דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא, רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אוֹמֵר, אֵין לְךָ בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם שֶׁאֵין נוֹלָדִין בּוֹ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, וּמֵתִים בּוֹ שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, וּמַה טַּעַם דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא. וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אֲבוּנָא וְרַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר סִיסִי, מִשֶּׁזָּרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא. וּמִנַּיִן לְדוֹר שֶׁהוּא שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, לה): אִם יִרְאֶה אִישׁ בָּאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה הַדּוֹר הָרָע הַזֶּה, וְאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא הָיָה. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, הַיּוֹצֵר הַזֶּה מַשְׁקִיעַ כִּבְשׁוֹנוֹ, מַה שֶּׁמַּשְׁקִיעַ רִאשׁוֹן הוּא אַחֲרוֹן, בְּרַם הָכָא, הָלַךְ רִאשׁוֹן בָּא רִאשׁוֹן הָלַךְ אַחֲרוֹן בָּא אַחֲרוֹן. “One generation passes, and one generation comes; and the earth abides forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hastens its place where it rises” (Ecclesiastes 1:4–5).
“One generation passes, and one generation comes” – Rabbi Yudan says in the name of Rabbi Levi: There is no day on which six hundred thousand are not born and on which six hundred thousand do not die. What is the reason? “One generation passes, and one generation comes…the sun rises and the sun sets.” Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna, and Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi bar Sisi: From when the sun rises until the sun sets, one generation passes, and one generation comes. From where is it derived that a generation consists of six hundred thousand? It is as it is stated: “If any man among these people, this wicked generation” (Deuteronomy 1:35), and that generation consisted of six hundred thousand. Rabbi Berekhya said: [When a] potter places [vessels] into the furnace, what he places first [he removes] last. However here, one who passes first comes first, and one who passes last comes last.18The reference here is to death and the revival of the dead.
רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב גְּבוּלָאי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, כְּדוֹר הוֹלֵךְ כֵּן דּוֹר בָּא, הוֹלֵךְ חִגֵּר בָּא חִגֵּר, הוֹלֵךְ סוּמָא בָּא סוּמָא, שֶׁלֹא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִים אֲחֵרִים הֵמִית וַאֲחֵרִים הֶחֱיָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים לב, לט): אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה. מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר אֶת הַחֲמוּרָה הוּא אוֹמֵר אֶת הַקַּלָּה, אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶה, הֲרֵי חֲמוּרָה וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן (דברים לב, לט): מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא, שֶׁהִיא קַלָּה מִמֶּנָּה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי מַעֲמִיד אוֹתָם בְּמוּמֵיהוֹן, שֶׁלֹא יְהוּ אֹמְרִים אֲחֵרִים הֵמִית וַאֲחֵרִים הֶחֱיָה, אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה, מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי חוֹזֵר וּמְרַפְּאָן. Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yaakov Gevulai [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Like the generation that passes, so is the generation that comes. If he goes crippled, he will come [back to life] crippled. If he goes blind, he will come [back to life] blind, so they will not say, he killed others and he revived others,19It will be clear that God has revived the dead and not simply created new people. as it is written: “I will kill and I will give life” (Deuteronomy 32:39). Does one who says [he will do something] difficult then say [he will even do something] easier? “I will kill and I will give life,” that is difficult, and all the more so, “I crushed and I will heal” (Deuteronomy 32:39), which is easier. Rather, ‘I will revive them with their blemishes, so they will not say he killed others and others he revived.’ “I will kill and I will give life,” “I crushed,” and then I will heal them.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, וְרַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, הִכֵּיתִי, אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא מָחַצְתִּי, מְחִיצָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי בֵּין הָעֶלְיוֹנִים לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁהָעֶלְיוֹנִים קַיָּמִין וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים מֵתִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֵין מִיתָה כָּל עִקָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כה, ח): בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא אַף אוֹתָהּ מְחִיצָה אֲנִי חוֹזֵר וּמְרַפֵּא אוֹתָהּ, מָחַצְתִּי, מְחִיצָתִי אֲנִי אֶרְפָּא. Another matter, “I crushed and I will heal” – Rabbi Ḥanina in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan, and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan [said]: “I smote” is not written here, but rather, “I crushed [maḥatzti]” – the rift [meḥitza] that I established between the heavenly and the earthly, that the heavenly live and the earthly die, [holds true only] in this world. But in the World to Come there is no death at all, as it is stated: “He will eliminate death forever” (Isaiah 25:8). Rabbi Abba said [the verse means]: ‘That rift, too, I will then heal, maḥatzti, meḥitzati [My rift] I will heal.’
רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא וְאַמְרֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַדָא בַּר חוּנְיָא יִהְיֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ דּוֹר שֶׁבָּא כַּדּוֹר שֶׁהָלַךְ, שֶׁלֹא תֹאמַר אִלּוּ הָיָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא קַיָּם הָיִיתִי קוֹרֵא לְפָנָיו, אִלּוּ הָיוּ רַבִּי זֵירָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן קַיָּמִין הָיִיתִי שׁוֹנֶה לִפְנֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא דּוֹר שֶׁבָּא בְּיָמֶיךָ וְחָכָם שֶׁבְּיָמֶיךָ כְּדוֹר שֶׁהָלַךְ וַחֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁהָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּתִיב (שמואל א יב, ו): ה' אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֶת משֶׁה וְאֶת אַהֲרֹן וגו', וּכְתִיב (שמואל א יב, ו): וַיִּשְׁלַח ה' אֶת יְרֻבַּעַל וְאֶת בְּדָן וְאֶת יִפְתָּח וְאֶת שְׁמוּאֵל. יְרַבַּעַל זֶה גִּדְעוֹן, בְּדָן זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, יִפְתָּח כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וּכְתִיב (תהלים צט, ו): משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ, שָׁקַל הַכָּתוּב שְׁלשָׁה קַלֵּי עוֹלָם עִם שְׁלשָׁה גְּדוֹלֵי עוֹלָם, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁבֵּית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל יְרֻבַּעַל גָּדוֹל וְחָשׁוּב לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, וּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְשׁוֹן כְּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל יִפְתָּח כְּבֵית דִּינוֹ שֶׁל שְׁמוּאֵל, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה פַּרְנָס עַל הַצִּבּוּר אֲפִלּוּ הוּא קַל שֶׁבַּקַּלִּים, הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאַבִּיר שֶׁבָּאַבִּירִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז, יט): וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִם וְאֶל הַשֹּׁפֵט אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וגו', אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שׁוֹפֵט שֶׁבְּדוֹרְךָ, שׁוֹפֵט שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּדוֹרְךָ מִנַּיִן, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְאֶל הַשֹּׁפֵט אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַשּׁוֹפֵט שֶׁבְּדוֹרְךָ הֲרֵי הוּא בִּזְמַנּוֹ כַּשּׁוֹפֵט שֶׁהָיָה בַּיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (קהלת ז, י): אַל תֹּאמַר מֶה הָיָה שֶׁהַיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ טוֹבִים מֵאֵלֶּה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אֵין לְךָ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶלָּא שׁוֹפֵט שֶׁבְּדוֹרֶךָ, כְּתִיב (במדבר לו, א): וַיִּקְרְבוּ רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹת בְּנֵי גִלְעָד בֶּן מָכִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן הָאָבוֹת אָבוֹת, אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ נִכְנָסִין לָאַרְכֵי וְאֵלּוּ נִשְׁמָטִין מִן הָאַרְכֵי לְפִיכָךְ פְּגָמָן הַכָּתוּב. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה כְּתִיב (דברי הימים א יב, כח): וִיהוֹיָדָע הַנָּגִיד לְאַהֲרֹן, וְכִי יְהוֹיָדָע הָיָה נָגִיד לְאַהֲרֹן, אֶלָּא אִלּוּ הָיָה אַהֲרֹן קַיָּם בְּדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹיָדָע, יְהוֹיָדָע הָיָה גָדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בִּשְׁעָתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימָאִי כְּתִיב (דברי הימים א ו, לד): וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מַקְטִירִים עַל מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה וגו', וְכִי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו קַיָּמִים, וַהֲלֹא צָדוֹק וּבָנָיו הָיוּ, אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו קַיָּמִים, צָדוֹק הָיָה גָדוֹל מֵהֶם בִּשְׁעָתוֹ. רַבִּי הִלֵּל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מֵהָכָא (נחמיה ח, יז): וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כָל הַקָּהָל הַשָּׁבִים מִן