Why the Day of Death Surpasses the Day of Birth in Tanchuma

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayakhel 1:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And the day of death than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1, continued) — the day of a person's death is better than the day on which he was born. Why? On the day on which he is born, no one knows whether his deeds will be worthy or not; but when he dies, he makes his deeds known to humankind.

Themes

DeathBirthAdam EveSolomonJoy

Biblical References

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Bereshit RabbahWisdom of Eve of AdamBereshit Rabbah slows down Eve's reach for the fruit and finds three separate lures in one verse. "The woman saw that the tree was good for eating, and that it Bereshit RabbahRabbi Shimon and the Heavenly Realms of ElazarThe Torah teaches us about showing appreciation for the benefits we receive, and this sentiment is beautifully explored in Bereshit Rabbah, the classic rabbinicKohelet RabbahOne Generation Passes and Another Comes to Take Its PlaceThe book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, certainly did. “One generation passes, and one generation comes; and the earth abides forever. TheKohelet RabbahThe Wedding Feast That Ended in TragedyKohelet Rabbah, a fascinating collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Ecclesiastes, explores exactly this kind of sudden, heartbreaking reversal. Kohelet RabbahA Time to Weep and a Time to DanceThe book of Ecclesiastes, or Kohelet as it's known in Hebrew, gets it. It’s a book that doesn't shy away from the complexities, the contradictions, the sheer meKohelet RabbahRabbi Yehuda Receives the TorahIt’s one that the ancient rabbis grappled with in the text of Kohelet Rabbah. Two rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, offer contrasting perspectives. Rabbi