“Sweet is the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats a little or a lot; but the satiety of the wealthy does not allow him to sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:11). “Sweet is the sleep of the laborer” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] emerged from the bathhouse, wrapped himself in his garments, and sat and attended to the needs of the people. His servant mixed him a cup.67It was a mixture of wine and water. Because he was attending to the needs of the people, he was not free to receive it from him.
The servant dozed and fell asleep. Rabbi turned around and looked at him and said: ‘Solomon spoke correctly: “Sweet is the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats a little or a lot; but the satiety of the wealthy does not allow him to sleep”; [this is referring to people] like me, as we are attending to the needs of the people, and we are not free even to sleep.’ Rabbi Berekhya said: To what is this matter analogous?
It is to a king who had an orchard and he transferred it to his son. As long as his son did his bidding, the king would see what a beautiful tree there is in the world and would plant it in his son’s orchard. But whenever his son did not do his bidding, he would see what a beautiful, outstanding tree there was in the orchard, and he would uproot it. So, the king is the Holy One blessed be He, the orchard is the world, and some say it is the Israelites.
As long as they do the bidding of the Holy One blessed be He, when He sees a righteous person in the nations of the world, like Yitro, Raḥav, and Ruth, and like Antoninus, He brings him and has him cleave to Israel. Whenever they do not do His bidding, He sees what righteous person there is in Israel and He takes him from them.