הַשְּׁבִי סֻכּוֹת וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בַסֻּכּוֹת כִּי לֹא עָשׂוּ מִימֵי יֵשׁוּעַ בִּן נוּן כֵּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וַתְּהִי שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, פָּגַם הַכָּתוּב בִּכְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל צַדִּיק בַּקֶּבֶר בִּשְׁבִיל פְּלוֹנִי בִּשְׁעָתוֹ. וְרַבָּנָן מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מִן הָכָא (עזרא ז, ה): בֶּן אֲבִישׁוּעַ בֶּן פִּנְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר וגו' הוּא עֶזְרָא עָלָה מִבָּבֶל, אֶלָּא אִלּוּ הָיָה אַהֲרֹן קַיָּם הָיָה עֶזְרָא גָדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בִּשְׁעָתוֹ. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana [said], and some say it in the name of Rabbi Ada bar Ḥunya: The generation that comes should be in your eyes like the generation that has passed, so you should not say: ‘Were Rabbi Akiva alive, I would study Bible before him; were Rabbi Zeira and Rabbi Yoḥanan alive, I would study Mishna before them.’ Rather, the generation that comes during your lifetime and the Sage that is in your lifetime are the equivalent of the generation that passed and the early Sages who preceded you.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The Lord who made Moses and Aaron…” (I Samuel 12:6), and it is written: “The Lord sent Yerubaal, Bedan, Yiftaḥ and Samuel” (I Samuel 12:11). Yerubaal, this is Gideon; Bedan, this is Samson; Yiftaḥ as its plain meaning. And it is written: “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call His name” (Psalms 99:6) – the verse parallels three of the insignificant people of the world to three of the prominent people of the world,20The verse in I Samuel (12:11) refers to Gideon, Samson, and Yiftah in the same listing as Samuel, thus equating them, and the verse in Psalms is understood to equate Samuel to Moses and Aaron. to teach you that Yerubaal’s court is as great and significant before the Holy One blessed be He as Moses’s court; Samson’s court is the equivalent of Aaron’s court; and Yiftaḥ’s court is the equivalent of Samuel’s court. This teaches you that anyone who is appointed a leader of the community, even if he is extremely insignificant, he is like the noblest of their noble predecessors, as it is stated: “You shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who will be in those days…” (Deuteronomy 17:9). I have [the ability to come] only to the judge that is in your generation; where [would you be able to find] the judge that is not in your generation? Why does the verse state: “To the judge who will be in those days”?21Clearly, one can go only to a judge who is in his generation. It teaches that the judge in your generation, in his time, is the equivalent of the judge who was in earlier days, and so, it says: “Do not say: How was it that the former days were better than these?” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: You should heed only the judge that is in your generation, as it is written: “The heads of the fathers [ha’avot] of the family of the children of Gilad, son of Makhir, son of Manasseh [came near and spoke before Moses and before the princes; the heads of the fathers’ [avot] houses of the children of Israel]” (Numbers 36:1). Rabbi Yudan said: “The fathers [ha’avot],” “fathers [avot].”22Regarding the family of Gilad, the verse uses the definite article ha’avot, while regarding the leaders of entire tribes, the verse writes simply avot, without the definite article. Rather, these entered into leadership and these were removed from leadership, and that is why the verse presented then deficiently.23The heads of the families of Gilad were from the younger generation, and were entering leadership positions, whereas the tribal princes were from the older generation and were concluding their terms of leadership.
