [I would sleep; then there would be rest for me]” (Job 3:13) – this shows that at the moment of the departure of the righteous [from this world], the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward granted to them.
When Rabbi Abahu was dying, he was shown thirteen rivers of [precious] balsam oil. He asked: ‘Whose are these?’ They said to him: ‘Yours.’ He said: ‘These are for Abahu? “And I had said: For nothing I labored, I expended my strength for emptiness and futility; but indeed, my portion is from the Lord”’ (Isaiah 49:4).
Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, and Rabbi Yosei ben Parta, the three of them recited these verses as they were dying. One of them said: “For this, everyone who is devoted to You should pray at the time of finding” (Psalms 32:6); “For our heart rejoices in Him…” (Psalms 33:21). Another said: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalms 23:5); “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice” (Psalms 5:12). Another said: “For one day in Your courtyard is better than one thousand” (Psalms 84:11). The Rabbis say: “How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You” (Psalms 31:20). All this shows that at the moment of the departure of the righteous from the world, the Holy One blessed be He shows them the reward granted to them.
Ben Azai says: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His devoted ones” (Psalms 116:15). When does the Holy One blessed be He show them the reward that is prepared for them?1When does He show them how precious they are in His eyes? It is adjacent to their death. That is what is written: “the death of His devoted ones.” That is why: “And she rejoices at the final day” (Proverbs 31:25).
What is the difference between the death of youths and the death of the elderly? Rabbi Yehuda said: A lamp, when it becomes extinguished on its own, [when the oil has run out,] it is good for it and good for the wick. But when it does not become extinguished on its own, [and there is still oil in it,] it is bad for it and bad for the wick. Rabbi Abahu said: A fig, when it is picked at its proper time, it is good for it and good for the fig tree.2This is why the Torah makes a point of writing that Abraham died “at a good old age, aged and content.” But when it is picked not at its proper time, it is bad for it and bad for the fig tree.3If a person dies in ripe old age, this is the natural course of things, but if he dies young, before his time, it is unnatural and detrimental to his soul, which was not able to reach its full potential.
Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and his students – and some say it was Rabbi Akiva and his students, and others say it was Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta and his students – had the routine that they would come early in the day and sit and study beneath a certain fig tree. The owner of the fig tree would come early each day and pick its fruit. They said: ‘Is he, perhaps, suspicious of us?’4Is that why he keeps coming by when we are here? What did they do? They changed their place. He went to them and said to them: ‘My masters, the one mitzva that you sat and afforded me, that you were sitting and studying beneath my fig tree, you have deprived me of it.’ They said to him: ‘We had said that perhaps you were suspicious of us.’ He reassured them and they returned to their place. What did he do? He woke up early in the morning, but he did not go to pick the fruit.5He refrained from picking the fruit while they were there, as he did not want to make them feel that he suspected them. The sun shone upon it [the tree] and they [the figs] became infested with worms. They said: ‘The owner of a fig tree knows when it is the proper time to harvest the fig tree, and he picks its fruits [at that specific time]. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He knows when it is the proper time for the righteous to depart from the world and he removes them [at that specific time].’ That is what is written: “My beloved descended to his garden, to the beds of fragrant plants, [to eat in the gardens, to pluck lilies]” (Song of Songs 6:2).6The Beloved One in Song of Songs refers to God. Plucking the lilies is a metaphor for removing the righteous from this world.
“At a good old age [beseiva]” – Reish Lakish said: There are three people in whose regard seiva is stated: Abraham, and it was beneficial for him; David,7I Chronicles 29:28. and it was beneficial for him; Gideon,8Judges 8:32. and it was not beneficial for him. Why? “Gideon crafted it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27) – for idol worship.
Bereshit Rabbah
“For this, let every pious man pray [at the time of searching]” (Psalms 32:6) – Zavdi ben Levi, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, and Rabbi Yosei bar Patron, the three of them recited [some of] the following verses when they died. One of them recited: “For this, let every pious man pray”; “for our heart rejoices in Him” (Psalms 33:21). Another said: “You prepare a table before me” (Psalms 23:5); “But let all who put their trust in You rejoice…” (Psalms 5:12). Another said: “For one day in Your courtyard is better” (Psalms 84:11); “for Your kindness is better than life” (Psalms 63:4). Some say: “How great is your goodness” (Psalms 31:20).
Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: The Holy One blessed be He,, took the legs of our patriarch Jacob and stood them on the sea and said to him: ‘See the miracles that I am performing with your descendants.’ That is what is written: “When Israel departed from Egypt” (Psalms 114:1) – Israel the elder. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: He stood the feet of the patriarchs, too, on the sea. That is what is written: “He performed wonders before their fathers” (Psalms 78:12). “At the time of searching [le’et metzo]” (Psalms 32:6) – at the time of completion [mitzui] of the day; at the time of completion of the judgment; at the time of completion of the soul; at the time of completion of the accounting. When our forefather Jacob saw that the accounting had been completed,6When he saw that he had done all he could to prepare his sons for their encounter with the Egyptian viceroy (Matnot Kehuna; cf. Etz Yosef). he began to pour forth supplications; “And may God Almighty grant you mercy…”
Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: The Holy One blessed be He,