Kohelet Rabbah 9.10

כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ, רַבִּי מְנַחֲמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בּוֹן מְסָרֵס הָדֵין קְרָיָה, אִם יוֹדֵעַ אַתְּ שֶׁאֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה בִּשְׁאוֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ שָׁמָּה, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה. רַבִּי אַחָא הֲוָה מִתְחַמֵּד לְמֶיחֱמֵי אַפּוֹי דְּרַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי, אִיתְחֲמֵי לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, הֶרְאָהוּ שְׁנֵי מִילִין, הֲרוּגֵי לוּד אֵין לִפְנִים מִמְחִיצָתָם, בָּרוּךְ שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר חֶרְפָּתָן שֶׁל לוּלְיָאנוּס וּפַפּוֹס, וְאַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁבָּא לְכָאן וְתַלְמוּדוֹ בְּיָדוֹ. זַבְדִּי בֶּן לֵוִי הֲוָה מִתְחַמֵּד לְמֶיחֱמֵי אַפּוֹי דְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, אִיתְחֲמֵי לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, הֶרְאָהוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם פְּנֵיהֶם זְקוּפוֹת וּבְנֵי אָדָם פְּנֵיהֶם נְמוּכוֹת, אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמַהוּ כְּדֵין, אָמַר לוֹ אֵלּוּ שֶׁפְּנֵיהֶם זְקוּפוֹת תַּלְמוּדָן בְּיָדָן, אֵלּוּ שֶׁפְּנֵיהֶם נְמוּכוֹת אֵין תַּלְמוּדָן בְּיָדָן. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ וְאִית דְּאַמְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הֲוָה מִתְחַמֵּד לְמֶיחֱמֵי לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא רַבָּה, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ לֵית אַתְּ הוּא כְּדַיי, אֲמַר לוֹן לָמָּה, וְלָא לְעֵית בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כְּוָותֵיהּ, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ לָא אַלַּפְתְּ אוֹרָיְיתָא כְּוָותֵיהּ, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּהוּא הֲוָה גָּלֵי. אֲמַר לוֹן וַאֲנָא לָא הֲוֵינָא גָּלֵי. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ אַתְּ הֲוֵית גָּלֵי לְמֵילַף, וְהוּא גָּלֵי לְאַלָּפָא. יְתֵב תְּלַת מְאָה תַּעֲנִיתָא אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ, בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, אֲמַר מָאן הוּא דִּכְלוּם וְדָבַר בְּגַרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם, נוֹחַ לֵיהּ אִם לֹא נִבְרָא. רַבִּי אַסֵּי צָם תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין לְמֶיחֱמֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא רַבָּא וְלָא חַמְיֵיהּ, אַמְרֵי לֵיהּ לֵית אַתְּ כְּדַיי. אֲמַר לוֹן אֶחֱמֵיהּ יָתֵיהּ וְיֶהֱוֵי מַה דְּיֶהֱוֵי, חֲמָא דַּרְגִּין דִּידֵיהּ וְכָהֲיָין עֵינוֹי, אִין תֵּימַר דְּרַבִּי אַסֵּי לָאו אָדָם גָּדוֹל הֲוָה, חַד גַּרְדְּיָיא אֲתָא קוֹמֵי דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲמַר חֲמֵית בְּחֶלְמִי רְקִיעָא נָפַל וְחַד מִן תַּלְמִידָךְ סַמְכֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ, אֲמַר יְדַעְתְּ לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִין, אַעֲבַר יַתְהוֹן קָמַיי יָדַע אֲנָא לֵיהּ. עֲבַרוּן קוֹמֵיהּ, כַּד מְטָא לְרַבִּי אַסֵּי אֲמַר דֵּין הוּא. רַבִּי הוּנָא רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא אֲמַר לוֹן כַּד דָּמִיכְנָא אַעֲלוּנִי גַּבֵּיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה, כַּד דְּמַךְ אַסְקוּנֵיהּ לְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמְרוּן כְּדַיי הוּא רַבִּי הוּנָא לְמֵיְיתֵי הָכָא גַּבֵּי רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה מַאן עָלֵיל וְיָהֵב לֵיהּ תַּמָּן, אָמַר רַבִּי חַגַּי אֲנָא מְעַיֵּיל לֵיהּ, אָמְרִין בַּר תְּמָנֵי עֲשַׂר שְׁנִין הֲוָה וְרָגִיל תַּלְמוּדֵיהּ וְלָא חֲמָא קֶרִי מִן יוֹמֵיהּ, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ עַלּוּתָךְ אַתְּ בָּעֵי דְּאַתְּ גַּבְרָא סָבָא וְאִם דְּמַכְתְּ תַּמָּן לָא אִיכְפַּת לָךְ בַּחַיִּין, אֲמַר לוֹן עָבְדוּן לִי הֲדָא מִילְתָא, אַיְתוּן חַבְלָה וּקְטַרוּ בְּרַגְלַי וְאִן אֲנָא נָפֵיק מוּטָב, וְאִן לָא תֶּהֱווֹן שָׁרְרִין בְּרַגְלַי, אִיתְעֲבֵיד לֵיהּ כֵּן, עָאל וְאַשְׁכַּח תְּלָתָא דָנִין, יְהוּדָה בְּנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ וְאֵין עוֹד, חִזְקִיָּה בְּנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ וְאֵין עוֹד, יוֹסֵף בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֶיךָ וְאֵין עוֹד, תְּלָה עֵיְינוֹי לְמִסְתַּכְּלָה, אָמְרוּן לֵיהּ אַמִּיךְ אַפָּיךְ, שָׁמַע קָלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה אָמַר לִיהוּדָה בְּרֵיהּ בְּרִי נְפֵשׁ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי הוּנָא רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא דִּיְתֵיב לֵיהּ וְלָא קַבֵּיל עֲלֵיהּ לְמֵיתַב לֵיהּ, כֵּן זַרְעֲתֵיהּ לָא פָּסְקָה לְעוֹלָם. יָצָא מִשָּׁם בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְנִכְפְּלוּ לוֹ שְׁנוֹתָיו.