Rabbi Berekhya said: It is written: “Yehoyada was the leader of Aaron” (I Chronicles 12:28). Was Yehoyada the leader of Aaron? Rather, had Aaron been alive in the generation of Yehoyada, Yehoyada would have been greater than he was at the time.24The verse is interpreted to mean that Yehoyada was greater than Aaron. However, that is impossible, as Aaron was in fact greater than Yehoyada. The midrash therefore explains that had Aaron been alive in the generation when Yehoyada was the leader of the priests, Aaron would have been subordinate to him and accepted his leadership despite Aaron’s personal superiority. Rabbi Simai said: It is written: “Aaron and his sons were offering on the altar of the burnt offerings…” (I Chronicles 6:34). Were Aaron and his sons alive? Was it not Tzadok and his sons who were [offering these offerings]? Rather, had Aaron and his sons been alive, Tzadok would have been greater than he was at the time.25Aaron and his sons would have accepted Tzadok’s leadership because he was the High Priest at the time. Rabbi Hillel derived it from here: “The entire congregation that returned from captivity made booths, and they dwelled in the booths, as since the days of Joshua [Yeshua] bin Nun, to that day, the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great rejoicing” (Nehemiah 8:17). The verse compromised the honor of the deceased righteous one for the sake of so-and-so at the time.26The verses minimizes the honor of Joshua by writing his name in a deficient manner, Yeshua, instead of the common spelling of his name, Yehoshua. This is in order allude to the fact that the then leader, Ezra, had to be accorded more honor than Joshua, the great leader of the past. The Rabbis derive it from here: “The son of Avishua, son of Pinḥas ben Elazar, [son of Aaron the priest, the chief;] he, Ezra, ascended from Babylon…” (Ezra 7:5–6). Rather, had Aaron been alive, Ezra would have been greater than he was at the time.27The simple reading of the verse is that the word chief refers to Aaron, and thus identifies him as the High Priest. The midrash reads the verse as though the word chief refers not to Aaron but to Ezra, because he was the leader in his generation.
וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ קְרָא לְמֵימַר אֶלָּא וְהָאָרֶץ הוֹלֶכֶת, וְהָאָרֶץ בָּאָה, וְהַדּוֹר לְעוֹלָם הוּא עוֹמֵד, וְכִי מִי נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל מִי, אֶרֶץ נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל דּוֹר אוֹ דוֹר נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל הָאָרֶץ, לֹא אֶרֶץ בִּשְׁבִיל דּוֹר. אֶלָּא, דּוֹר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹמֵד בְּתַפְקִידָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְפִיכָךְ הוּא בּוֹלֶה, וְהָאָרֶץ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת בְּתַפְקִידָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְפִיכָךְ אֵינָהּ בּוֹלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, כְּתִיב (ישעיה סה, כב): כִּי כִימֵי הָעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִּי, וְאֵין עֵץ אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יח): עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ, וְכִי מִי נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל מִי, הַתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה, לֹא תוֹרָה בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּבְרֵאת בִּשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲרֵי הִיא קַיֶּמֶת לְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים, יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בִּזְכוּתָהּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַלְכוּת נִכְנֶסֶת, וּמַלְכוּת יוֹצֵאת, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹמֵד לְעוֹלָם, הֱוֵי: וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי פְּלַטְיָא דְּנָוֶה מַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָיָיא (שופטים יח, ל): וִיהוֹנָתָן בֶּן גֵּרְשֹׁם בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה הוּא וּבָנָיו הָיוּ כֹהֲנִים לְשֵׁבֶט הַדָּנִי עַד יוֹם גְּלוֹת הָאָרֶץ, וְכִי אֶרֶץ גּוֹלָה אוֹ מִטַּלְטֶלֶת, אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג, יב): וְאִשְּׁרוּ אֶתְכֶם כָּל הַגּוֹיִם כִּי תִהְיוּ אַתֶּם אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ, אַתֶּם תִּקָּרְאוּ אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ. אָמַר רַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּאָדָם בָּרָא בָּאָרֶץ לְדֻגְמָא לוֹ, אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ רֹאשׁ וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ רֹאשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח, כו): וְרֹאשׁ עַפְרוֹת תֵּבֵל. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ עֵינַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ עֵינַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות י, ה): וְכִסָּה אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ אָזְנַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ אָזְנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א, ב): וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ פֶּה וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ פֶּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טז, לב): וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִּיהָ. אָדָם אוֹכֵל וְהָאָרֶץ אוֹכֶלֶת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יג, לב): אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ. אָדָם שׁוֹתֶה וְהָאָרֶץ שׁוֹתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יא, יא): לִמְטַר הַשָּׁמַיִם תִּשְׁתֶּה מָיִם. אָדָם מֵקִיא וְהָאָרֶץ מְקִיאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יח, כח): וְלֹא תָקִיא הָאָרֶץ וגו'. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ יָדַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ יָדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לד, כא): וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ יְרֵכַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ יְרֵכַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה לא, ז): וְקִבַּצְתִּים מִיַּרְכְּתֵי אָרֶץ. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ טַבּוּר וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָה טַבּוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לח, יב): ישְׁבֵי עַל טַבּוּר הָאָרֶץ. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ עֶרְוָה וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ עֶרְוָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מב, ט): לִרְאוֹת אֶת עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם. אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ רַגְלַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ יֵשׁ לָהּ רַגְלַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עֹמָדֶת. מָה הִיא עוֹמֶדֶת, מַעֲמֶדֶת, רַבִּי אַחָא וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר תַּפְקִידֶיהָ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מְזוֹנוֹתֶיהָ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹסֵי בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא, לְפִי שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אָדָם בּוֹנֶה בִּנְיָן וְאַחֵר מְבַלֶּה, נוֹטֵעַ נְטִיעָה וְאַחֵר אוֹכֵל, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא לֹא יִבְנוּ וְאַחֵר יֵשֵׁב, לֹא יִטְּעוּ וְאַחֵר יֹאכַל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סה, כב): כִּי כִימֵי הָעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִּי וּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם יְבַלּוּ בְחִירָי. “And the earth abides forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: The verse should have said only: “The earth passes and the earth comes, but the generation abides forever.”28This would indicate that the earth is transient, and the people last forever. Which was created for the sake of the other, was the earth created for the sake of the generation, or was the generation created for the sake of the earth? Was it not the earth [that was created] for the sake of the generation? Rather, because the generation did not perform the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it wastes away. The earth, because it performs the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it does not waste away.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people” (Isaiah 65:22). Tree means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). Which was created for the sake of the other; the Torah for the sake of Israel, or Israel for the sake of the Torah? Was it not the Torah [that was created] for the sake of Israel? Rather, the Torah that was created for the sake of Israel exists for ever and ever; Israel, for whose sake [everything] was created, all the more so. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A kingdom enters and a kingdom leaves, but Israel stands forever; that is: “The earth abides forever.” Rabbi Shmuel in the name of Rabbi Pelatya of Naveh derived it from this verse: “Yehonatan son of Gershom son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land” (Judges 18:30). Does a land go into exile or wander? Rather, these are Israel, who are called land, as it is stated: “All nations will praise you; as you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:12) – you will be called a land of delight.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in man, He created its parallel for the earth. Man has a head and the earth has a head [rosh], as it is stated: “[He had not yet made earth and fields, or] the beginning [rosh] of the dust of the world” (Proverbs 8:26). Man has eyes [einayim] and the earth has eyes, as it is stated: “They will cover the face [ein] of the earth” (Exodus 10:5). A person has ears and the earth has ears, as it is stated: “Listen, earth” (Isaiah 1:2). Man has a mouth and the earth has a mouth, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth” (Numbers 16:32). Man eats and the earth eats, as it is stated: “A land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32). Man drinks and the earth drinks, as it is stated: “[But the land]…by the rain of the heavens it drinks water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). Man vomits and the earth vomits, as it is stated: “So the land will not vomit [you out]” (Leviticus 18:28). Man has hands and the earth has hands [yadayim], as it is stated: “The land is spacious [raḥavat yadayim]” (Genesis 34:21). Man has thighs and the earth has thighs [yerekhayim], as it is stated: “I will gather them from the ends [miyarketei] of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:8). Man has a navel [tabbur] and the earth has a navel, as it is stated: “Dwellers in the middle of [betabbur] the earth” (Ezekiel 38:12). Man has nakedness and the earth has nakedness, as it is stated: “To see the nakedness of the land you have come” (Genesis 42:9). Man has feet and the earth has feet, as it is stated: “And the earth abides [omadet] forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4).29The term omadet literally means standing, implying that it has feet.
What is omadet? Ma’amedet. Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Aḥa said: It fulfills [ma’amedet] its duties. The Rabbis said: It produces [ma’amedet] its food. Rabbi Shimon ben Yosei ben Lakoneya said: Because in this world a person builds a building and another spends time in it, [a person] plants a sapling and another eats [its produce]. But in the future, they will not build and another will settle, they will not plant and another will eat, as it is stated: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people, and My chosen will outlive their handicraft” (Isaiah 65:22).