To say that God is upright. Why say His name, the Holy One Blessed be He, who is righteous and upright and there is no injustice in Him, as it is said, "My Rock, in whom there is no injustice." Another matter, why are the date palm and cedar trees greater than all other trees? Thus it is said about Israel, "For Mordecai was great among the Jews," and "David went on and grew great."
As for the date palm and cedar trees, if they are uprooted from their place, they cannot be replaced, so too with Israel. It is taught to say that they are planted in the house of God. Rabbi Chaninah bar Pazi said until they are planted in the house of God, these are the infants who are in the house of study. In the courtyards of our God, they will flourish.
These are the prayers. Rabbi Nechemia and Rabbi Pinchas say, "From one month old and up shall you count them." And is a one month old child able to keep watch? Rather, since he will keep watch in the future, it is as if he has already kept watch.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak ben Levi said, "Until he was in his mother's womb, he was written in the upper heavenly register," as it is said, "And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life." And did he really judge all his days? Did he not judge only for thirteen years? This is what Ben Levi said, "Until he was in his mother's womb, he was written in the upper heavenly register."
"They will still yield fruit in old age." This is Abraham, as it is said, "And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran." They would make music with them for the gentiles.
"They will still grow in old age." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karcha says, "Nivin brought forth a son when he was one hundred years old, and he fathered a son when he was one hundred years old."