ויקרא רבה כ׳Vayikra Rabbah 20

Section 1א׳

אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן (ויקרא טז, א), רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח (קהלת ט, ב): הַכֹּל כַּאֲשֶׁר לַכֹּל מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע, לַצַּדִּיק זֶה נֹחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (בראשית ו, ט): אִישׁ צַדִּיק, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי נֹחַ כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַתֵּבָה הִכִּישׁוֹ הָאֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה כָּשֵׁר לְהַקְרִיב, וְהִקְרִיב שֵׁם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו. וְלָרָשָׁע זֶה פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא שֶׁל שְׁלֹמֹה לֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מִנְהָגָיו, הִכִּישׁוֹ אֲרִי וּשְׁבָרוֹ, זֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ וְזֶה מֵת צוֹלֵעַ, הַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַצַּדִּיק וְלָרָשָׁע לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא, לַטּוֹב זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, ב): וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר שֶׁנּוֹלַד מָהוּל, וְלַטָּהוֹר זֶה אַהֲרֹן, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּטַהֲרָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב, ו): בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר הָלַךְ אִתִּי וְרַבִּים הֵשִׁיב מֵעָוֹן. וְלַטָּמֵא אֵלּוּ מְרַגְּלִים, אֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵלּוּ אָמְרוּ גְנַאי, אֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ וְאֵלּוּ לֹא נִכְנְסוּ, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב: לַטּוֹב וְלַטָּהוֹר וְלַטָּמֵא. (קהלת ט, ב): וְלַזֹּבֵחַ זֶה יֹאשִׁיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לה, ז): וַיָּרֶם יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ לִבְנֵי הָעָם צֹאן כְּבָשִׂים וּבְנֵי עִזִּים. (קהלת ט, ב): וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ, זֶה אַחְאָב שֶׁבִּטֵּל קָרְבָּנוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב יח, ב): וַיִּזְבַּח לוֹ אַחְאָב צֹאן וּבָקָר לָרֹב, זָבַח לוֹ זֶבַח וְלֹא קָרְבָּנוֹת, זֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים וְזֶה מֵת בְּחִצִּים, הַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב: לַזֹּבֵחַ וְלַאֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ זֹבֵחַ. (קהלת ט, ב): כַּטּוֹב כַּחֹטֶא, כַּטּוֹב זֶה דָּוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א טז, יב): וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיְבִיאֵהוּ וְהוּא טוֹב רֹאִי, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק טוֹב רֹאִי בַּהֲלָכָה, כָּל הָרוֹאֵהוּ נִזְכַּר לְתַלְמוּדוֹ. כַּחֹטֶא זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ד, כד): וַחֲטָאָךְ בְּצִדְקָה פְרֻק, זֶה בָּנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, וְזֶה הֶחְרִיב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּמָלַךְ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, הֱוֵי: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד וגו', (קהלת ט, ב): הַנִּשְׁבָּע, זֶה צִדְקִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לו, יג): וְגַם בַּמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מָרָד. (קהלת ט, ב): כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁבוּעָה יָרֵא, זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים טו, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי פֶּן תִּפְגְּעוּן בִּי. זֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם (מלכים ב כה, ז): וְאֶת עֵינֵי צִדְקִיָּהוּ עִוֵּר, וְזֶה מֵת בְּנִקּוּר עֵינַיִם (שופטים טז, כא): וַיֹּאחֲזוּהוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיְנַקְּרוּ אֶת עֵינָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַנִּשְׁבָּע וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִקְרֶה אֶחָד, אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹן (מלאכי ב, ו): בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר. לָרָשָׁע, זֶה עֲדַת קֹרַח, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹן (במדבר טז, כו): סוּרוּ נָא וגו', אֵלּוּ נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב בְּמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִין וְאֵלּוּ נִכְנְסוּ לְהַקְרִיב שֶׁלֹּא בְמַחְלֹקֶת וְיָצְאוּ שְׂרוּפִין.