“Everything that you are capable of doing with your strength, do, as there is no action, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). “Everything that you are capable of doing with your strength” – Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Bon transposes this verse: If you know that “there is no action, device, knowledge, or wisdom in the grave, where you are going,” “everything that you are capable of doing with your strength, do.” Rabbi Aḥa desired to see the face of Rabbi Alexandri. He appeared to him in his dream, and showed him two matters: Those executed in Lod, there are none closer than their partition. Blessed is He who removed the shame of Luleyanus and Pappos. And happy is he who comes here [to heaven] with his studies in his possession. Zavdi ben Levi desired to see the face of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. He appeared to him in his dream and showed him people whose faces were uplifted and people whose faces were downcast. [Zavdi ben Levi] said to him: ‘Why is this so?’ He said to him: ‘Those whose faces are uplifted, their studies are in their possession; those whose faces are downcast, their studies are not in their possession.’ Reish Lakish, and some say Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, desired to see Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great [in a dream]. They said to him: ‘You are not worthy.’ He said to them: ‘Why, have I not toiled in Torah study like him?’ They said to him: ‘You did not teach Torah like him. Moreover, he would travel from place to place.’ He said to them: ‘Did I not travel?’ They said to him: ‘You traveled to learn, he traveled to teach.’ He observed three hundred fasts and [Rabbi Ḥiyya] appeared to him in his dream. [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said: ‘Someone who is something, who conducts himself as though he is something, it would be preferable for him had he not been created.’ Rabbi Asi fasted thirty days in order to see Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great [in a dream] but did not see him. They said to him: ‘You are not worthy.’ He said to them: ‘I will see him, and whatever will be will be.’ He saw his platform, and his eyesight became dim. If you say that Rabbi Assi was not a great man, [the following incident proves that he was:] A certain weaver came before Rabbi Yoḥanan and said: ‘I saw in my dream the sky falling and one of your students supported it with his hand.’ He said: ‘Would you be able to identify him?’ He said: ‘Pass them before me, I will identify him.’ When he reached Rabbi Asi, he said: ‘This is he.’ Rabbi Huna, the Exilarch, said to them: ‘When I die, take me up [to be buried] next to Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great.’ When he died, they took him up to the Land of Israel. They said: ‘Rabbi Huna is worthy to be brought here for burial alongside Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great. Who will enter [the burial cave] and place him there?’ Rabbi Ḥagai said: ‘I will take him.’ They said [of Rabbi Ḥagai]: ‘When he was eighteen years old, he was expert in his studies, and he never experienced a seminal emission.’ They said to him: ‘You are seeking to enter because you are an old man, and if you die there, you do not care about losing your life.’ He said to them: ‘Do the following to me. Bring a rope and tie it around my legs. If I emerge, fine. If not, you will pull me out by my legs.’ It was done to him. He entered and found three sitting in judgment: ‘Yehuda, my son, there is no one your equivalent after you. Ḥizkiya, my son, there is no one your equivalent after you. Joseph, son of Israel, there is no one your equivalent after you.’ [Rabbi Ḥagai] lifted his eyes to look. [A voice] said to him: ‘Lower your face.’ He heard the voice of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great saying to Yehuda his son: ‘My son, make room for Rabbi Huna the Exilarch to be placed alongside me.’ He did not accept upon himself to be placed there; therefore, his descendants will never cease. [Rabbi Ḥagai] emerged from there eighty years old, and his years were doubled.

