As R. Hizkiah and R. Jesse were once walking together, the latter said: ‘I see from your looks that some thought is troubling you.’ He replied: ‘I am pondering on the verse: “For that which befalleth the sons of man befalleth beasts, even one thing befalleth them” (Eccl. 3, 19). This saying of the wise Solomon troubles me, because it seems to give an opening to the unbelievers.’
That is assuredly so,’ he replied. At that moment a man came up to them and asked them for water, as he was thirsty and weary from the heat of the sun. They asked him who he was. He replied that he was a Jew. ‘Have you studied the Torah?’ they asked. He replied: ‘Instead of talking with you, I can go up to that hill and find water there and drink.’
R. Jesse thereupon brought out a flask full of water and gave it to him. When he had drunk, they said: ‘We will go up there with you for water.’ So they went up to the rock and found there a trickling stream from which they filled a bottle. They then sat down, and the man said to them: ‘You just now asked me if I had studied the Torah. I have done so through a son of mine whom I have put under a teacher, and from whom I have gained some knowledge of the Torah.’ R. Hizkiah said to him: ‘If it is through your son, well and good; but I see that for the solution of our problem we shall have to look somewhere else.’ The man said: ‘Let me hear it, since sometimes in the beggar’s wallet one finds a pearl.’
They then quoted to him the verse of Solomon. He said to them: ‘Wherein are you different from all other men who also do not know?’ They replied: ‘Wherein then?’ He then said: ‘That is the way in which Solomon meant this verse. He was not saying it in his own name like the rest of the book, but was repeating what is said by worldly fools, that “the hap of man and the hap of the beast”, etc.; that is to say, that this world is the sport of chance, and there is no Providence, but “the hap of man and the hap of beast is the same”.’
When Solomon observed this, he called those fools themselves “cattle”, as it says in the next verse, “I said in my heart concerning this saying of the sons of men that God should put them on one side and that (the faithful) should see that they are cattle for themselves”. A curse on those cattle, on those fools, on those faithless unbelievers! Better they had never come into the world!
What did Solomon answer them? “Who knows the spirit of the sons of man which goeth upwards and the spirit of the beast which goeth downwards to the earth?” Who of those fools that wot not of the honour of the supreme King knows that the spirit of the sons of man goes upwards to a supernal, precious and holy place to be nourished by the supernal brightness of the Holy King and to be included in the “bundle of the living”,
while the spirit of the beast goes downwards to the earth, and not to that place where is every man of those of whom it is written, “In the image of God he made man”? How can those foolish unbelievers say that there is one spirit to all? They shall be like chaff before the wind, and will be left in Gehinnom and not ascend for all generations. ‘ R. Hizkiah and R. Jesse thereupon came and kissed him on his head, saying: ‘All this you knew and we were not aware! Blessed the hour in which we met thee!’
He then proceeded: ‘This is not the only instance of such a usage. There is, for instance, the verse: “This is evil in all that is done under the sun, for there is one hap to all” (Ibid. 9, 3): as much as to say, “What the evil man says is, There is one hap to all”.
And he goes on: “For he who chooses (the future world) does naught,1Translating the Kethib of Eccl. 9, 4. for we are well assured that for all the living there is trust”, and also that a live dog is better than a dead lion.’
They said to him: ‘Would you mind if we join you, and you should accompany us?’ He replied: ‘Were I to do so, the Torah would call me a fool, and, moreover, I should render my life forfeit.’ ‘Why so’, they asked. ‘Because’, he said, ‘I am a messenger, and King Solomon said, “He cutteth short his own legs, and drinketh in damage who sendeth words by the hand of a fool” (Prov. 26, 6). For the spies, because they did not prove trusty and faithful messengers forfeited their lives both in this world and the next.’ He then embraced them and departed.
R. Hizkiah and R. Jose also went their way, and meeting some men they inquired about the stranger. They were told that he was R. Haggai and one of the leading Companions, and that the Companions in Babylon had sent him to make some inquiries of R. Simeon and the other Companions. Said R. Jesse: ‘Assuredly this is the R. Haggai who was always unwilling to let it be known that he is a scholar, and therefore it was that he told us that he learnt the Torah through his son. Verily he is a faithful messenger, and happy is the man who has committed his message to him.
So, too, Eleazar, the servant of Abraham, was accursed in virtue of being a Canaanite, but because he was a faithful messenger he escaped from his curse and was blessed in the name of the Lord (Gen. 24, 31).
ALL OF THEM MEN. They were all virtuous, but they were misled by a false reasoning. They said: If Israel enter the land, we will be superseded, since it is only in the wilderness that we are accounted worthy to be leaders, and this was what caused their death and the death of all who followed them.