“The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they approached before the Lord, and they died” (Leviticus 16:1). “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.” Rabbi Shimon began: “Everything is as it is for everyone. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the righteous,” this is Noah, in whose regard it is stated: “A righteous man” (Genesis 6:9). Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Noah emerged from the ark, a lion bit him and maimed him, and he was unfit to offer sacrifices, and Shem, his son, offered in his stead. “And for the wicked,” this is Pharaoh Nekho. When he sought to sit on Solomon’s throne, he did not know its protocols; a lion bit him and maimed him. This one died limping, and that one died limping. That is what is written: “There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.” “For the good, for the pure, and for the impure” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). “For the good,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Rabbi Meir said: That he was born circumcised. “For the pure,” this is Aaron, who was engaged in the purification of Israel, as it is stated: “He walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he returned many from iniquity” (Malachi 2:6). “For the impure,” these are the scouts. These spoke in praise of the Land of Israel and these spoke in its denigration. These did not enter and these did not enter. That is what is written: “For the good, for the pure and for the impure.” “For the one who sacrifices” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Josiah, as it is stated: “Josiah donated to the members of the people from the flocks, lambs and goats” (II Chronicles 35:7). “And for the one who does not sacrifice” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Ahab, who abolished offerings. That is what is written: “Ahab slaughtered for himself sheep and cattle in abundance” (II Chronicles 18:2). He slaughtered for himself, but not for offerings. This one died with arrows and that one died with arrows. That is what is written: “For the one who sacrifices and for the one who does not sacrifice.” “Like the good [katov], so is the sinner” (Ecclesiastes 9:2); “like the good,” this is David, as it is stated: “He sent and brought him. He was…of fine [tov] appearance” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “Of fine appearance,” regarding halakha. Anyone who saw him would remember his studies. “So is the sinner,” this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Redeem your sins with charity” (Daniel 4:24). This one built the Temple and reigned forty years, and that one destroyed the Temple and reigned forty years. That is, “there is one fate…” “One who takes an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Zedekiah, as it is stated: “He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, too” (II Chronicles 36:13). “Like one who fears an oath” (Ecclesiastes 9:2), this is Samson, as it is stated: “Samson said to them: Take an oath to me that you will not smite me” (Judges 15:12). This one died with his eyes gouged, “and he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (II Kings 25:7); and that one died with his eyes gouged, “the Philistines seized him, and they gouged his eyes” (Judges 16:21). That is what is written: “There is one fate…for the one who takes an oath…” Another matter, “there is one fate,” these are the sons of Aaron, in whose regard it is written: “In peace and uprightness” (Malachi 2:6). “For the wicked,” this is the assembly of Koraḥ, in whose regard it is written: “Move, now [from the tents of these wicked men]” (Numbers 16:26). These entered to sacrifice in dispute and emerged burned, and these entered to sacrifice without dispute, and emerged burned.