רַבִּי זְעִירָא הֲוָה מְחַמֵּד לְמֶיחֱמֵי לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אִיתְחֲמֵי לֵיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֵצֶל מִי אַתָּה תָּקוּעַ, אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵצֶל רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵצֶל מִי, אֵצֶל רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בֶּן עַמְרָם, וְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בֶּן עַמְרָם אֵצֶל מִי, אֵצֶל רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה. וְרַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה אֵצֶל מִי אֵצֶל רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵצֶל רַבִּי חִיָּא לָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֲתַר דְּזִיקּוּקִין דְּנוּר וּבָעוֹרִין דְּאִשָׁא מַאן מְעַיֵּל בַּר נַפְחָא לְתַמָּן. כַּד דְּמַךְ רַבִּי נַחוּם אִישׁ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים, חֲפוֹן אַפּוֹי אִיקַנְתָּא מַחְצַלְתָּא, אָמְרִין לָא יֶחֱמֵי בְּמִיתוּתֵיהּ הֵיךְ מַה דְּלָא חָמֵי יַתְהוֹן בְּחַיּוֹהִי אֶפְשָׁר דַּהֲוָה מֶחְמֵי יַתְהוֹן, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲשְׁיָאן אֵין בֵּין צַדִּיקִים לָרְשָׁעִים אֶלָּא דִּבּוּר פֶּה בִּלְבָד. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר אֵין בֵּין צַדִּיקִים לְבֵינָן אֶלָּא דִּבּוּר בִּלְבָד. אָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא הַמֵּת שׁוֹמֵעַ קִלּוּסוֹ מִתּוֹךְ אֲרוֹנוֹ כְּמִן הַחֲלוֹם. וְלָמָּה קוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ נַחוּם אִישׁ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים, שֶׁלֹא הִבִּיט צוּרַת מַטְבֵּעַ כָּל יָמָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא (ויקרא יט, ד): אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִם, אַל תִּפְנוּ לְעָבְדָן, אָמַר רַבִּי אַל תִּפְנוּ לִרְאוֹתָן וַדַּאי, וְלָמָּה קוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁלֹא הִבִּיט בְּמִילָתוֹ כָּל יָמָיו. אַנְטָלִימוּס הֲוָה גְזִיר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְרַבֵּנוּ חֲמֵי בַּהֲדָא גְזֵרְתִּי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּשֶׁלִּי לֹא הִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי מִיָּמַי וּבְדִידָךְ אֲנָא מִסְתַּכֵּל.

Rabbi Ze’eira desired to see Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina [in a dream]. He appeared to him. [Rabbi Ze’eira] said to him: ‘Alongside whom are you situated [in heaven]?’ He said: ‘Alongside Rabbi Yoḥanan.’ [Rabbi Ze’eira asked:] ‘And Rabbi Yoḥanan, alongside whom [is he situated]?’ ‘Alongside Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram.’ ‘And Rabbi Yonatan ben Amram, alongside whom?’ ‘Alongside Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great.’ ‘And Rabbi Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, alongside whom?’ ‘Alongside Rabbi Yoḥanan.’ [Rabbi Ze’eira asked:] ‘But Rabbi Yoḥanan is not alongside Rabbi Ḥiyya?’ [Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina] said to him: ‘In a place of fiery sparks and burning fires, who can bring the son of Nappaĥa there?’ When Rabbi Naḥum, the man who was holy of holies, died, they covered the faces of the statues with mats. They said: Let him not see in his death what he did not see in his lifetime. Is it possible that he would see them [when he was dead]? Rabbi Ashyan said: The difference between the righteous [after death] and the wicked [while alive] is only with regard to speech. Rabbi Shimon ben Levi said: The difference between the righteous and us is only with regard to speech. Rabbi Ze’eira said: The dead hears his accolades from inside his bier like a dream. Why was he called Naḥum, the man who was holy of holies? Because he never looked at the image engraved on a coin in his life. Rabbi Ḥiyya said: “Do not turn to false gods” (Leviticus 19:4) – do not turn [to them] to worship them. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: Do not turn to see them, in its plain sense. Why was [Rabbi Yehuda haNasi] called our holy Rabbi? Because he never looked at his circumcision in his life. Antalimus was circumcised. He said to Rabbeinu [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi]: ‘Look at this circumcision of mine.’ He said to him: ‘At my own I have never looked, will I look at yours?’