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא לְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. חֲמֵינָא בְּאַפָּךְ דְּהִרְהוּרָא אִית בְּגַוָּוךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא וַדַּאי הַאי קְרָא אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בֵּיהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, (קהלת ג׳:י״ט) כִּי מִקְּרֶה בְנֵי הָאָדָם וּמִקְרֶה הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִקְּרֶה אֶחָד לָהֶם וְגוֹ'. וְתָנֵינָן, דְּכָל מִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ סְתִימִין מִדַּרְגִּין דְּחָכְמְתָא. אִי הָכִי, הַאי קְרָא אִית בֵּיהּ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, דְּהָא פִּתְחָא לְאִינּוּן דְּלָאו בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ.
As R. Hizkiah and R. Jesse were once walking together, the latter said: ‘I see from your looks that some thought is troubling you.’ He replied: ‘I am pondering on the verse: “For that which befalleth the sons of man befalleth beasts, even one thing befalleth them” (Eccl. 3, 19). This saying of the wise Solomon troubles me, because it seems to give an opening to the unbelievers.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְאִית בֵּיהּ לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא. אַדְּהָכִי חָמוּ חַד בַּר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי, שָׁאַל לוֹן מַיָּיא, דְּהֲוָה צָחֵי, וַהֲוָה לָאֵי בְּתוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, מַאן אַתְּ. אָמַר לוֹן יוּדָאי אֲנָא, וַאֲנָא לָאֵי וְצָחֵינָא. אָמְרוּ לָעִית בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אָמַר לוֹן, עַד דַּאֲנָא עִמְּכוֹן בְּמִלִּין, אֶסְלַּק לְהַאי טוּרָא, וְתַמָּן אֶסַּב מַיָּיא וְאִשְׁתֵּי.
That is assuredly so,’ he replied. At that moment a man came up to them and asked them for water, as he was thirsty and weary from the heat of the sun. They asked him who he was. He replied that he was a Jew. ‘Have you studied the Torah?’ they asked. He replied: ‘Instead of talking with you, I can go up to that hill and find water there and drink.’
אַפִּיק רִבִּי יֵיסָא חַד זְפִירָא מָלֵי מַיִין, וִיהַב לֵיהּ. בָּתַר דְּשָׁתָה, אָמַר נְסַלֵּק עִמָּךְ לְמַיָּיא. סְלִיקוּ לְטוּרָא, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ חַד חוּטָא דְּמַיָיא דָּקִיק, וּמַלֵּי קַטְפוּרָא חַד. יָתְבוּ. אָמַר לוֹן הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, הַשְׁתָּא שָׁאִילוּ, דְּהָא אֲנָא אִשְׁתָּדַּלְּנָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַל יְדוֹי דְּחַד בְּרִי, דַּאֲנָא עַיְילִית לֵיהּ לְבֵי רַב, וּבְגִינֵיהּ רָוַוחְנָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אִי עַל יְדָא דִּבְרָךְ, טַב הוּא. אֲבָל מִלָּה דַּאֲנָן בֵּיהּ, אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא דְּלַאֲתָר אַחֲרָא בָּעֵי לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא. אָמַר הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, אֵימָא מִלָּךְ, דִּלְזִמְנִין בְּאָפַּרְקָסָתָא דְּעַנְיָיא תִּשְׁכַּח מַרְגָּנִיתָא.
R. Jesse thereupon brought out a flask full of water and gave it to him. When he had drunk, they said: ‘We will go up there with you for water.’ So they went up to the rock and found there a trickling stream from which they filled a bottle. They then sat down, and the man said to them: ‘You just now asked me if I had studied the Torah. I have done so through a son of mine whom I have put under a teacher, and from whom I have gained some knowledge of the Torah.’ R. Hizkiah said to him: ‘If it is through your son, well and good; but I see that for the solution of our problem we shall have to look somewhere else.’ The man said: ‘Let me hear it, since sometimes in the beggar’s wallet one finds a pearl.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ הַאי קְרָא דְּאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, סַח לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְכִי (נ"א כמה) בְּמָה אַתּוּן פְּרִישָׁן מִשְּׁאַר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּלָא יַדְעֵי. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וּבְמָּה. אָמַר לוֹן, עַל דָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַאי קְרָא, וְלָא אָמַר הַאי מִגַּרְמֵיהּ, כִּשְׁאַר אִינּוּן מִלִּין. אֶלָּא אַהְדָּר אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּטִפְּשָׁאֵי עָלְמָא דְּאַמְרֵי כַּךְ, וּמַאי אַמְרֵי. כִּי מִקְרֶה הָאָדָם וּמִקְּרֶה הַבְּהֵמָה וְגוֹ', טִפְּשָׁאֵי דְּלָא יַדְעֵי וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלָן בְּחָכְמְתָא אַמְרֵי דְּהַאי עָלְמָא אָזִיל בְּמִקְרֶה, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אַשְׁגַּח עָלַיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא מִקְרֶה הָאָדָם וּמִקְרֶה הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִקְרֶה אֶחָד וְגוֹ'.
