The Two Ships of Birth and Death in Midrash Tanchuma

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayakhel 1:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And the day of death than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To two ships that were on the sea, laden with merchandise — one coming and one going. The one that was coming, they were praising it. Those who stood by them were amazed, and said: Why are you praising this one, yet you are not praising that one? They said to them: This one, which has come back, we praise, for we know that it went out in peace and came back in peace; but as for that other one, we do not know what it is destined to do. So too, when a person is born, people do not recognize his deeds; when he departs from the world, they know what his deeds were. Therefore: "And the day of death than the day of one's birth."

Themes

BirthDeathHumorWitTribes

Biblical References

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