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי פָּתַח (תהלים עה, ה): אָמַרְתִּי לַהוֹלְלִים אַל תָּהוֹלוּ, לַהוֹלְלִים, לִמְעַרְבְּבַיָּא, אֵלּוּ שֶׁלִּבָּם מָלֵא עֲלֵיהֶם חַלְחוֹלִיּוֹת רָעוֹת, רַבִּי לֵוִי הֲוָה צָוַח לְהוֹן אַלְלַיָיא, שֶׁמְבִיאִין אַלְלַי לָעוֹלָם. (תהלים עה, ה): וְלָרְשָׁעִים אַל תָּרִימוּ קָרֶן, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָרְשָׁעִים, הַצַּדִּיקִים לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁין לִשְׂמֹחַ. רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן מְנַסְיָא אָמַר תַּפּוּחַ עֲקֵבוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָיָה מַכְּהֶה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה דִיסְקָרִי, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לְבֵיתוֹ, שֶׁל מִי עוֹשֶׂה נָאֶה לֹא אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, כָּךְ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נִבְרָא לְתַשְׁמִישׁ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְגַלְגַּל חַמָּה לְתַשְׁמִישָׁן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה חֻפּוֹת קָשַׁר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כח, יג): בְּעֵדֶן גַּן אֱלֹהִים הָיִיתָ כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ אֹדֶם פִּטְדָה וְיַהֲלֹם תַּרְשִׁישׁ שֹׁהַם וְיָשְׁפֵה סַפִּיר נֹפֶךְ וּבָרְקַת וְזָהָב מְלֶאכֶת תֻּפֶּיךָ וּנְקָבֶיךָ בָּךְ בְּיוֹם הִבָּרַאֲךָ כּוֹנָנוּ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר חַד עֲשַׂר, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי עֲשַׂר, וְלָא פְּלִיגֵי מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן תְּלַת עֲשַׂר עָבֵיד כָּל אֶבֶן יְקָרָה מְסֻכָתֶךָ תְּלַת, מַאן דַּעֲבַד לְהוֹן חַד סַר, עֲבֵיד לְהוּ חָדָא, מַאן דַעֲבַד לְהוֹן עֲשָׂרָה לָא עֲבֵיד חַד מִנְהוֹן, וְאַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (בראשית ג, יט): כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל עָפָר תָּשׁוּב. אַבְרָהָם לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמִי וְאַתֶּם מְבַקְּשִׁים לִשְמֹחַ. נוֹלַד לוֹ בֵּן לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה וּבַסּוֹף אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית כב, ב): קַח נָא אֶת בִּנְךָ, וְהָלַךְ אַבְרָהָם מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים, לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים רָאָה עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר, אָמַר לוֹ בְּנִי רוֹאֶה אַתָּה מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לֵיהּ הֵן, מָה אַתָּה רוֹאֶה אָמַר לֵיהּ עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל גַּב הָהָר אֲנִי רוֹאֶה, אָמַר לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל וְלֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר רוֹאִים אַתֶּם כְּלוּם, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לָאו, אָמַר לָהֶם הוֹאִיל וְאֵינְכֶם רוֹאִים כְּלוּם וַחֲמוֹר זֶה אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה (בראשית כב, ה): שְׁבוּ לָכֶם פֹּה עִם הַחֲמוֹר, עַם הַדּוֹמִים לַחֲמוֹר. נָטַל אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְהֶעֱלָהוּ הָרִים וְהוֹרִידוֹ גְּבָעוֹת, הֶעֱלָהוּ עַל אֶחָד מִן הֶהָרִים וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ וְסִדֵּר עֵצִים וְעָרַךְ מַעֲרָכָה וְנָטַל אֶת הַסַּכִּין לְשָׁחֲטוֹ, וְאִלּוּלֵי שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ מַלְאָךְ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבָר הָיָה נִשְׁחָט. תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן, שֶׁחָזַר יִצְחָק אֵצֶל אִמּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ אָן הָיִיתָ בְּרִי, אָמַר לָהּ נְטָלַנִּי אָבִי וְהֶעֱלַנִי הָרִים וְהוֹרִידַנִּי גְבָעוֹת וכו', אָמְרָה וַוי עַל בְּרִי דְרֵיוָתָא, אִלּוּלֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כְּבָר הָיִיתָ שָׁחוּט, אָמַר לָהּ אִין. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה צָוְחָה שִׁשָּׁה קוֹלוֹת כְּנֶגֶד שִׁשָּׁה תְּקִיעוֹת, אָמְרוּ לֹא הִסְפִּיקָה אֶת הַדָּבָר עַד שֶׁמֵּתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית כג, ב): וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ, וּמֵהֵיכָן בָּא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָה בָּא, וְהָיָה אַבְרָהָם מְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם נִמְצָא בּוֹ פְּסוּל וְלֹא נִתְקַבֵּל קָרְבָּנוֹ, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ (קהלת ט, ז): לֵךְ אֱכֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ. יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׂמְחוּ בְּעוֹלָמִי, שָׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֹשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא (תהלים קמט, ב): יִשְׂמַח, עֲתִידִין הֵן לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כִּבְיָכוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא שָׂמַח בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שָׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא (תהלים קד, לא): יִשְׂמַח, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אֱלִישֶׁבַע בַּת עֲמִינָדָב לֹא שָׂמְחָה בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁרָאֲתָה חֲמִשָּׁה כְּתָרִים בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, יְבָמָהּ מֶלֶךְ, אָחִיהָ נָשִׂיא, בַּעֲלָהּ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, שְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ שְׁנֵי סְגָנֵי כְּהֻנָּה, פִּנְחָס בֶּן בְּנָהּ מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ בָּנֶיהָ לְהַקְרִיב וְנִשְׂרְפוּ, נֶהְפְּכָה שִׂמְחָתָהּ לְאֵבֶל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן.