They then quoted to him the verse of Solomon. He said to them: ‘Wherein are you different from all other men who also do not know?’ They replied: ‘Wherein then?’ He then said: ‘That is the way in which Solomon meant this verse. He was not saying it in his own name like the rest of the book, but was repeating what is said by worldly fools, that “the hap of man and the hap of the beast”, etc.; that is to say, that this world is the sport of chance, and there is no Providence, but “the hap of man and the hap of beast is the same”.’
וְכַד שְׁלֹמֹה אִסְתָּכַּל בְּאִלֵּין טִפְּשָׁאִין דְּקָאַמְרֵי דָּא קָרָא לוֹן בְּהֵמָה, דְּאִינּוּן עַבְדִּין גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּהֵמָה מַמָּשׁ, בְּגִין דְּאַמְרֵי מִלִּין אִלֵּין. וּמְנָלָן. קְרָא דְּעָלֵיהּ אוֹכַח, דִּכְתִּיב, (קהלת ג׳:י״ח) אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי עַל דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם לְבָרָם הָאֱלֹהִים וְלִרְאוֹת שְׁהֶם בְּהֵמָה הֵמָּה לָהֶם. אָמַרְתִּי אֲנִי בְּלִבִּי וַחֲשִׁיבְנָא בְּהַאי לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא עַל מָה, עַל דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם. עַל הַהוּא מִלָּה דְּטִפְּשׁוּתָא, דְּאִינּוּן אַמְרֵי לְבָרָם הָאֱלֹהִים בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יִתְחַבְּרוּן בַּהֲדֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אַחֲרָנִין דְּאִית לוֹן מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְלִרְאוֹת שְׁהֶם בְּהֵמָה הֵמָּה לָהֶם. וְלִרְאוֹת בְּהוּ אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, שֶׁהֵם בְּהֵמָה מַמָּשׁ, וְדַעְתַּיְיהוּ כִּבְעִירָא. הֵמָּה לָהֶם בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, וְלָא לְאַעֲלָאה לִבְנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּדַעְתָּא דְּטִפְּשׁוּתָא דָּא, וְעַל דָּא הֵמָּה לָהֶם, וְלָא לְאַחֲרָנִין. וּמַה דַּעְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן. כִּי מִקְּרֶה בְנֵי הָאָדָם וּמִקְרֶה הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִקְּרֶה אֶחָד לְכֻלָּם וְגוֹ'. תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן בְּעִירֵי. אִינּוּן טִפְּשָׁאֵי. אִינּוּן מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא. וַוי לוֹן וַוי לְנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ. טַב לְהוּ דְּלָא יֵיתוּן לְעָלְמָא.
When Solomon observed this, he called those fools themselves “cattle”, as it says in the next verse, “I said in my heart concerning this saying of the sons of men that God should put them on one side and that (the faithful) should see that they are cattle for themselves”. A curse on those cattle, on those fools, on those faithless unbelievers! Better they had never come into the world!
וּמַה אָתִיב לוֹן שְׁלֹמֹה עַל דָּא. קְרָא אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ, וְאָמַר, וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ רוּחַ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה וְרוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת הִיא לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ. מִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּאִינּוּן טִפְּשָׁאֵי, דְּלָא יַדְעֵי בִּיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, רוּחַ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָה, הִיא לְמַעְלָה, לַאֲתָר עִלָּאָה, לַאֲתָר יְקָר, לַאֲתָר קַדִּישָׁא, לְאִתְּזְנָא מִנְּהִירוּ עִלָּאָה, מִנְּהִירוּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, לְמֶהֱוִי צְרוֹרָא בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחַת קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עוֹלָה תְּמִימָה וְדָא הוּא הָעוֹלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה.