כַּד דְּמָךְ רַבִּי בְּצִיפּוֹרִי הֲווֹן אָמְרִין צִפּוֹרָאֵי כָּל דַּאֲתָא וַאֲמַר דְּמַךְ רַבִּי אֲנַן קָטְלִין לֵיהּ, אֲזַל בַּר קַפָּרָא וְעָלֵל בְּכַוְּותָא וַאֲדֵיק לֵיהּ וְרֵישֵׁיהּ מִיכָּרַךְ וּמָאנֵיהּ בְּזִיעִין אָמַר אַחִים בְּנֵי יְדַעְיָה שְׁמָעוּנִי שְׁמָעוּנִי, אֶרְאֶלִּים וּמְצוּקִים אָחֲזוּ יָדָן בְּלוּחוֹת הַבְּרִית, גָּבְרָה יָדָן שֶׁל אֶרְאֶלִּים וְחָטְפוּ אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת. אָמְרוּן לֵיהּ דְמַךְ רַבִּי, אֲמַר לוֹן אַתּוּן אַמְרִיתּוּן אֲנָא לָא אֲמִינָא. וְלָמָּה לֹא אָמַר, דִּכְתִיב (משלי י, יח): וּמוֹצִא דִבָּה הוּא כְסִיל. קְרָעוּן מָנֵיהוֹן עַד דַּאֲזַל קָלֵיהּ דִּקְרִיעָה עַד גּוּבְתְּתָה מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלשָׁה מִילִין, וּקְרָא עֲלֵיהּ: וְיִתְרוֹן דַּעַת הַחָכְמָה. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מוֹנָא אָמַר מַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת הָיָה וְאִתְכַּנְשׁוּן כָּל קִרְיָיתָא לְהֶסְפֵּידָה דְּרַבִּי וְאַשְׁרוּנֵיהּ בִּתְמַנֵּי עַשְׂרֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, וְאוֹבְלוּנֵיהּ לְבֵית שְׁעָרִים, וּתְלָא לוֹן יוֹמָא עַד דִּמְטָא כָּל חַד וְחַד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵיתוֹ, וּמַדְלִיק לוֹ אֶת הַנֵּר וְצוֹלֶה לוֹ דָּג, וּמְמַלֵּא לוֹ חָבִית שֶׁל מַיִם, עַד שֶׁעָשָׂה הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶן שָׁקְעָה הַחַמָּה וְקָרָא הַגֶּבֶר, שָׁרוֹן מְצוֹקִין, אָמְרִין וַוי דְּחַלְלֵינַן שַׁבַּתָּא, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה כָּל שֶׁלֹא נִתְעַצֵּל בְּהֶסְפֵּדוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי מְזֻמָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, בַּר מִן קַצְרָה דַּהֲוָה תַּמָּן וְלָא אֲתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע כֵּן סְלֵק לְאִיגְרָא וּטְלַק גַּרְמֵיהּ מִן אִיגְּרָא וְנָפַל וָמֵת, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה אַף קַצְרָה מְזֻמָּן לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא [כתובין בגטין ירושלמי וכתובות ועבודת כוכבים כלהון עובדי דחסידי].

When Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] was dying in Tzippori, the residents of Tzippori were saying: ‘Anyone who comes and says that Rabbi died, we will kill him.’ Bar Kappara went to the window and looked outside, and his head was covered and his garments were rent. He said: ‘Our brethren, descendants of Yedaya, hear me, hear me. Angels and righteous people grasped the Tablets. Angels overcame the righteous, and they snatched the Tablets.’ They said to him: ‘Has Rabbi died?’ He said to them: ‘You said so, I did not say so.’ Why did he not say? Because it is written: “One who utters a negative report is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18). They rent their garments until the sound of the rending reached Gufteta, at a distance of three mil. It was read in his regard: “The advantage of knowledge is that wisdom [preserves the life of its possessors]” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Rabbi Neḥemya [said] in the name of Rabbi Mona: Miraculous acts were performed on that day. It was Friday and all the cities gathered for Rabbi’s eulogy. They stopped his [burial procession to eulogize him] at eighteen synagogues and took him to Beit She’arim, and the day lasted until each and every one of the people of Israel reached home and kindled a lamp for himself, roasted a fish for himself, filled a barrel of water for himself, until the last of them did so; [then] the sun set and the rooster crowed. [The people] began to become agitated and said: ‘Alas, we have desecrated Shabbat!’ A Divine Voice called out and said: ‘Anyone who was not indolent in the eulogy of Rabbi is destined for life in the World to Come except for the launderer, who was there, but did not come. When [the launderer] heard [this], he ascended and cast himself from the roof, and he fell and died. A Divine Voice called out and said: Even the launderer is destined for life in the World to Come. <This is written in Yerushalmi Gittin, Ketubot, and Avoda Zara, all the incidents involving the pious>.