R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.”40Lev. R. 27:2; PRK 9:2. This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to scribes and Mishnah teachers.41In elementary school one studied Bible under a sopher, or scribe. Secondary school involved the study of Oral Torah. Since a bachelor has no children, the money he gives is an act of charity. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child.” R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said, “There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has done [something] along with God, let him come and receive his reward.’” The holy spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3), “’Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him?’ Who offered Me praise42Qilles. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”). before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for Me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for Me before I gave him a prayer shawl? Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for Me before I gave him a roof? Who made a sukkah for Me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside the priestly tithe and the [other] tithes before I gave him a threshing floor? Who offered a sacrifice before I gave him a beast?” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born…].”
רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא פָּתַח, מִי הִקְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּם, תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמַיִם לִי הוּא (איוב מא, ג), זֶה רַוָּק הַדָּר בַּמְּדִינָה וְנוֹתֵן שְׂכַר סוֹפְרִים וּמִשְׁנָיוֹת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עָלַי לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ שְׂכַר עֲמָלוֹ, לִתֵּן לוֹ בִּשְׁכָרוֹ בֵּן זָכָר. אָמַר רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר, עֲתִידָה בַּת קוֹל לִהְיוֹת מְפוֹצֶצֶת בְּרָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים וְאוֹמֶרֶת, כָּל מִי שֶׁפָּעַל עִם אֵל, יָבֹא וְיִטֹּל שְׂכָרוֹ. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צוֹוַחַת וְאוֹמֶרֶת, מִי הִקְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּם. מִי קִלֵּס לְפָנַי עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי בּוֹ נְשָׁמָה. מִי מָל לְפָנַי עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ בֵּן זָכָר. מִי עָשָׂה לְפָנַי צִיצִית עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ טַלִּית. מִי עָשָׂה מַעֲקֶה עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ גַּג. מִי עָשָׂה סֻכָּה עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ מָקוֹם. מִי הִפְרִישׁ לִי פֵּאָה עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ שָׂדֶה. מִי הִפְרִישׁ תְּרוּמָה וּמַעֲשֵׂר עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ גֹּרֶן. מִי הִקְרִיב לְפָנַי קָרְבָּן עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתִּי לוֹ בְּהֵמָה. הֱוֵי, שׁוֹר אוֹ כֶּשֶׂב אוֹ עֵז.
R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.”40Lev. R. 27:2; PRK 9:2. This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to scribes and Mishnah teachers.41In elementary school one studied Bible under a sopher, or scribe. Secondary school involved the study of Oral Torah. Since a bachelor has no children, the money he gives is an act of charity. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child.” R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said, “There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has done [something] along with God, let him come and receive his reward.’” The holy spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3), “’Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him?’ Who offered Me praise42Qilles. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”). before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for Me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for Me before I gave him a prayer shawl? Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for Me before I gave him a roof? Who made a sukkah for Me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside the priestly tithe and the [other] tithes before I gave him a threshing floor? Who offered a sacrifice before I gave him a beast?” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born…].”