What did Solomon answer them? “Who knows the spirit of the sons of man which goeth upwards and the spirit of the beast which goeth downwards to the earth?” Who of those fools that wot not of the honour of the supreme King knows that the spirit of the sons of man goes upwards to a supernal, precious and holy place to be nourished by the supernal brightness of the Holy King and to be included in the “bundle of the living”,
וְרוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת הִיא לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ, וְלַאו לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּהַוָה כָּל בַּר נָשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (בראשית ט׳:ו׳) בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם, וּכְתִיב (משלי כ׳:כ״ז) נֵר יְיָ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם. הֵיךְ אַמְרֵי אִינּוּן טִפְּשָׁאֵי דְּלָאו מִבְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְרוּחַ אֶחָד לַכֹּל, תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהוֹן, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (תהילים ל״ה:ה׳) יִהְיוּ כְּמוֹץ לִפְנֵי רוּחַ וּמַלְאַךְ יְיָ דּוֹחֶה. אִלֵּין יִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן בַּגֵיהִנָּם, לְאִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין, וְלָא יִסְתַּלְּקוּן לְדָרֵי דָּרִין. עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב (תהילים ק״ד:ל״ה) יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן הָאָרֶץ וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם בָּרַכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ הַלְלוּיָהּ. אָתוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא, וְנַשְׁקוּ רֵישֵׁיהּ, אָמְרוּ וּמַה כָּל כַּךְ הֲוָה עִמָּךְ וְלָא יְדַעְנָא, זַכָּאָה הַאי שַׁעֲתָא דְּאַעְרַעְנָא בָּךְ.
while the spirit of the beast goes downwards to the earth, and not to that place where is every man of those of whom it is written, “In the image of God he made man”? How can those foolish unbelievers say that there is one spirit to all? They shall be like chaff before the wind, and will be left in Gehinnom and not ascend for all generations. ‘ R. Hizkiah and R. Jesse thereupon came and kissed him on his head, saying: ‘All this you knew and we were not aware! Blessed the hour in which we met thee!’
תּוּ אָמַר, וְכִי עַל דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי תָּוָּה שְׁלֹמֹה, וְהָא בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא אָמַר כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (קהלת ט׳:ג׳) זֶה רָע בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. זֶה רָע וַדַּאי. מַאי זֶה רָע. דָּא הוּא מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא, וְחָבִיל אוֹרְחוֹי, בְּגִין דְּהַאי לָאו מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים ה׳:ה׳) כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. עַל דָּא אָמַר, זֶה רָע, דְּלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ מָדוֹרָא לְעֵילָּא. כִּי מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַכֹּל וְגַם לֵב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם מָלֵא רָע (בגין דא) וְהוֹלֵלוֹת בִּלְבָבָם. בְּחַיֵּיהֶם שְׁטּוּתָא תָּקִיעַ בְּלִבַּיְיהוּ, וְאִינּוּן מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְלֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, לָאו בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וְלָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (קהלת ט׳:ג׳) וְאַחֲרָיו אֶל הַמֵּתִים.
He then proceeded: ‘This is not the only instance of such a usage. There is, for instance, the verse: “This is evil in all that is done under the sun, for there is one hap to all” (Ibid. 9, 3): as much as to say, “What the evil man says is, There is one hap to all”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְהַר לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא וְאָמַר, (דברים ל׳:י״ט) וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, (בהאי עלמא, ובעלמא דאתי) וְחַיִּין דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא נִינְהוּ. אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא מַאי קָא אַמְרֵי. (קהלת ט) כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר וְגוֹ'. אַף עַל גַּב דְּיִבְחַר בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא (ס"א בההוא עלמא) כְּמָה דְּאָמַר, לָאו הוּא כְּלוּם, דְּהָא מְסִירָא דָּא בִּידָנָא, (קהלת ט׳:ד׳) אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן, וּמְסִירָא דָּא בִּידַיְיהוּ, (קהלת ט׳:ד׳) כִּי לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת. הֵיךְ יְהֵא לָן חַיִּין בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא זֶה רָע ודַּאי, דְּלָא יְדוּרוּן בְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְלָא יְהֵא לוֹן חוּלָקָא בֵּיהּ. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל הָנֵי קְרָאֵי תִּשְׁכַּח סְמִיכִין לְחַבְרַיָּיא בְּמִלִּין אַחֲרָנִין, אֲבָל וַדַּאי שְׁלֹמֹה קָא אָתָא לְגַלָּאָה עַל אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, דְּלֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
And he goes on: “For he who chooses (the future world) does naught,1Translating the Kethib of Eccl. 9, 4. for we are well assured that for all the living there is trust”, and also that a live dog is better than a dead lion.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, תִּבְעֵי דְּנִתְחַבָּר בַּהֲדָךְ וְתֵזִיל בַּהֲדָן. אָמַר לְהוּ, אִי עֲבִידְנָא הָכִי, אוֹרַיְיתָא יִקְרֵי עָלַי כְּסִיל, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִתְחָיַיבְנָא בְּנַפְשָׁאי. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לָמָּה. אָמַר לוֹן דְּהָא שְׁלִיחָא אֲנָא, וְשַׁדְרוּ לִי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא, וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא אָמַר, (משלי כ״ו:ו׳) מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שׁוֹתֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד כְּסִיל. תָּא חֲזֵי, מְרַגְּלִים עַל דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא וּשְׁלוּחֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, אִתְחָיָיבוּ בְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. נָשַׁק לוֹן, וְאָזַל לֵיהּ.