Another matter, “after the death [of the two sons of Aaron]” (Leviticus 16:1). Rabbi Levi began: “I said to the revelers [laholelim]: Do not revel” (Psalms 75:5); laholelim, to the confused, those whose hearts are filled with wicked thoughts. Rabbi Levi would call them woe-generators, because they bring woe to the world. “And to the wicked, do not raise your horn” (Psalms 75:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to the wicked: ‘The righteous did not rejoice in My world, and you seek to rejoice?’ Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya: The ball of the heel of Adam the first man would outshine the sun, all the more so the radiance of his face. Do not wonder, as the way of the world is that if a person crafts bowls, one for himself and one for a member of his household, whose does he craft more beautifully? Is it not his? So too, Adam the first man was created for the service of the Holy One blessed be He, and the sun was created for the service of the creations. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He tied thirteen canopies for him in the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your canopy: ruby, topaz and clear quartz, beryl, onyx and chalcedony, sapphire, carbuncle, emerald and gold; the craftsmanship of your settings and your sockets was in you, on the day of your creation they were prepared” (Ezekiel 28:13). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said there were eleven [canopies] and the Rabbis said there were ten. But they do not disagree. The one who considers them thirteen considers “every precious stone was your canopy” as three. The one who considers them eleven considers it as one. The one who considers them ten does not consider it as one. After all this praise, “for you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). [God said to the wicked:] ‘Abraham did not rejoice in My world and you seek to rejoice?’ A son was born to him at the age of one hundred, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son…[and offer him up there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains that I will tell you]” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham went on a three-day journey. After three days, he saw a cloud fixed on the mountaintop. He said to [Isaac]: ‘My son, do you see what I see?’ [Isaac] said to him: ‘Yes.’ ‘What do you see?’ He said to him: ‘I see a cloud fixed on the mountaintop.’ He said to Ishmael and to Eliezer: ‘Do you see anything?’ They said to him: ‘No.’ He said to them: ‘Since you do not see anything, and this donkey does not see, “stay here with the donkey [im haḥamor]”’ (Genesis 22:5), [indicating they were] peoples comparable to the donkey [am hadomim laḥamor]. He took Isaac his son, took him up mountains and took him down hills. He took him up on one of the mountains, built an altar, arranged the wood, set the arrangement, and took the knife to slaughter him. Had it not been that an angel called him from the heavens, he would have already been slaughtered. Know that it is so, as Isaac returned to his mother and she said to him: ‘Where have you been, my son?’ He said to her: ‘My father took me, took me up mountains, took me down hills…’ She said: ‘Woe unto the son of that woman full of grief, had it not been for the angel you would have already been slaughtered.’ He said to her: ‘Yes.’ At that moment she cried out six cries, corresponding to six shofar blasts. They say that she did not complete them before she died. That is what is written: “Abraham came to lament Sarah and to weep over her” (Genesis 23:2). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah. Abraham had been ruminating in his heart, saying that perhaps, God forbid, some disqualification was found in [Isaac] and [therefore] his offering was not accepted. A Divine voice emerged and said to him: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). ‘Israel did not rejoice in My world.’ It does not say “Israel rejoiced in its Maker,” but rather: “Israel will rejoice in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2). They are destined to rejoice in the deeds of the Holy One blessed be He in the future. As it were, the Holy One blessed be He did not rejoice in His world. It does not say: “The Lord rejoiced in His works,” but rather: “will rejoice” (Psalms 104:31). The Holy One blessed be He is destined to rejoice in the actions of the righteous in the future. Elisheva bat Aminadav did not rejoice in the world when she saw five crowns [attained by her relatives] on one day. Her brother-in-law was king, her brother, a prince, her husband, High Priest, her two sons, the two deputy priests, her grandson Pinḥas anointed for war. When her sons entered to sacrifice and were burned, her joy was transformed into mourning. That is what is written: “After the death of the two sons of Aaron.”

Section 3ג׳

רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא פָּתַח (קהלת ב, ב): לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל, אִם הָדֵין דְּחוֹכָא מְעֹרָב מָה חֶדְוָתָא מְהַנְיָא, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד מִגְדוֹלֵי כָּבוּל שֶׁהָיָה מַשִּׂיא אֶת בְּנוֹ, וּבָרְבִיעִי שֶׁלּוֹ זִמֵּן אֶצְלוֹ אוֹרְחִים, מִשֶּׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ וְהֵיטִיבוּ אֶת לִבָּם אָמַר לִבְנוֹ עֲלֵה וְהָבֵא לָנוּ חָבִית אֶחָד מִן הָעֲלִיָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָלָה הִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וּמֵת, הִמְתִּין לוֹ לֵירֵד וְלֹא יָרַד, אָמַר אֲנִי עוֹלֶה וְרוֹאֶה מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁל בְּנִי, עָלָה וּמְצָאוֹ שֶׁהִכִּישׁוֹ נָחָשׁ וּמֵת וּמוּטָל בֵּין הֶחָבִיּוֹת, הִמְתִּין עַד שֶׁגָּמְרוּ סְעוּדָתָן, אָמַר לָהֶם רַבּוֹתַי לֹא לְבָרֵךְ אֶת בְּנִי בִּרְכַּת חֲתָנִים בָּאתֶם, אֶלָּא בֵּרְכוּ עָלָיו בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים, לֹא לְהַכְנִיס אֶת בְּנִי לַחֻפָּה בָּאתֶם בּוֹאוּ וְהַכְנִיסוּהוּ לְקִבְרוֹ. הִפְטִיר עָלָיו רַבִּי זַכַּאי דְּמִן כָּבוּל: לִשְׂחוֹק אָמַרְתִּי מְהוֹלָל.

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana began: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded, [and of joy, what does it accomplish?]” (Ecclesiastes 2:2). If this laughter is confounded, of what use is joy? There was an incident involving one of the prominent leaders of Kavul, who was marrying off his son. On his Wednesday, he invited guests to join him. Once they ate, drank, and made their hearts merry, he said to his son: ‘Ascend and bring us a barrel [of wine] from the attic.’ When he ascended, he was bitten by a snake and he died. [The father] waited for him to descend, but he did not descend. He said: ‘I will ascend and see what the status of my son is.’ He ascended and found that a snake bit him and he died, and he was cast between the barrels. He waited until they finished their feast. He said to them: ‘My masters, did you not come to recite the blessing of the bridegrooms for my son? Recite over him the blessing of the mourners. Did you not come to bring my son into his wedding canopy? Come and bring him into his grave.’ Rabbi Zakkai of Kavul concluded: “Of laughter, I said it is confounded.”