Kohelet Rabbah 9.1

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא פָּתַח, הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק, זֶה נֹחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ו, ט): אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה, אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַתֵּבָה הִכִּישׁוֹ אֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ, וְהָיָה צוֹלֵעַ. וְלָרָשָׁע, זֶה פַּרְעֹה, אָמְרוּ כְּשֶׁבָּא פַּרְעֹה לֵישֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא שְׁלֹמֹה כְּשֶׁלָּקַח בִּכְתֻבַּת בִּתּוֹ לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מַנְגָּנִיקוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ וְהִכִּישׁוֹ אֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ, וְהָיָה צוֹלֵעַ, זֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ, וְזֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ, הֱוֵי: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע. לַטּוֹב, זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, ב): וַתֵּרֶא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר טוֹב, שֶׁהָיָה מָהוּל. וְלַטָּהוֹר, זֶה אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁהָיָה עָסוּק בְּטָהֳרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלַטָּמֵא, אֵלּוּ הַמְרַגְּלִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ דִּבָּה רָעָה עַל הָאָרֶץ וְלֹא נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, וְאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ טוֹבָתָהּ וְשִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא נִכְנְסוּ בָהּ. וְלַזֹּבֵחַ, זֶה יֹאשִׁיָּה, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב לה, ז): וַיָּרֶם יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ לִבְנֵי הָעָם. וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ, זֶה אַחְאָב, שֶׁבִּטֵּל קָרְבָּן מֵעַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, זֶה מֵת בַּחִצִּים, וְזֶה מֵת בַּחִצִּים. כַּטּוֹב, זֶה דָּוִד, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (שמואל א טז, יב): וְטוֹב רֹאִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְטוֹב רֹאִי בַּהֲלָכָה, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ זוֹכֵר אֶת תַּלְמוּדוֹ. כַּחֹטֶא, זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, דִּכְתִיב (דניאל ד, כד): וַחֲטָאָךְ בְּצִדְקָה פְרֻק. זֶה בָּנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְזֶה הֶחֱרִיבוֹ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, הֱוֵי: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד. הַנִּשְׁבָּע, זֶה צִדְקִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב לו, יג): אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ, בַּמֶּה הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּבְּרִית הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ. רַבִּי אָמַר בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ הִשְׁבִּיעוֹ. כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא, זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים טו, יב): הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי. זֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם, וְזֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לַצַּדִּיק, אֵלּוּ בָנָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן. וְלָרָשָׁע, אֵלּוּ עֲדַת קֹרַח, אֵלּוּ נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב בְּמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִים, וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן שֶׁלֹא נִכְנְסוּ בְּמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא טז, א): אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וגו'.

“Everything is as it is for everyone; there is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked, for the good, for the pure and for the impure, for one who sacrifices and for one who does not sacrifice; like the good, so is the sinner; one who takes an oath is like one who is apprehensive of an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). Rabbi Shimon bar Abba began: “Everything is as it is for everyone; there is one fate for the righteous” – this is Noah, as it is stated: “Noah was a righteous man, he was faultless” (Genesis 6:9). They said that when he emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and injured him, and he was limping. “And for the wicked” – this is Pharaoh. They said that when Pharaoh came to sit on Solomon’s throne, that he took as payment for his daughter’s marriage contract, he did not know its mechanism, and a lion bit him and injured him, and he was limping. This one died with a limp, and that one died with a limp; that is: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.” “For the good” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir said: “Good” – that he was circumcised. “And for the pure” – this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel. “And for the impure” – these are the scouts who spoke slander about the Land and did not enter the Land. These spoke of the goodness and praise of the Land of Israel, and did not enter it. “For one who sacrifices” – this is Josiah, as it is written: “Josiah donated to the members of the people…[for the paschal offering]” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for one who does not sacrifice” – this is Ahab, who abolished offerings from upon the altar. This one died with arrows, and that one died with arrows. “Like the good” – this is David, in whose regard it is written: “And of good appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Of good appearance in halakha, as anyone who would see him would remember his learning. “So is the sinner” – this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24). This one built the Temple and ruled for forty years, that one destroyed it and ruled for forty years; that is: “One fate.” “One who takes an oath” – this is Zedekiah, as it is written: “[He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar,] who had administered an oath to him [by God]” (II Chronicles 36:13). On what [object] did he administer the oath? Rabbi Yosei said: He administered the oath to him on the covenant. Rabbi said: He administered the oath to him on the altar. “Is like one who is apprehensive of an oath” – this is Samson, as it is stated: “Take an oath to me” (Judges 15:12). This one died with his eyes gouged out, and that one died with his eyes gouged out. Another matter, “for the righteous” – these are Aaron’s sons. “And for the wicked” – this is the congregation of Koraḥ. These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and the sons of Aaron, who did not enter in dispute, [also] emerged burned; that is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron…” (Leviticus 16:1).

כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יְחֻבַּר, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא יִבְחַר כְּתִיב, מִי יִבְחַר יֵצֶר טוֹב מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע, אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים, מִי יִבְחַר יֵצֶר רָע מִיֵּצֶר טוֹב, אֵלּוּ הָרְשָׁעִים. אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן. אֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁפָּשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶם בִּזְבוּל יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן, לְהַחֲיוֹתָן אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁכְּבָר פָּשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶם בִּזְבוּל, וּלְכַלּוֹתָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁכְּבָר עָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה, עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיה נא, לט): וְיָשְׁנוּ שְׁנַת עוֹלָם. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין קְטַנֵּי רִשְׁעֵי גוֹיִם הֵן וַחֲיָלוֹתָיו שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לֹא חַיִּין וְלֹא נִדּוֹנִין, עֲלֵיהֶם הוּא אוֹמֵר: וְיָשְׁנוּ שְׁנַת עוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כָּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה שֶׁהוֹרִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל הָיָה מַרְתִּיחָהּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מוֹרִידָהּ עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב ו, יז): בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ, זְרִיבָתָן חַלְטָנִית הָיְתָה.

“For anyone who is joined to any of the living there is hope, as a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4). “For anyone who is joined [yeḥubar],” Rabbi Aḥa said: “Chooses [yivḥar]” is written. Who will choose the good inclination over the evil inclination? These are the righteous. Who will choose the evil inclination over the good inclination? These are the wicked. “To any of the living there is hope” – even those who extended their hands against God’s dwelling have hope. To resurrect them is impossible, as they already extended their hand against God’s dwelling, but to eliminate them is impossible because they already repented. In their regard it says: “They will sleep an eternal slumber” (Jeremiah 51:39). The Rabbis say: The minors among the wicked of the nations, they and the armies of Nebuchadnezzar are not resurrected, and not judged. In their regard it says: “They will sleep an eternal slumber.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Each and every drop that the Holy One blessed be He rained on the Generation of the Flood, He boiled it and then rained it on them, as it is stated: “When they are seared they vanish” (Job 6:17); their searing was for eternity.