They said to him: ‘Would you mind if we join you, and you should accompany us?’ He replied: ‘Were I to do so, the Torah would call me a fool, and, moreover, I should render my life forfeit.’ ‘Why so’, they asked. ‘Because’, he said, ‘I am a messenger, and King Solomon said, “He cutteth short his own legs, and drinketh in damage who sendeth words by the hand of a fool” (Prov. 26, 6). For the spies, because they did not prove trusty and faithful messengers forfeited their lives both in this world and the next.’ He then embraced them and departed.
אַזְלוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלוּ פָּגְעוּ בְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא. שָׁאִילוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא עָלֵיהּ, אָמְרוּ מַה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ. אָמְרוּ, רִבִּי חַגַּי הוּא, וְחַבְרָא דְּבֵין חַבְרַיָּיא הוּא, וְשַׁדְרוּ לֵיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא דְּבָבֶל, לְמִנְדַּע מִלִּין מֵרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא. אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, ודַּאי דָּא הוּא רִבִּי חַגַּי, דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא בָּעָא לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּמַה דְּיָדַע, וְעַל דָּא אָמַר לָן דְּהָא בְּרֵיהּ זָכָה לֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאָמַר קְרָא, (משלי כ״ו:י״ב-י״ג) רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְּוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּנּוּ. וַדַּאי שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא אִיהוּ, (וזכאה הוא שליחא מהימנא) וְזַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּשָׁדַר מִלּוֹי בִּידָא דִּשְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא.
R. Hizkiah and R. Jose also went their way, and meeting some men they inquired about the stranger. They were told that he was R. Haggai and one of the leading Companions, and that the Companions in Babylon had sent him to make some inquiries of R. Simeon and the other Companions. Said R. Jesse: ‘Assuredly this is the R. Haggai who was always unwilling to let it be known that he is a scholar, and therefore it was that he told us that he learnt the Torah through his son. Verily he is a faithful messenger, and happy is the man who has committed his message to him.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם מִבְּנֵי כְּנַעַן הֲוָה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (הושע י״ב:ח׳) כְּנַעַן בְּיָדוֹ מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה. וּכְנַעַן כְּתִיב עָלֵיהּ, (בראשית ט׳:כ״ה) אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו. וּבְגִין דְּהֲוָה שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ. (בראשית כ״ד:כ״ז) בֹּא בְּרוּךְ יְיָ. בְּרוּךְ יְיָ מַמָּשׁ. וְעַל דָּא אַכְתִּיב הָכִי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּנָפַק מֵהַהִיא קְלָלָה, וְאִתְבְּרַךְ. וְלָא דַּי לֵיהּ דְּנָפִיק מִנָּהּ, אֶלָּא דְּאִתְבְּרַך בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָתָא מַלְאָךְ, וְאָעִיל מִלָּה דָּא בְּפוּמֵיהּ דְּלָבָן.
So, too, Eleazar, the servant of Abraham, was accursed in virtue of being a Canaanite, but because he was a faithful messenger he escaped from his curse and was blessed in the name of the Lord (Gen. 24, 31).
וַיִשְׁלַח אוֹתָם מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ', כֻּלָּם אֲנָשִׁים. כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין הֲווֹ, וְרֵישֵׁי דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווֹ. אֲבָל אִינּוּן דִּבְּרוּ לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא. אֲמַאי נַטְלֵי עֵיטָא דָּא. אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ, אִי יֵיעֲלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא, נִתְעֲבָר אֲנָן מִלְּמֶהֱוִי רֵישִׁין, וְיִמְנֵי מֹשֶׁה רֵישִׁין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּהָא אֲנָן זָכֵינָן בְּמַדְבְּרָא לְמֶהֱוִי רֵישִׁין, אֲבָל בְּאַרְעָא לָא נִזְכֵּי. וְעַל דְּנַטְלֵי עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ, מִיתוּ אִינּוּן, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּנַטְלָן מִלַּיְיהוּ.
ALL OF THEM MEN. They were all virtuous, but they were misled by a false reasoning. They said: If Israel enter the land, we will be superseded, since it is only in the wilderness that we are accounted worthy to be leaders, and this was what caused their death and the death of all who followed them.