Avraham vs. Job

Hi,

What differences do you see between Avraham's declaration below, and Job's?

"Rabbi Levi said: Two men said the same thing, Avraham and Job. 

"Avraham said (Bereishit 18:25, regarding the destruction of Sodom), 'It would be a disgrace for You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.'

"Job said (Job 9:22), 'It is all one, thus I have said: Complete and wicked, he destroys.'

"But Avraham was rewarded, and Job was punished! For Avraham said something mature; Job said something underripe."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 49:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why did G-d destroy the land in the Flood? Part 2

Hi,

"'Behold, I will destroy them with the land.'

Rav Huna and Rabbi Yirmiyah citing Rav Kahana bar Malchiya: Even the three handbreadths of earth that the plow affects were melted.

• This may be compared to a prince who has a tutor; when he acts badly, his tutor is struck.
• And to a prince who has a nursemaid; when he acts badly, his nursemaid is struck.

"So Gd declared: 'Behold, I will destroy them with the land,' I will destroy them, and I will destroy the land with them."

הנני משחיתם את הארץ

ר' הונא ורבי ירמיה בשם רב כהנא בר מלכיה: אפילו ג' טפחים שהמחרישה שולטת בארץ נימוחו.

• משל לבן מלכים שהיה לו פדגוג, כל זמן שהיה סורח היה פדגוג שלו נרדה.
• ולבן מלכים שהיה לו מניקה כל זמן שהוא סורח היתה מניקתו נרדת.

כך אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: "הנני משחיתם את הארץ", הא אנא מחבל להון ומחבל לארעא עמהון. 

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 31:7)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why did G-d destroy the land in the Flood? Part 1

Hi,

"Rabbi Azaryah cited Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon: Everything corrupted its deeds in the generation of the Flood. The dog went to the wolf, the rooster went to the peacock, and thus Bereishit 6:12 says 'for all flesh had corrupted'. It does not say 'all of Man had corrupted', but 'for all flesh had corrupted.'

"Rabbi Luliani bar Tavrin cited Rabbi Yitzchak: Even the land strayed; they planted wheat and it produced an alternative zunin form of wheat. Our great zunin are from the generation of the flood."

רבי עזריה בשם רבי יהודה בר סימון אמר הכל קלקלו מעשיהן בדור המבול, הכלב היה הולך אצל הזאב, והתרנגול היה מהלך אצל הטווס, הדא הוא דכתיב כי השחית כל בשר, השחית כל אדם אין כתיב אלא כי השחית כל בשר

ר' לוליאני בר טברין בשם רבי יצחק אמר אף הארץ זינתה, היו זרעין לה חטין והיא מפקא זונין, אילין זונייא רבה, מן דרא דמבולא אינון. 

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 28:8)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Who are you right now?

Hi,

"A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘G-d has heard the voice of the youth [Yishmael], as he is there.’"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

גמר חתימה טובה,
Mordechai

Wealth is not an excuse

Hi,

"When a wealthy person [who failed to study Torah] is judged posthumously, they will say to him: Why didn't you involve yourself in Torah?

"If he will say, 'I was wealthy, and distracted by my assets,' they will say to him, 'Were you wealthier than R' Elazar? They said of R' Elazar ben Charsom that his father left him 1000 towns on land, and opposite them 1000 ships at sea. Each day he would take a jug of flour on his shoulder an walk from city to city, land to land, to learn Torah.'"

(Talmud, Yoma 35b)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Divine Judgment for future [and past?] wrongs

Hi,

"A person is judged only based on his deeds of that moment, as it is written, ‘Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.’"

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 16b)

Pitka tava,
Mordechai

Who is getting your money in the end?

Hi,

"One who increases his wealth by charging interest and by usury is only gathering it for the one who gives to the poor."

(Mishlei 28:8)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

A deathbed declaration

Hi,

"When Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was dying, he raised his voice and cried… He explained to his students, "Am I going to greet a mortal king, such that his anger would only be in this world, his incarceration would only be in this world, and his execution would only be in this world? Further, I could appease him verbally and bribe him financially. But I am going to greet only the King of kings of kings, Gd, such that His anger is in this world and the next, and I cannot appease Him verbally or bribe Him financially. Further, I have two paths, Gan Eden and Gehennom, and I don’t know whether He will incline me to Gehennom or bring me into Gan Eden.""

(Avot d'Rabbi Natan I 25)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Free on a technicality - but not for long

Hi,

"R’ Shimon ben Shetach once reported: I saw a man pursuing another person into a ruin and I pursued him. I found a sword in his hand, with blood dripping and the murdered man still shuddering.

"I said: “Wicked one, who killed this man? It was either you or I - but what can I do? Your blood is not given into my hand, for the Torah says (Deuteronomy 17), ‘The man will be killed by the word of two witnesses.’ May the One who knows all thoughts punish him for killing this man!”

"They say that the two of them did not leave the spot before a serpent bit the man, and he died."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 37b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Two ways Gd mitigates a person's sin

Hi,

"[How does HaShem employ mercy in judgment, as the Torah says ?]

"R' Elazar said: He hides sin [i.e. overlooking it].

"R' Yosi b"R' Chanina said: He elevates that side of the scale [i.e. decreasing the weight assigned to it]."

(Talmud, Arachin 8b, as explained by Rashi there; but note Rashi Rosh HaShanah 17a and Maharsha to Arachin 8b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

My light and my salvation

Hi,

Tehillim 27:1 says, "For David - Gd is my light and my salvation, from whom will I fear?"

"The sages explained this sentence to refer to Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur - Gd is my light on Rosh HaShanah and my salvation on Yom Kippur."

(Midrash, Vayyikra Rabbah 21:4)

Good chodesh,
Mordechai

Judgment Day

Hi,

"Rava taught: When a person is brought in for judgment, they say to him:
Did you deal honestly?
…establish time for Torah study?
…involve yourself in procreation?
…hope for Mashiach?
…delve into fine points of the Torah's wisdom?
…understand lessons within the Torah's lessons?

"And yet, with all of this - if he possesses awe of Gd in his storehouse then he will do well, but otherwise he will not."

(Talmud, Shabbat 31a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tearing up the decree

Hi,

"Four things tear up a person’s [Divine] decree: Tzedakah, Prayer, Changing one’s name and changing one’s deeds… Changing one’s deeds, as it is written, “And Gd saw their deeds.”"

(Talmud, Rosh HaShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

There will be justice or Justice

Hi,

"Rabbi Eliezer said: Where there is justice there is no justice; where there is no justice, there is justice.

"What does this mean? Rather: If justice is performed in this world, Gd does not need to execute Justice from above. If justice is not performed in this world, Gd executes Justice from above."

(Midrash, Devarim Rabbah 5:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Value of Momentary Righteousness

Hi,

"And R’ Yitzchak said: We only judge a person according to his actions at that time, as it is written, “For Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.”"

(Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The depressing aspect of Divine Omniscience

Hi,

"R’ Eela was climbing a ladder in the home of Rabbah bar Shila when he heard a child read, ‘The Former of mountains and Creator of wind, who tells a person his prattle.’ He said, ‘If a servant’s master can even tell him his prattle, does he have any recourse?’

"What is ‘his prattle?’ Rav said: Even the extra prattle between husband and wife is told to him when he dies."

(Talmud, Chagigah 5b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

"Today" is the measure of righteousness

Hi,

"Rabbi Yitzchak taught: A person is judged [in the Heavenly court] only based upon his current actions, as it is written [regarding Yishmael], 'Gd has heard the voice of the youth, as he is there.'"

(Talmud, Rosh haShanah 16b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai